BAR-B-Q GRILL FROM A 35 GAL OIL DRUM

JR Frye · Dec 23, 2013

This is my project:
I am using a 35 gal oil drum for a grill/Smoker ??
I going to cut a rectangular hole in the side; The part that I cut out will be the lid. Then I will make the grill out of expanded metal.
I will put a air hole on the end of the barrel at the bottom and put a air control damper to control the air flow in and I am going to put smoke stack on the top of the grill with a damper on it I have been told that this will not work for as a smoker but will work as a grill, I would like some one to tell me why it will not work as smoker. MANY THANKS
AND MAY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ON YT HAVE A MARY CHRISTMAS AND VERY SAFE NEW YEAR;
FROM JR FRYE AND THE TRACTOR SHOP

petetx · Dec 23, 2013

have done that for years both 35 and 55 gal. barrels works for me

notjustair · Dec 23, 2013

From what I understand you will be making the fire in the bottom of the drum. The meat will be above the fire thus you are grilling. If you intend on smoking you need the fire in a separate location and the meat is just cooked with the super heated smoke. Hopefully at a temp about 200 degrees.

You need a firebox to weld on the end opposite the chimney. It should be about 1/3 the size of the smoking barrel and lower the the smoking barrel. As the smoke rises it crosses over into the main barrel and across to the chimney.

Do yourself a favor and find a thermometer with 3/4 NPT threads and weld a pipe fitting onto your smoking barrel. That's what I did on mine. Works slick.

Mark-Ia · Dec 23, 2013

Most smoker type grills like you are describing use a small tank attached to the side and hooked to the larger barrel where the charcoal or wood blocks burn to create the smoke.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 23, 2013

What you describe I have used for years to smoke. Build the fire next to the air inlet using maybe a 1/4 of the the available area. Place items to be smoked in the half away from the fire.

samn40 · Dec 23, 2013

Just be very careful cutting the barrel. We have an old farmer /custom worker near us who has welded and cut all his life. He went to cut a barrel to make a barbeque for a local church fete and was wise enough to fill the barrel with water first. He drained the barrel and went to cut it but it exploded, burning his face and legs quite badly.
He survived but he missed the fete and barbeque!
Sam

GordoSD · Dec 23, 2013

Exactly. Major difference between "cold smoked" and "hot smoked meats and fish. The hot smoked" grilled, will have streaks of melted fat all through it. Cold smoked will be soft, flavorful, and not dried out.
Critical for Alaska salmon

37chief · Dec 23, 2013

I cut a propane tank in two thinking I could sell it for a BBQ, (smoker)It was about 35 gal. I got a couple calls, that's all. In the bin it went. By now it's probably a new Lexas. No more trying to sell anything, just a lot of no shows. Stan

UncleTom · Dec 23, 2013

Do a search on UDS smoker in which stands for Ugly Drum Smoker. There is a lot of people that build these from barrels. I know some use water valves in the bottom to control the air intake.

old · Dec 23, 2013

Before you do any cutting on it be sure to take out any plugs in it and set it in a burn pile. Seen more then one guy get blown up by cutting an old barrel. My self when I make one I cut then long ways and hinge the top so you can open the whole thing up. Have one that I started last year but ran out of time to get back to it due to other demands

Texasmark1 · Dec 23, 2013

I made one from a failed 50 gallon hot water heater I removed in a repair from an apartment in Dallas. Used it for at least 15 years. Never burned out as it was glass lined.

Laid it horizontal on an old riding lawn mower frame for mobility, cut it in the mid section, put some hinges on it with a smoke stack.

Cooked many a pound of briskets and Baby Back Ribs.

Mark

ldj · Dec 23, 2013

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Dean Olson · Dec 23, 2013

It'll work but you'll fight trying to maintain temp. It's too small and the metal is too thin to hold the heat. You'll want to build your fire in one end and meat on the other. Indirect heat. I started out with a drum smoker and made it work but a real PIA. Not fun.

My smoker is built out of 1/4" plate and 3/8" pipe. Fire box is 20"x20"x20" and the pipe is 20"x48". I can adjust the vent in the fire box and the damper on the chimney and control the heat for hours at a time. I maintain about 275 degrees for 12-14 hours when smoking briskets. This smoker is fun.

da.bees · Dec 23, 2013

What Dean said ^^^^^^^

It's only one step better than a campfire unless it has a seprate firebox.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 24, 2013

Here's a link to a basic tutorial on building an upright drum smoker [UDS, or "ugly drum smoker"]. Check out this site; these folks DO know what they're talking about.
UDS discussion forum

Texasmark1 · Dec 24, 2013

Nice metal work. I tried barrels first but had problems with burnout
even with a rack for the briquettes. I figured, and figured right, that
the thicker wall and glass lining would privail. It did.

Last spring I bought a propane fired smoker from ASC which I really
like. Nice thing about the propane is that I can set the stat and go
off and do other things. Don't have to babysit the fire.

Mark

BAR-B-Q GRILL FROM A 35 GAL OIL DRUM

JR Frye

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petetx

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notjustair

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Mark-Ia

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Anonymous-0

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samn40

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GordoSD

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37chief

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UncleTom

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old

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Texasmark1

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ldj

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Dean Olson

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da.bees

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Anonymous-0

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Texasmark1

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