I found it.

[bigtim665]

I have been sitting around for 6 months or more trying to find the smoker i want. I hate the high price store bought ones. Kind of odd though cause i bought a bradley digital smoker. I love my bradely do not get me wrong it has worked everytime. Any where from 3 hours to 12. Only had a few small issues though they where atleast 1/2 op errors.
But i have been wanting a bigger smoker something to use for cook outs and partys. Everyone loves my smoked food though the bradley just does not have the cooking area. I could buy the 6 rack but thats like 500 or 600 bucks. I am talking a welding class this semester at college. So i would say it is a pefect time to make it.
I have been looking found new barrels just down the road though there 50 bucks a piece. But i want the new unused one. Plus i know a few people who want one and would want new barrels.
I was looking online at plans when i ran around the one some posted here before that i loved but could not find. I found it
http://bbq.netrelief.com/pits/metalp..._bbq_pit.shtml
SO theres my plan. I like the idea behind the vert. drum smokers but i want something with alot of cooking area. SO i figure by nov i should have it done. GOing to try and get the barrels in oct. Figure it will be a good point in my welding class. Maybe i will get lucky and can use it for extra credit in class

[bigtim665]

hey guys. GOt a question. FOr cutting the barrels. I have a nieghbor who has a nice torch. I am sure i could get him to let me use it. Or would it not be right for the job. Or should i use a recip or cutting wheel. What i need is a nice plasma cutter. But not right no I think i should buy the welder first.

[ptt49er]

See if you can rent a plasma cutter. There's nothing like'em.

[Walking Dude]

you put two racks in a UDS, and you will have enuff room to do 6-8 butts, dude.........now THATS alot of rack space !

[Kingudaroad]

Looks like Uncle Honky's, except his stacks are on top.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oJV0...e=channel_page

[Texas-Hunter]

you put two racks in a UDS, and you will have enuff room to do 6-8 butts, dude.........now THATS alot of rack space !

I agree dude, But it looks like BigTim has his heart set on a Big Baby...

OK Tim, Look at this thread. If you have any questions I am sure Jimbob will be more than happy to help you with your build.. Just shoot him a PM..

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2255







.

[Zeeker]

bigtim665: Take your time and plan out you build. Don't rush into it. The link you have is a fine design and should give you a lot of cooking area bud.

[Gunslinger]

hey guys. GOt a question. FOr cutting the barrels. I have a nieghbor who has a nice torch. I am sure i could get him to let me use it. Or would it not be right for the job. Or should i use a recip or cutting wheel. What i need is a nice plasma cutter. But not right no I think i should buy the welder first.

I'd use a sabre or jig saw with a metal cutting blade. I prefer these to a sawsall because they are more comfortable for one handed operation. And they offer better control. I used mine to cut the doors out of my smoker because at the time I didn't have a plasma cutter. My smoker is all 1/4 inch metal. It's slower than a plasma cutter, but the results are good with a thin kerf and straight lines. Just take your time.

[bigtim665]

Luckly i did a design class in school in the spring so drawing it out will be easy if i can get my drafting tools i loaned to a buddy for the class. He did his drawings once. Then did not do another and wondered how he failed.

bigtim665: Take your time and plan out you build. Don't rush into it. The link you have is a fine design and should give you a lot of cooking area bud.

[Jimbob]

I cut my barrels with a Sawzall. No need to weld to assemble a DBS. It can bolt together.

[bigtim665]

I notice that on the kit. WOuld i be better off welding it togather or might that be a bad idea. If a barrle goes bad just a few bolts to remove if i weld it welds to cut or a whole new kit to buy. I will have acces to a welder so i could weld it if need be. I am thinking about going to the local junk yard and seeing if i can find some 1/4 or 1/2 sheets heck if i can weld it got a torch why not just make a smoker from scratch. I figure for the 50 bucks for new barrels and about 100 for the stove kit i would think i can buy some scrap sheets. Theres a few scrap yard was there today and told them to let me know if they got a small to medium propane tank it. If i end up making a trailer in class i might get a full size tank.
Kind of funny i went from a vert drum smoker to a big baby to a scrap metal smoker to a full size propane tank on a trailer.

I cut my barrels with a Sawzall. No need to weld to assemble a DBS. It can bolt together.

[Jimbob]

I notice that on the kit. WOuld i be better off welding it togather or might that be a bad idea. If a barrle goes bad just a few bolts to remove if i weld it welds to cut or a whole new kit to buy. I will have acces to a welder so i could weld it if need be. I am thinking about going to the local junk yard and seeing if i can find some 1/4 or 1/2 sheets heck if i can weld it got a torch why not just make a smoker from scratch. I figure for the 50 bucks for new barrels and about 100 for the stove kit i would think i can buy some scrap sheets. Theres a few scrap yard was there today and told them to let me know if they got a small to medium propane tank it. If i end up making a trailer in class i might get a full size tank.
Kind of funny i went from a vert drum smoker to a big baby to a scrap metal smoker to a full size propane tank on a trailer.

The kits are cast parts, so you will be bolting them together.

As far as size, do what ya gotta do. It's what fits your need. The DBS fits my need, and does so cheaply. It'll never wear out in my lifetime.

I have seen guys go all-out and build these huge smokers, then never use them. I have a friend who built a really nice 300 gallon propane tank smoker, and it sits unused because he was having big gatherings at the time, and now it is too large to fire up for just a few chickens and ribs. So it sits there, unused. On the other hand, guys who build too small for their needs will soon be looking to go bigger. But then, there's a guy out near LA who is cooking for a BBQ business using a set of UDS drums. I think he has about 10 of them. Depends on what you need.

[petesque]

I built one a couple years ago. I used a drill mounted nibbler. Allot less noise than a sawsall or saber saw and nice straight lines. I was also able to stack 3 high in racks by using pastry cooling racks. Home Depot has regular grill racks at 22 1/4" by 11". A 55 gal drum on its side is a 33" inside dimension.


http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMG_0853.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/m...e/IMG_0854.jpg

[bigtim665]

I think the dbs will work for me the bradley cover me for little stuff or the lazy smoke where i want to leave for two hours. Last time i drove a hour to the next town then came back two hours later no proplem. But i need something for the cook outs and the big smokes. Plus i want to do up a bunch of smoked sausage the bradely just does not hold enough of the sausage links for the cost. Plus i got about 10 ricks of oak sitting out side. And about another 10 needing cut up and split

The kits are cast parts, so you will be bolting them together.

As far as size, do what ya gotta do. It's what fits your need. The DBS fits my need, and does so cheaply. It'll never wear out in my lifetime.

I have seen guys go all-out and build these huge smokers, then never use them. I have a friend who built a really nice 300 gallon propane tank smoker, and it sits unused because he was having big gatherings at the time, and now it is too large to fire up for just a few chickens and ribs. So it sits there, unused. On the other hand, guys who build too small for their needs will soon be looking to go bigger. But then, there's a guy out near LA who is cooking for a BBQ business using a set of UDS drums. I think he has about 10 of them. Depends on what you need.