My DIY Ugly Drum Smoker Build | No Welding!

In this video I build an ugly drum smoker! I’ll take you through step by step on everything I do to totally transform this 55 gallon drum into a cooking machine. If you want to build your own smoker make sure you check out the links below:
‪@islandoutdoorllc‬
UDSparts.com
BBQsmokermods.com
BBQsmokersupply.com
The UDS kit in this video:
udsparts.com/kits/the-ultimat...
#bbq #diy #smoker #uds #uglydrumsmoker

[@ajraven101]

I cannot tell you how glad I am I watched your video! I'm getting ready to put mine together, but want to go with a "steampunk" look. That rusted patina you did is exactly the color I'm after. 👍👍

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks for watching! I hope your build turns out awesome!!

[@saulgood2548]

This is a nice build and the paint job is A1. Thanks for sharing!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!!

[@akbychoice]

I built one about 5 years ago. Love it but the game changer was when I bought a TipTop Temperature controller on top. My bottom intakes are wide open. I can smoke for 14+ hours on one load of lump charcoal at 225°F.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah that’s sweet! There are a few good gadgets out there to really control temp that I’ve seen. I use mine for hot and fast in the competition world. I cook ribs in 3 hours with this thing. It puts out awesome bbq with that good taste of the grease dripping on the coals too.

[@rainfall7661]

name it MUD (my ugly drum)

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@rainfall7661 “My name is Mud” classic lol

[@derricksmiley5632]

​@@BBBarbecueandPitswhat was the name of the movie (will Ferrell) married some I want to watch it again 😂

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@derricksmiley5632 the clip I used is from Wedding Crashers

[@musclekingmedia]

Dorthy fits the bill 100%

[@reallybadaim118]

Im impressed. The finish looks great. Good job. 👍

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks! Yeah I thought it came out great. I just sold the drum not too long ago and the finish still looked great

[@a.c.king-dk5yl1ep2m]

That's awesome! Thanks for showing the whole process clearly enough so that anybody can follow it, including how to fix a mistake .

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Glad you liked it thanks for the feedback!!

[@user-dg7mr9jh8j]

Definitely …..DORTHY fits her great👍👍👍good job !!!!!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!!

[@06m50blue]

Man, that patina looks great! Awesome job!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks! Yeah came out better than I thought it would!! Thanks for watching

[@JohnnyD45x]

Great Job!!

[@chuck5898]

Great job, I love drum smokers.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Heck yeah thanks bud

[@TheMikeijay]

Thank you so much for making this video. I have been putting off building a smoker but you've inspired me to do it. Also you have an amazing piece of land there my friend! Would kill for a garden like that! Very jealous!!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Really appreciate the kind words buddy! You can’t go wrong with a good drum smoker that’s for sure. The hardest part of the whole process was getting the metal clean, but other than that not too bad. Yeah man I love living out in the woods nice and quiet!!

[@yesitsmario88]

I still want to build a UDS one day, great video and awesome job!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks buddy. Do it. Just follow what I did minus the mistake lol. That drum ran really good.

[@antoineanderson2415]

Awesome build brother I just joined your channel I'm from The south live an work in South East Louisiana and that heat is no joke Awesome job...

[@MrSrtman18]

I made one years ago. Best bbq ive ever made on it. I always have trouble holding heat, made ribs on really windy day last week. Still, turned out awesome. Probably my best ribs i ever made yet.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Sweet!! Yeah the food that comes off these is great. I’d say maybe it’s something to do with the way you have the exhaust set?? I leave mine wide open on the top and totally control the heat with the intakes. I also don’t leave it open too long, I go in and do what I have to do and shut it right away.

[@BigPeter1313]

Try wrapping the smoker in ceramic sheets, that will keep the temp level even in cold weather.

[@TN-xe8ok]

Great job sir Looks amazing. Very beautiful!!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks buddy!!

[@seadkarajic5673]

Looks amazing 👏

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!!

[@1123mo1]

That’s a beauty!❤

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!!

[@hoboriver]

For future reference, the hole in the top is called a bung hole lol Awesome job, I love the paint.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Makes me think of Beavis and Butthead haha. Appreciate you watching. Might build another one with my welder coming up 👍🏻

[@jensjanichen59]

Perfect. Best greetings from Germany 👍

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks for watching!!

[@kevindodd3189]

Great work brother. Sure looks fun

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks! Yeah came out great. Cooks great too 👍🏻

[@randyhernandez1005]

Awesome job👍

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!

[@the987jonobird]

Awesome job well done ✌️

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks for watching!

[@Leroy-go9yd]

First time to the channel,liked&subbed.Thank You for all the info and for recognizing the people in your video.I am probably going to build a grill at some point so this researching is helpful 😀

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Hey thanks for supporting the channel! Let me know if you have any questions along the way

[@buildfixeat]

Killer, love it! Thanks for sharing

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Turned out better than I thought it would lol. Thanks for watching!!

[@petemac4284]

I am impressed. I need one of those kits. I already have my drum

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@petemac4284 thanks! Yeah it is a fun project to do too.

[@albertohing3200]

Nice job looks great 👍

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!

[@rolandovelarde5301]

Thanks from Guatemala

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks for watching!!

[@bobbywatts7472]

dude rust bucket awesome love it

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah that was my go to

[@45valk]

Awesome

[@christopherhearin8703]

Work of art….

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks bud!

[@STUFFWEDO]

Looking good. I might try this

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Heck yeah. Drum smokers produce some really good bbq

[@johnnyvaughn8391]

Cool build. I believe you could buy all the needed materials from a big box hardware store for less than $100, but definitely a plus to have it in kit form, and instructions in sure

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah having the kit made it a lot easier that’s for sure. Getting a barrel you don’t have to burn out would be nice too

[@jrleemusic]

Good job looking good

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!

[@tgchism]

Nice build and video!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks a lot man!

[@corneliushoward4343]

Man I like that, I been thinking about doing me one of these!!!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Do it! Not too bad of a process and you come out with an awesome smoker

[@jonloeber7057]

very nice job, appreciate you owning screw up, I'm going to build one at my sister's in Oregon while I'm here for winter and treat them to some North by God Carolina bbc. Go Heels

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Heck yeah show them what real bbq taste like!!! Thanks for watching. If you order the kit from the link let them know I sent you!

[@Sapioso]

Dorothy from twister is classic 😂 Sick shit bro!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks bud!!

[@streetball8]

BUTIFUL!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Dutzow78]

Cool video 🙏 Sending love from România ❤

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!!

[@chadkimbrell6599]

I know an amateur cooking team that built 3 of these and they are either winning or placing top 3 always

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

That’s exactly why I wanted to build one. The drums are scoring well with the KCBS judges right now. And they are good for hot and fast. I cooked some spare ribs in 2 hours and 50 minutes, that is rolling. Thanks for watching!

[@lesgrant7861]

I have 2 offsets and a wifi pellet smokers. I have 6 UDS smokers and the UDS smokers are the best overall in my opinion. If I had to pick a style for competition BBQ or the best smoked meat I can possibly make I will always go with a UDS over a offset and definitely over a pellet smoker.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@lesgrant7861 yeah they really are good because you get another flavor with that grease dripping on the coals. Plus they are so much easier to transport. I love my offset for brisket though!!

[@cpuram8883]

Great job

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!

[@lesterlangston5919]

Beautiful that's it

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!!

[@ksmith114]

If you want to add a second cooking grate, what measurement would that be in your build? This looks great.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So I pulled 16” from the bottom of the barrel spaced out equally in line with the top grate bolt holes

[@angelramos268]

fyi that center punch is spring loaded it does not need a hammer just pressure, ( kinda looks like mine might be wrong )

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah I figured that out from all the comments about it lol. Thanks for watching

[@davidigleniec2483]

❤Its soo beautiful...

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!!

[@daleboe8912]

Nice work

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!

[@jpsanch33]

You inspired me to take this on!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Do it! It’s a good smoker and you can make it your own

[@jpsanch33]

@@BBBarbecueandPits Do you think i can use an old motor oil drum? This project is near and dear to me because my dad and uncle worked producing steel drums for many years here in chicago. I would build this with them.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@jpsanch33 yeah just make sure you wash it out good first. Then burn a really hot fire to get rid of any toxins that could be in there. That’s really cool man, that will be a good project for y’all to work on together

[@kleinreinder]

very good i am going to make one myself in greece

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

That’s awesome! Let me know if you have questions. Thanks for watching

[@zieglla]

Dude awesome job! That would be fun to do with an 85 gallon drum

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I didn’t even know they made them that big. That would be sweet

[@zieglla]

@@BBBarbecueandPits they're used as overpack drums for when 55 gallon drums leak

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@zieglla that’s good to know. I might try to find one and make a larger drum 👍🏻

[@ciscoallah]

great looking smoker! gotta call her dorthy..i call mine Samantha

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Appreciate the kind words! I think I’m going to make another drum soon with welded on parts

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Did you build yours??

[@ciscoallah]

@@BBBarbecueandPits yeah, but nothing as good as yours.. I may get that kit

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@ciscoallah let them know I sent you! That kit worked out great

[@user-sc7di5jo4h]

Awesome Freaking Smoker!!!! I'm about to start mine tomorrow. Question...how far to the left and right of the rear center line did you mark your intake center?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks man! I got the center point on the front of the drum then measured 10” to the left and 10” to the right off of that center mark. Good luck on your build bud let me know if you have any questions

[@bige7910]

I love the look. 1 question will the rust bubble up under the clearcoat causing it to rust out?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So I cooked on it about 8 times and I had no issue with it. I put a lot of layers of clear on it so I don’t think it will be an issue

[@sfitzpat19901]

I love the rust look. Did you just hit it with the mixture of water/salt/hydrogen peroxide followed by clear coat? It looks awesome

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks man! Yeah it was a mixture of white vinegar, salt, hydrogen peroxide. Then I let it sit in the sun for about 4 hours. Rinsed it with water let it dry and hit it with that clear. Came out better than I though it would!! Thanks for watching

[@petemac4284]

Will the smoker eventually rust out

[@doyleholloway1818]

manawar!!! thats what it looks like

[@michaelnorman4476]

Dorothy, definitely Dorothy!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

That seems to be the top one so far

[@user-bw4gb1kt8v]

Looks good I would to see how it works . .

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Works great. Got 5th place pork out of 27 teams in my last contest and the pork came off this drum. Can’t go wrong if you know how to run it!

[@ryancarelli4427]

hell yeah

[@TheSillyslik40]

Twisted Sister would be my name for it! we say it as twissed sisser!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

The sizz makes the bbq so good!!

[@SainiBadwalUSA]

amazing build look like very solid smoker IF you add my DIY cold smoker to it then you can also cold smoke.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks! Yeah that would be good for sausage

[@SainiBadwalUSA]

@@BBBarbecueandPits Thanks friend my video works for you

[@user-hz7mo1zn5k]

Might it help with longevity of the barrel,if you were to use a high heat resistant paint on the exterior of the barrel. I'm not able to easily obtain a barrel but if I was able to find one, I'm going to try to make it last as long as possible.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yes so anything high temp will work. The high temp clear coat I put on is still holding strong today. Anything to prevent rusting

[@davidruiz5383]

Great project but what was the prior contents or liquids inside the drum. Thanks and God Bless.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So it had corn syrup in it before. Thanks for watching

[@tndrfoot]

Very nice result! Are you hitting a spring loaded center punch with a hammer...?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yep lol. Didn’t know how it worked at the time… now I know haha.

[@danieledwards2296]

That’s the TinMan

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

That’s a good one haha

[@MrCarnelosco]

hi, i'm an italian guy. Please can you tell me how you prepare the rusting solution and what you use for the glossy final effect? thank you so much

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I mixed 3 parts salt, hydrogen peroxide, and white vinegar in the spray bottle. Then I used Rustoleum high temp clear coat spray paint.

[@ricsears7787]

It looks like it's been about 9 months since you first posted this video. Thanks, by the way for sharing. I'm curious, have you had any rust issues breaking through the clear finish you used since you finished this smoker?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So I sold this smoker to a subscriber a while back. But I cooked on it a bunch before and didn’t have an issue with rust coming through. Laying down a few heavy coats is a must for this. Eventually it will need more clear coat on it though, maybe once a year.

[@Soli-Deo-Gloria7]

Do you use clear coat after the rusting solution

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yes. You let the rust dry then hit it with a few coats of clear

[@joshgroover9598]

How long did you burn it out for? I’ve had mine going a few hours but I’m not sure how long I should keep it going

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So until the paint burns off on the outside and you should see that liner burnt on the inside. I think I did mine for about 3 hours with a really hot fire

[@kolemccoy7970]

What clear coat did you use??

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-Automotive-260771-11-Ounce-Degrees/dp/B006ZLQ0JI/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=high%2Btemp%2Bclear%2Bspray%2Bpaint&qid=1695302753&sr=8-2&th=1

[@kevinta4539]

What brand clear paint do you use thanks

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Rust-Oleum High Temp Clear Automotive Paint Item number is 260771

[@thomasgarzarelli9221]

What did you use for the clear coat?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

a.co/d/ahLOF4h

[@user-sj1vo8ri3h]

Question, if the drum unlined do you will have to burn the inside?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I would say no, but for safety sake and to kill any germs inside I would still burn it out. Unless it is a brand new barrel that has never had anything inside

[@kevinta4539]

Do you paint inside the barrel to thanks

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Noooo don’t do that. That would’t be safe for the food you are cooking. I take the inside down to bare metal then when it’s time to cook I spray the inside walls with Pam spray to seal the metal

[@CoffeeandCancerStix]

The finished product looks amazing. One little thing though, are you using a hammer on a snap punch?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

😂 I realized how it worked after the fact, I’ve never used one before

[@CoffeeandCancerStix]

@@BBBarbecueandPits I imagine it's a fairly common mistake

[@thebbqalchemist]

Did you use a high gloss paint or satin finish? Your rig looks nice!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!! It’s the Rustoleum high temp clear gloss. I did about 3 coats

[@cswilliams29]

I've always been an offset guy. I have a couple barrels that were given to me and have thought about doing this. Can you explain the benefits, besides the obvious cost?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I hear you, I love some offset cooking too. So the main difference is with the barrel you get the flavor of the grease dripping onto the coals (if you use it correctly) and that flavor is off the chain. It’s also a lot easier to run, once you have the vents set the temp stabilizes and stays consistent for hours. I also believe that my bbq cooks faster in the drum than the offset. That’s why we use these in competitions for the speed. I used this cooker in the last comp and got 5th in the pork category out of 27 teams so I’m pretty happy with it! Give it a try it’s a fun project too. Thanks for watching

[@cswilliams29]

@@BBBarbecueandPits Thanks for the quick response! Subscribed. Now it'll have to come back to your channel and figure out how to use it 😁

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@cswilliams29 thanks for the subscribe really appreciate that! I’ve got some videos planned coming up using this drum

[@derricksmiley5632]

​@@BBBarbecueandPitsname it ( clear rust) get it , 😮u put clear coat over rust so that makes it " clear rust"😅

[@frenchiechanel64]

Rust bucket. So how much is the drum and the kit? New subscriber brother man!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah I like that name too! You’ll have to check the website it’s goes up and down. I put the link in the description. They also sell new barrels on there too so you wouldn’t have to burn it out. Or you could just get one on fb marketplace for like $20 but you have to burn the liner out. Thanks for the subscribe!!

[@billycoxiii4365]

Mine doesn't have a liner. Do I still burn it out. What should I do with the outside when it comes to painting? Do I burn the outside or simply sand it away?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So I would just drill your intake holes like normal. The. You could just sand it and paint over the existing paint.

[@billycoxiii4365]

@@BBBarbecueandPits I greatly appreciate it. I was thinking the same but wasn't sure.

[@benormond5441]

What brand of paint do you use for the lid? And what do you use to clear coat the body with? Im building this in the UK so has to be weather proof

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So the black paint on top was Rustoleum high temp black. And the clear coat on the drum was Rustoleum high temp clear coat. Got both off of Amazon

[@benormond5441]

@@BBBarbecueandPits do you clear coat the inside

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@benormond5441 no you have to burn the liner off then I just spray the inside walls with cooking oil

[@nickharris9366]

Can you send the link to the kit you used?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

It’s in the description

[@psychoskwurl]

My votes dorothy

[@CalebHagen]

Was the rust on your drum flaking at all after you did this? Just curious mine started to flake after I did it and now that I’m going to spray it I’m afraid the paint won’t stick ?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So I didn’t have any flake off when I did it. I let it sit in the sun for about 4-5 hours, then I hit it with the water hose and let it drip before I didn’t the clear coat. Maybe let it sit for a day and see after you hit it with the rust solution. I did 3 coats of clear coat and it is still holding strong now

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Also did you make sure it was back to clean metal?

[@CalebHagen]

Yes I wet sanded, the. Used the solution to spray it went 4 hours and then hosed it off they sat in my garage a couple days and started to flake. I decided to use acetone and wipe the drum off then I just sprayed them

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@CalebHagen yeah that’s strange not sure why it was doing that. Did you still get a patina look when you clear coated it?

[@CalebHagen]

Yes I’ve only got the first coat on but it looks great I was nervous but it all is well! Thanks for all your help!

[@jesseborr299]

Can you show a video on how to remove and lid and reuse it. Looking to buy the kit but not sure how to remove the lid on the on the drum.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

So the lid was just clamped down on mine. You need to find one with the lid like that. Check fb marketplace they have a ton on there

[@jesseborr299]

Cool thanks for replying and I'll continue my search...also loved how your came out thanks for sharing hope to see more dope projects from ya. Got a new subscriber here!

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

@@jesseborr299 thanks!!!

[@MrTrda]

Dorothy 😎

[@petemac4284]

Will the smoker eventually rust?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

No because of the clear coat. I would reapply a fresh coat if I saw it wearing off to prevent further rusting.

[@alexanderfeliciano9133]

So dint see the coal box or what it looked like inside.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6fdnpVjj8-jlassi=3GbGU5iPPUKLzhNE

[@jeffhendrickson2764]

I don't see the link for that Kit, can I get it ? Thanks, J

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

udsparts.com/kits/the-ultimatetm-uds-long-tube-laser-cut-55-gallon-drum-kit.html

[@torchman8488]

How far apart are your intake holes?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

20”

[@chiefs88]

I like rust bucket 😂

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah I thought it made sense

[@Burnout-fr6bh]

It came out nce

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Thanks!

[@aftech7268]

Use a paint stripper then burn it off

[@hellhound1389]

Calculated the cost even though I have a few scrap barrels plus figured out the cost of my time and I would save a $100 just by buying an Oklahoma Joe's offset barrel smoker from Lowe's

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah but I feel like the one you build would ultimately be nicer and you have to factor in the life of the grill. Store bought stuff usually falls apart faster than something you build. Which barrel? The Bronco? Or the offset smoker?

[@kakusei3672]

The bronco drum isn't one piece. And from china

[@doyleholloway1818]

i wondered how to clean out the ashes??

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I usually just take everything out and scrape the bottom with a paint scraper. Then rinse it out with water and dump it. Pretty easy

[@davidzraik4859]

Man.. I just looked at the UDS kit… WOW! Might as well just by a wsm for that price! The appeal to the ugly drums is ECONOMY!! Anyone know of an economy ugly drum kit??

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

With the kit and the drum it’s still cheaper than a wsm… those are over $500. And with this one you can customize it however you want.

[@ransomdickerson4924]

Can I use plan alcohol

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

For cleaning the metal?

[@jeffpierce4845]

That center punch your using looks like a spring one ... just push really hard and it will 'pop' ... you don't need to use a hammer

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I figured that out 5 comments ago 😂. Thanks for watching

[@marcoz2470]

Name it mater, the tow truck from cars.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah I thought about that too 😂

[@user-um7vv3sf1t]

Where do you buy the kit

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

The link is in the description. Tell them I sent you

[@johnwins2012]

​@@BBBarbecueandPits22:25 22:25

[@JT-91]

Bought a drum off facebook they claimed it was safe non haz. Got it home realized there was a sticker at the bottom that ready dry/rot spray. Be careful make sure you only use a barrell thats food safe

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah I definitely think it’s worth the extra $5-$10 to get the food grade just for peace of mind. Mine still had corn syrup in the bottom of it and you could smell that sweet smell.

[@JT-91]

@BBBarbecueandPits I'm trying to get a barrell from a local honey farm. I turned the barrel into a burn barrel for leaves so atleast it's not a wasted 10

[@MrJiblack]

They always say, "Don't try this at home," so where you go to do it, Walmart or dollar general?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

The hospital parking lot 😂

[@psychoskwurl]

I feel like it would be cheaper for me to make these parts myself. Theyre not hard to fab up from easy to source parts.

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

Yeah maybe just depends if you have a good source

[@gmac9667]

Why you put handles upside down?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I didn’t know there was a certain way to do it. Works either way

[@phillysfinest1215]

Can I just buy one of those from you?

[@BBBarbecueandPits]

I haven’t started selling them yet. But I’m planning on making some coming up at the beginning of the year since I got a welder.