Barrell smoker project. Poll

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Ok, I'm going to building a smoker this spring. I've got two 55 g drums waiting for the build.My question, do I make the double barrel smoker as planned. Here's an example. http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32327OR!do I pick up one more drum and make the tripple barrell? Like this http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/vi...er=asc&start=0just a side note, I have no intentions of entering any competitions and 90% of the time this will be for just my family of 5 and the inlaws. with the occational rare party of 20+There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:I voted for the double. my resoning is this, with groups that small, you just don't need the capacity of the triple. You'll be amazed how much food you can fit into the double. Way more than your family could eat in a week.
Reply:Honestly, I expected more response to this one. Ordered the parts that I can't get locally yesterday. the build will start the weekend after St Patty's day. Pictures to come.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:I think the two would be plenty, I had a similar sized smoker and could cook way more than I could afford too.Millermatic 251Century 180 migSpectrum 625 Syncrowave 250DX
Reply:I vote triple, 'cause bigger is always better.
Reply:Build two UDS's. It is important not to have to babysit the fuel source during a long burn. Pork Butts and briskets take a vary long time to smoke. The fuel all needs to be roughly the same size to minimize temperature swings and flareups. For items that don't require shorter smoking times, it is less of a concern.Good luck,Yakdung
Reply:Hello ThorsHammer,  I helped a buddy of mine quite a few years ago build a smoker from three 55gal. drums.  He uses it even to today and it provides A LOT of cooking space and he loves it.  He uses it to feed very large parties though.  Bottom line....If you want to build a masterpiece, be the envy of your buddies and don't mind the extra time then build the triple.  If you want to build it quicker, aka cheaper go with the double.  IMO, I voted for the triple because when I build a project I want to try my best to be better than average....how many triple smokers have you seen?  Just my 1.5 cents worth.  Good luck.  Terry.
Reply:I finally agree about making one into an upright. The drums are very thin for a horizontal orientation. But they are just perfect for a vertical. Also, if you have not asked them at "the ring", do so. They know cookers like I can't believe! I know that old steel tanks are coveted for horizontal cook chambers. Nice and thickI got a chance to repair a horizontal drum smoker, and this is just another reason I would choose to avoid them for this type. My $0.02 answer. Have fun!  Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:I'd do the double. It will take up less storage space. If your dead set on triple, could you put the third one on top of the second and use it to slow smoke? Would the temperature drop too much? I don't know anything about smokers so be kind if my suggestion is blasphemous. Of course you'd need a step ladder to reach the top tier.
Reply:I'm 6'5" so no step ladder needed. I don't think you'd loose to much heat. more like regulating the smoke between chambers would be the issue. I'm going to stick with the double. 1 because I don't have to spend more money on a third barrel, and 2 because I don't need the triple. Buzzman,IMHO it's the finish/trim work that culls the herd when it comes to these. Most guys just leave them open faced (not skirting) and plain. I'll be adding a functional front that acts as a heat shield for the fire box and my lets, and a wrap around shelf on the top barrel for for both clearance and storage space. I'm still debating on if I'm going to have the shelves hinged to allow for tighter storage.I'm not a fan of the UDS's and as this will double as both a smoker and a grill I'm opting for the "big baby" setup. I'm sure they make some great food. but as this needs to both be functional and good looking (wont be able to use it if I've got to store it in the back forty because my wife doesn't want to look at it) I'm going to go with it. Wow factor does have some play in it. I think the triple give the most wow factor, but it's also just to much. The double still has plenty of wow factor and plenty of cook space. The UDS has much smaller cooking capacity and doesn't have the wow factor.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Which do you want to build?1.  Upright drum barrel2.  Double upright drum barrel3.  Double barrel horizontal4. Triple barrel horizontal Attached ImagesMarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:lol, those are some pretty cool cookers. i really like the uds's myself, you'd be surprised how much you can cook on them. The whole uds thing is a cult like frnzy right now even on http://www.facebook.com/groups/250471182623/. I  like the fact that you can put some pretty cool paint jobs on the uds's and so cheap to build. We have a local guy that competes on three uds's, he's tough to beat too.
Reply:How cool is that?[IMG][/IMG]