I am gathering materials a few ???

[gmotoman]

I get the ball valve being an air flow controller, but what do the pipe nipples do? It seems that they are either open or closed?

Using Ecto1's drums as a guide I notice he has 1 ball valve either 1/2 or 3/4 inch and 3 pipe nipples. Could i replace the 3 pipe nipples with another ball valve.

Thank you in advance for any responses. I am doing this with the help of my friends shop and tools(I don't have squat in the way of tools). So despite the ease in which a UDS can be made please factor in I was a liberal arts major in college, and I am fairly stupid when it comes to making stuff with metal. This will probably be an all summer project.

[IrishChef]

While I do not own a drum, I do know a bit about the construction thereof. The nipples actually give you something to attach the valve to, and penetrate through the side of the drum. Make sure you get a ball valve with npt thread for the diameter nipple you are using.

[Mark R]

The extra nipples with caps on them are for extra air at start up, then capped off once you have it close to temp. You only need one valve to adjust the air flow but you could put them on all the nipples.

[gmotoman]

The extra nipples with caps on them are for extra air at start up, then capped off once you have it close to temp. You only need one valve to adjust the air flow but you could put them on all the nipples.

Thank you Mark that really helped a lot. I think for my safety I would do 4 pipe nipples and then attach ball valves to 2 of them.

Irish thank you for the input. I would be dumb-ass who got the wrong sized threaded ball valve for the nipple.

[DDave]

The extra nipples with caps on them are for extra air at start up, then capped off once you have it close to temp. You only need one valve to adjust the air flow but you could put them on all the nipples.

Some drums run fine at smoking temps with 1 cap on and the valve half open. Some drums run fine with both caps on and the valve 3/4 open.

Having 3 openings gives you more range depending on what temp you're cooking at. Also sometimes if you have two racks pretty full, it takes more intake air to keep the temps up.

With 2 caps and a valve you can adjust your intake anywhere from 0 (all capped and valve fully closed) to 3 (everything wide open) and any fraction in between and save the cost of 2 valves.

Thank you Mark that really helped a lot. I think for my safety I would do 4 pipe nipples and then attach ball valves to 2 of them.

You only need one valve for fractional control. With three 3/4" intakes, I can smoke/grill anywhere from the low 200s to 450°+.

Dave

[Slanted88]

Cat Daddy Dave is right. Do you plan on a drum lid or a Weber donor or clone. Bestest thing was me weber lid. I'll get a pic of me rotator addition. Rights now i'm on a roasted peanut doofer.

[gmotoman]

Cat Daddy Dave is right. Do you plan on a drum lid or a Weber donor or clone. Bestest thing was me weber lid. I'll get a pic of me rotator addition. Rights now i'm on a roasted peanut doofer.

I 've got an old beat up weber lid...hope it'll fit.

[erain]

Cat Daddy Dave is right. Do you plan on a drum lid or a Weber donor or clone. Bestest thing was me weber lid. I'll get a pic of me rotator addition. Rights now i'm on a roasted peanut doofer.

i wouldnt mind seein that either... hope ya post it up Mike!