UDS versus PBC

[jfmorris]

Ok, I know the PBC has a great following, for very good reasons. I want one! Then I also see smokers like the Gateway Drum smoker that are popular on the competition circuit - and I look at those and just see tons of markup and wonder how anyone can charge $800-1000 for a 55 gallon drum with 3 levels of 22" grates in it.

I've found a local source for reconditioned 55 gallon drums with lids for $35, and am pondering the wisdom of making the drive to get one of these and build a smoker, possibly getting one of the kits over at bigpoppasmokers.com, or saving my money for a PBC.

The articles I read here on the Pit where Dr. Blonder explains the science of why the 30 gallon drum and the hanging method of the PBC yield superior results make me wonder if any attempt to burn out a 55 gallon drum and make a cheap smoker are just a waste of time. My thoughts are it would be easy to put screws in to provide supports for multiple levels of 22" grates, and use Weber kettle grates from Home Depot in the drum, or even run rebar across the top like the PBC does, and hang things from hooks. But I don't want to waste time and money if the results will be poor.

So has anyone built an UDS, and also bought a PBC, and can speak to this?

This all comes about after a subpar rib smoke of 6 racks of ribs on a poorly designed offset that my dad had one of his welders built to his spec back in the 80's. I cannot get rid of it, but really want something better for when I have lots of ribs to cook again. With 2 kids still in college and 2 weddings within the next 9 months, I gotta not rock the boat with my MCS...

[Spinaker]

Honestly, I think it comes down to how much your time is worth. I am sure they both cook fine. I know a few guys that run UDS's on the circuit and they love them to no end. I know the food tastes pretty similar, as I have had more than my fare share. The big UDS is flashier and holds more food. To me, the PBC is just about the right size. It holds a lot of meat and it is still reasonably probable.

[Powersmoke_80]

Here is a good read and I built one as well and used the gateway rib rack and works great for being portable and capacity. Love hanging ribs!

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/home-built-smokers-and-refurbs/409718-ugly-drum-smoker-build

[jfmorris]

Spinaker you got a good point about what my time is worth. I have no end of paying work, and not enough time to get that done, or honey-do's around the house for that matter. Powersmoke_80 I had followed your build and forgotten about it. How much do you think you spend on that bad boy?

The wife may gripe, but I think the easiest thing to do is slip a PBC order in towards Memorial Day, so that I can justify it to the wife for the party we will have that weekend. And I can let her call it an early Father's Day present!

[Powersmoke_80]

I probably had a $125 in it but some material for basket was from scrap material.

[kenrobin]

The PBC is one of the best high quality bargains in BBQ.

[Livermoron]

UDS projects are great if you can make stuff. My talents lie in (ahem) other areas, so I opted for the PBC. I love that thing...

[HawkerXP]

Mudkat built his own UDS recently. He could maybe help you.

[Troutman]

Yea talk to Mudkat , his was pretty cool.

[Troutman]

It’s not the money to me, but a project and the satisfaction of building it yourself. Back in the day we use to take those same drums and cut a door in them and have some cheap grills. Loved just doing it and saving a few bucks, I say go for it. Plenty of advice here.

[Polarbear777]

I was frustrated with their explanations about how the pbc worked and it seemed like it would always run too hot for what I like.

Finally gave in and have had lots of fun with it.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/charcoal/pit-barrel-cooker/457459-pbc-calibration-tests

Figure the hours youd take to build your own and see if that’s worth the ~50% savings vs just getting a pbc.

[FireMan]

Or make a 30 gallon UDS.

[jfmorris]

Well, I certainly know how to make things, but the fact is I don't have time to do what is already on my plate. I'll have to ponder this a little longer, but maybe the next consulting check that comes in will buy me a new PBC. I just filled a cart with what I would want though, and by the time you add the cover, a set of mitts, the charcoal pan, some extra hooks, and their short chimney (I have 3 of the large Weber chimneys), I'm sitting around $420.

[MBMorgan]

FWIW, I tried the short chimney and still prefer the standard Weber in the PBC instead ...

[PBCDad]

If you know how to make things, how about making the extra hooks, a charcoal pan, and turkey hangers yourself? I'm sure those could all be done for a lot cheaper than the PBC branded ones, and a lot quicker than making a UDS. I think the cover, charcoal pan, and short chimney are unnecessary. Go uncovered, use foil, and start the coals outside and lift the basket into the PBC with a crowbar.

[jfmorris]

Good point PBCDad. Good to know you are fine with the taller chimney. And you are right - some stainless stiff wire would be easy to bend into the hook shapes for double hooking things, leaving the primary hook at the top on the rebar.

[Mudkat]

I did build an UDS and had the same questions before I built, sorta. I wanted a PBC but saw a barrel on CL while looking for it. I thought about it and decided I really wanted to make my own. As for the cost you can go a lot cheaper than mine.

I splurged on air intakes and the exhaust pipes which added cost. By the time I was done buying everything it cost more than than the PBC at about $350.

I had a good and satisfying time building it and would do it again. You can see the build in the link Powersmoke posted above. I love cooking on it but I don't have a PBC so I can't compare.

So if it's time vs. money you'll get the PBC for about the same price or less for almost no time.

[jfmorris]

Thanks - I did enjoy seeing your build, and you sure put a nice coat of paint on that thing! I would probably go more on the basic side, to keep costs down below that of the PBC, if I pursue it. The only thing that got me thinking about it was that I did come across a local source with the 55 gallon (or 30 gallon) drums for $35.

[castironchris]

I built a UDS from a Big Poppas kit several a few years ago and loved the dang thing. Everything I cooked on it was good and I loved the fact that you could so easily lift the coal basket for searing while the coals were hot. My problem was it took up so much room on my deck (yes I know I could have moved it to the yard but I didn't want to!!) and that I had to carry it so far to dump the ashes. So I sold it and bought the PBC which is also an excellent cooker but in a different way. Not sure how to explain it but the food from the PBC was always great but I never fell in love with it like the Big Poppa drum. Not at all knocking the PBC because it is a great cooker. As far as time, you can build a UDS from a Big Poppa kit in about 3 hours and that includes the first coat of paint if you start with a food grade unlined drum which I picked up for $28. If I could have made the bottom of the Big Poppa detachable like a WSM so the clean out would be easier than carrying the whole drum across the yard I think it would have been the perfect cooker at least for me. Now I have a 22" WSM that I use without the water pan so it cooks kinda like a drum but not exactly!!

[jfmorris]

Thanks for the feedback. So do you think what made you feel differently about the UDS versus the PBC was the way the food came out, or the fact your UDS was "your" smoker, i.e. you made it yourself? I've got room for either, and even a 55 gallon UDS is a lot less footprint than my offset that I am wanting to keep in another part of the yard.

[castironchris]

I think you hit the nail on the head. I built it. Even though I used kit parts it was still getting and painting the drum, installing the parts, etc. I can still remember start out with 1/3 chimney of lit, 1 1/2 holes on the bottom vent and completely open (always) on the top. After about an hour close the bottom to 1 hole open and it would wide at 250 longer than I ever wanted to cook anything.

[Mudkat]

I think you could keep the cost down to what Powersmoke_80 came in at - $125'ish before all the extras that you'll buy, chimney, mitts, etc. Sounds like you'll buy those things no matter what way you go. I don't cover my UDS although it is under a patio roof. You literally only need a few holes in the bottom, one on top, a few for the grates, some stainless steel nuts and bolts.

You'll need a charcoal basket too. Lots of cheap builds out there.

The guy I bought my barrel from cut two or three holes in the bottom and one in the lid, three holes for each grate and he was done. He uses magnets to cover up and adjust the holes. I'm sure his food tastes great!

[jfmorris]

Yeah, looks like udsparts.com has some cheap intake and exhaust options, with the tear drop vent covers, that would work well, and be cheaper than the ball valves I have seen some local guys use. Then all I need is the charcoal basket and grates.

[Brewmaster]

The one great thing about the PBC is it fits in the trunk of my car and I can cook anywhere

[jfmorris]

Portability is a good point. Then again, I own 2 pickup trucks and an SUV. Only if we were going somewhere in my wife's little Subaru Impreza would cargo capacity be limited. Her trunk would likely fit the 18" diameter of the PBC on its side, but not the 22-23" diameter of a 55 gallon drum. There are times it would be nice to transport the cooker somewhere else though...

[rgriffeath]

I own a Hyundai Sonata. Would the PBC fit in the trunk?

[Powersmoke_80]

I will add the UDS is a charcoal hog and willing to bet the PCB would be more efficient if that matters.

[jfmorris]

Good to know. I expect its a function of needing to heat a larger volume of space up. The volume of a 55 gallon drum is darn near twice that of a 30 gallon drum, so if nothing else, one would think it will take twice the fuel to maintain the same temperature.

[jfmorris]

Thanks for all the comments and advice guys. I've determined that I think I can build an UDS for half the cost of a PBC. I don't think the cooking results will be quite the same though unless you hang the meat in the UDS, like with that rack that I think Powersmoke_80 found. I guess the UDS would also be great for duplicating the "Rendezvous" style ribs if you went hot and fast with the lid off, with a grate a couple of feet above the charcoal.

It all comes down taking the time to do a UDS build. I gotta take the time to go get the barrel, order the stuff, burn off the barrel, clean it, paint it, drill it, put it all together.... Contrasted to just getting a PBC, and letting food cook on it while I tackle an unending list of other tasks that need doing around here (painting, plumbing, yard work, consulting engineering work, etc). With the PBC and the advice here and on the PBC website, there is little to figure out, while I would be playing with the UDS to get the temperature tuned to where I want it.

I might build an UDS down the road when I am out of other projects to do, but think that I have talked myself into getting the PBC. I can also see the smaller size of the PBC and portability making it lend itself to camping, taking to cookouts at other people's houses or parks, and so on. Since I got rid of my old standalone 22" Weber kettle, and only have the Performer and other large grills, this would give me a portable option that is also small enough to leave setup by the other grills for week to week use.

It's funny - for a lot of the past year I was jonesing for a pellet smoker, but am always so happy with the results off my Performer + SNS, or even my offset (which is a lot more work), that I have talked myself into staying with charcoal for now.

[EdF]

I'm in the late phase of being 66, and I've gotten really selective about what I'm going to spend time on. So, for me, it would be the PBC. But we are all at different places in our lives.

[jfmorris]

Haha, good point EdF! Yet another reason even at the relatively young phase of being "52", to spend my time on other things, and my effort on the results of the cooker, rather than building the cooker.

[Polarbear777]

If you go to my link above you’ll see that if you mod the pbc with a thermostatic controller you can run it untouched for 12+ hours above 225F. Stock configuration it runs for 7-8. Close enough to ease of use of a pellet cooker to me (though I’m sure the flavors would be different).