AZ Barbeque.com
Smokers, Grills, Pitts & More => BDS & UDS Smokers => Topic started by: Skouson on December 16, 2009, 06:54:19 am
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My dad used to say the only drum question was the one you didn't ask, so here goes:
I have a source for 55 gallon, closed topped, unlined antifreeze drums. Are there any safety issues in using these drums for a UDS after a good burnout? I have a lined drum, but am not looking forward to wire brushing the big thing.
Thanks,
Skouson
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So it is a metal drum that contained antifreeze
I really do not know if I would trust a burn out to
eliminate all the potential chemical residue
Maybe I am being too cautious
No food grade drums available?
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I'm with Thom on the Safety thing. Heck you can buy a new, unlined drum for $80 or so. It is worth it for my safety and my family.
Keep to food grade. I understand that some chemicals actual leach into the drum.
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Yep, keep it food grade. They are out there.
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My dad used to say the only drum question was the one you didn't ask, so here goes:
I have a source for 55 gallon, closed topped, unlined antifreeze drums. Are there any safety issues in using these drums for a UDS after a good burnout? I have a lined drum, but am not looking forward to wire brushing the big thing.
Thanks,
Skouson
Sterling, just burn it out. Use some cheap wood, or some chunk mesquite charcoal. Don't use any conifer wood.
I'm burning mine out tomorrow.
steve
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Not worth taking a chance on the leaching chemicals working their way into your body after cooking on this thing. I got my drums from a winery for free that had maple syrup in them. Who knew they use maple syrup in wine?
Took a good sandblasting to remove the liner but if you can buy them down there for under a hundred bucks why chance it?(http://)
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My dad used to say the only drum question was the one you didn't ask, so here goes:
I have a source for 55 gallon, closed topped, unlined antifreeze drums. Are there any safety issues in using these drums for a UDS after a good burnout? I have a lined drum, but am not looking forward to wire brushing the big thing.
Thanks,
Skouson
I've done some research.
If you heat up ethylene glycol up to 400 degrees F, it will break down, and not be an issue. (It turns into ethylene and water. And, ethylene will evaporate, as well as the water. Oh, a ripe apple will give off as much ethylene as is left in these barrels.)
Use some of those juniper pieces, and some blue Kingsford, and get it up to temp, and keep it there for an hour.
Oh, I never heard your father say "the only drum..." (Guys, Sterling is my brother.)
POST PICS!
steve
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No way...food grade only here. I agree with Mike, Thom, Jay, and David.
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Brotherly love I see. Sure, it is ok bro. :D
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I keep seeing advice on these forums not to burn pine and other conifers--just for burn outs--cuz you can't get the nasty out. But people keep using fuel tanks and oil barrels and everything else. We need a government grant.
So we can do an environmental study, of course
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Thank you all for your responses. The antifreeze was propylene glycol, not ethylene. How does PG breakdown?
Thanks,
Skouson
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All I'm saying is $80 gets you a brand new, unlined removal top barrel. No worry on how it "breaks Down" If I would not eat or drink what was in the it, I would pass.
And I am cheap, ask my wife. :D
Plus, at my place, I can't burn out the thing, then grind out the liner. $80 well spent.
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Sterling, Wikipedia is your friend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol
Propylene glycol is also used as a food additive.
steve
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All I'm saying is $80 gets you a brand new, unlined removal top barrel. No worry on how it "breaks Down" If I would not eat or drink what was in the it, I would pass.
And I am cheap, ask my wife. :D
Plus, at my place, I can't burn out the thing, then grind out the liner. $80 well spent.
I have to agree, I just checked out the MSDS on PG and its not worth it IMO.
Dave
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Ditto what Crash said....... too risky...... sounds like it was made in China......
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From that Wiki page..."In electronic cigarettes, it is used to deliver vaporized nicotine"
So you can smoke with it...
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What happened to that ProQ I sold you?
If you are comfortable with your research, who are we to judge? However, as Dave / toys4 said, they are like $69.00 plus tax, brand new.
I started with food grade lined and when I found myself covered in soot, I decided my time and effort was worth more than $80, so purchased new ones.
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For the sake of safety, I would stick with food grade only unless you really know what your doing. Even then, food grade. Do you really want to take the risk? But then, thats just my .02 cents worth.
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What happened to that ProQ I sold you?
Still have it, and use it. I just decided to try something else.
Guys, I've seen pictures here, of people making smokers out of oil drums. No one said a thing about that. These things have had one liquid in them, and that liquid is non-toxic. They have been pressure-washed, and burned out.
And, as Dave pointed out, propylene glycol is made for smoking! ;D
steve
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Go for it, if you're codifent about your research. I've even seen some fool use a diesel fuel tank! ;) Not sure if anyone who ate his BBQ is still alive, or not. :)
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It's insane not to use a food grade drum for a smoker,especially when they are so cheap and abundant. Why risk it at all,if you care about friends and family.
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Go for it, if you're codifent about your research. I've even seen some fool use a diesel fuel tank! ;) Not sure if anyone who ate his BBQ is still alive, or not. :)
the stainless beauty that Karniverous cooks in was a peterbuilt--or something--fuel tank.
As I said earlier, I've seen it written that once you use pine, you can't even sandblast it useful. Doesn't make sense to me. Metal isn't very porous. I wouldn't use a DDT barrel, fo' sho'. I personally would keep lookin' til I found something along the lines of mineral oil on down, though.
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As I said earlier, I've seen it written that once you use pine, you can't even sandblast it useful. Doesn't make sense to me. Metal isn't very porous. I wouldn't use a DDT barrel, fo' sho'. I personally would keep lookin' til I found something along the lines of mineral oil on down, though.
Is that a bump kitch? Tex a Que can build you a nice barrel... try that approach.....
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I tend to error on the side of caution...fwiw!
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As I said earlier, I've seen it written that once you use pine, you can't even sandblast it useful. Doesn't make sense to me. Metal isn't very porous. I wouldn't use a DDT barrel, fo' sho'. I personally would keep lookin' til I found something along the lines of mineral oil on down, though.
Is that a bump kitch? Tex a Que can build you a nice barrel... try that approach.....
ME?? I don't bump! ::) I got my barrel from Ralph. It cook real good. See my rib roast... ;D
in it's former life, it was a shipping container for clothes and personals, according to Ralph.
Thanks again, KC!
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lol.... u've been bumping for awhile.............
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lol.... u've been bumping for awhile.............
Bumping what, Mister Bond? Inquiring minds must know!
steve
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OK, so we were smoking (again!) a ham,at Sterling's house, for Christmas dinner. Since we wanted to do some work on his UDS, it was in his Excel20. After about an hour or so, we couldn't keep the temps at the 350 degrees F, that he wanted. (Since he's 6'3", we had a second stacker on it. I usually do the same thing, even though I'm only 5'10". {yes, he got to the table before I did, as a kid.})
So, the lower stacker cam out.
A short while later, after we were done with the fabricating we were doing on the UDS, ()e originally cut the head off the drum, with a drum cutter, which is an overgrown version of that old-fashioned can opener that you'd rock against the top of a tin can, except this one cuts off the top, and the seal.) So, we wrapped a piece of plumber's tape and a turnbuckle around the drum, to establish a flat plane, and cut the edge with a brand new angle-head grinder with a cut-off wheel.
No sooner were we done, than we noticed that thee temps were dropping again, even though I kicked the ProQ, to knock off the ashes. (I shook the firebox a couple times with little results.)
Well, since the UDS was done with it's changes, I said, let's switch over. We dumped the firebox, into the UDS firebox, moved the ham over, and the rest was history.
Basically, the UDS works better than the ProQ. Holds temps more stable, and also responds more quickly to adjustments. I think both of these symptoms come from the lack of air control on the ProQ. I think it leaks air too much.
Oh, after we pulled the ham, closed all the vents. 2 hours later, the lid was still warm, but the base was dead cold.
Both my ProQ, and his Excel have issues shutting down the coals. The next day after a cook, my Excel is still at 150 degrees F. My UDS is cool in 3 hours. (And, it still has the ragged "drum cutter" top edge.)
Just my opinions, guys.
steve
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Very good evaluation Steve. I too have seen similar results with my comparisson of my ProQ and my drum. When it comes to stability and reliability, I always turn to my drum. But the ProQ gets its share of Qing. I just know there are limits to what I can do with it just yet. I am sure with time and experience I will be able to understand and cook better on the ProQ.
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lol.. just read............
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A person much wiser than myself once told me, "It's the cook, not the cooker". Just sayin'. ;)
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A person much wiser than myself once told me, "It's the cook, not the cooker". Just sayin'. ;)
I don't know that I'm any wiser, but I am up on you in the football picks. :D But, I have to agree with Crash.
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ditto with Crash on that one..........
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A person much wiser than myself once told me, "It's the cook, not the cooker". Just sayin'. ;)
Typically when referrring to the finished product / meat, correct? I believe the references here are about the effeciency of the UDS v the Pro Q.
Having owned and competed with both, in my experience the UDS is much more "set and forget" than the ProQ. I've said it here before, I loved the "stackability" of the ProQ but it did not hold temp as well as my drums and it burned far more fuel. Could it be the cook? Absolutely.
Your mileage of course may vary...
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I'll use a fuel drum cause that stuff is engineered ta burn. Anti freeze drum er tank I walk (run) from cause it ain't. It's a personal choice, but drums ain't that hard ta come by an fer me just not worth takin that chance.