Hillbilly Drum Build

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Hillbilly1

Sous Chef
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
724
Location
A Hollar in Northern Iowa
Well got a fair start on the drum taday. Got here burnt out with a 5 million btu turbo torch, ifin there was a linin in there, it sure didn't survive that! Burnt the paint offin the outside to.
img_186481_0_68fddc9c896bd8320223d9dee729048b.jpg


img_186481_1_1f66ab0a61a0257a386e83571cf2c0b3.jpg


After burnin it off I then gave it a good wash out with the powerwasher. Then hit everthin with a 4 inch wire wheel on my angle grinder.

It's sittin over in the small garage with a fresh coat a primer. Tammarraw I will start layout an drillin holes.

Post more pics as it progresses.
 
Drum build update.

Here's be the drum with a coat a high temp ceramic primer. Got the layout lines on an ready ta start some drillin. I found a seamstress tape measure, one the cloth ones works real well fer measurin on that drum!

img_186542_0_92bf9efe45f85330508df81d933cf2f6.jpg


Here it be with the rack supports in, I use 1/4 inch x 3/4 inch x 2 1/2 inch u bolts fer the rack supports. Damper nipples er all installed an lock nutted an the meat temp gauge port is installed. Got a lid I'm gonna use fer now, came offin a george foreman electric grill. Will fit inside the rim a the original lid, so can make it work till I find me a weber lid.

img_186542_1_ac7d5359f64536baae46dc290c874c2f.jpg


Next is ta get the charcoal basket built an the shelf made fer it, then paint an some wheels an she be ready ta go.
 
Looks mighty fine HB.
Careful with that second grate. I added one to mine and well.........results weren't good. :shock:
 
Update

Well been super busy with yard work an some shop repairs, ain't worked on the drum as much as I'd liked ta. Got shelf brackets mounted taday an the shelf cut. I did some wood burnin on it an then a nice coat a maple stain an the first coat a poly.

Try an post some pics tammarraw!
 
The Shelf

Still givin it coats a clear, but here be a qview.

img_187031_0_2024ed36e5af8dfde67fbf535493a02c.jpg


The one ta the left is my intials, made that up years ago, the one ta the right er the initals fer Hillbilly Vittles, our caterin company.
 
Div said:
the inside scares me

It had a liner, but after two burns with a 5 millon btu burner there ain't much left ta bother none. It don't smell none, got it glowin red hot, so ifin anythin was gonna gas off, it shoulda done it then. It'll never get that hot again.

Took a wire wheel ta the inside then vac it out an power washed it to.
 
Hello HB,

Might fine lookin drum you got there. I'm trying one myself. Don't know if it's gonna be that good lookin.

I got a few questions for you. The intake ball valve in your pix show a smaller one then I was gonna use. I was lookin at a 1-1/2 inch or 2 inch. What size is it and Is that one your got gonna be ok, or is mine over kill

Thanks, BBQ Brother
Honcho
 
honcho said:
Hello HB,

Might fine lookin drum you got there. I'm trying one myself. Don't know if it's gonna be that good lookin.

I got a few questions for you. The intake ball valve in your pix show a smaller one then I was gonna use. I was lookin at a 1-1/2 inch or 2 inch. What size is it and Is that one your got gonna be ok, or is mine over kill

Thanks, BBQ Brother
Honcho

The bottom intakes er drafts are all 3/4 inch, there be two 3/4 inch close nipples which can be capped off an one that recieves the 3/4 inch ball valve. The three opeinins seem ta give it better air flow durin the start up. That is what nearly everbody buildin a drum uses. It seems ta be bout right fer the airflow through a 1 1/2 inch er 2 inch lid openin.

I should be postin some more picks this weekend, just plain been to busy tween work an caterin ta get the fun stuff done! I plan on a break in smoke sunday an a full on run next weekend.

Good luck on the build!
 
Hello HB,

So I fired the drum up to season it today, After we put the drum together, we used Rutland stove paint (1200 degree temp) We rubbed down the inside with EVOO. And lite the 10 lbs of Dragon's Breath.
We have a 2 inch bung plug close to the bottem, about 2 inchs above the fire brick. So we wanted to play at the same time, we had a 2" to 1-1/2"reducer, then a 1-1/2" to 1"reducer, then a 1" to 1/2" reducer as the drum heated up we added 1 reducer at a time. When the drum got to temp we were down to a 1" hole. If the temp got hotter we added reducers. And when it got cooler we removed some. So for fine tuneing due to the weather( calm or windy) we used foil wadded up in the hole.

The 2" bung hole in the top we are useing a 2" X 6" pipe with a motorcycle crome pipe on it, (again with foil wadded inside it for fine tune) on the opposite side of the drum, for a cross flow, now please remember this was to season it with nothing cookin, but the dreams and excitment were good.

But it still ain't as good lookin as yours
Can't wait to cook with it. Yea Baby
 
I thin there gonna be a hoot to smoke with! Tryin ta find a stainless steel barrel ta make my next one out of! Found some, but ain't in my price range er there to far ta go get. I will find one sooner er later! Figure should be real perty all polished up!

Hey, if what yer doin works, what more can ya ask?! Nothin wrong with experimentin, be how ya come up with the next great thin!
 
Hey Gents;
Got some great news for you. We took our UDS to Roc City Rib/KCBS,
To show the public, it's not what you cook on. But what you cook.

an took 6 th in Chicken out of 42 teams, WOO HOO
 
well we did it again,,,4 th in chicken " back yd" @ Boston Hills,,,
we also use Dragon's breath charcoal,,,,, thats 2 comps = 2 calls
 
Back
Top Bottom