Danny Gaulden's Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005



The BDS is a 16 gauge drum that is approximately 38 in. tall and 23 1/4 in. wide. It has a high heat resistant paint and the color is black. It comes standard with one cooking grate that is 22 1/2 in. wide, a good thermometer, and a heavy duty charcoal ring that measures 6 in. deep and at least 13 in. in diameter. The ring is mounted on a grate that fits into the bottom of the pit and easily holds 12 lbs. or more of charcoal. The distance from the charcoal ring to the bottom of the the drum is about 2 1/4-2 1/2 in. for ash build-up. Distance from the bottom of the charcoal ring to the cooking grate is about 24 in. The lid is very tight fitting, plenty heavy, and has eight 1/2 in. vent holes precisely cut at even intervals. The bottom of the drum has three 7/8 in. air intakes with a plug for each one to regulate the draft. Pit weights about 72 lbs and comes in a shrink wrap. Lid is super secured. There was no damage (dings or dents) to my pit which was delivered by Fed-X. Pit can be easily transported from place to place by one person.



Within 15 minutes of the first cook, I knew this pit was a winner. The smell was absolutely what I look for in a first class cooker and NEVER have I achived this quality for the price and cooking capacity. I call it that ol' time "Grandpaw smell"... when many years ago men cooked meat over hardwood coals and the smoke from the wood and the drippings from the meat fell down into the fire, creating an aroma that was unforgetable. It was a lot of work. Not saying that some folks don't do this today, but they are a dying breed. This pit accomplishes this ol' time flavor with little effort due to the fact that the cooking grate is located about 24 inches from the bottom of the charcoal ring which allows direct cooking over the coals, plus the well thought out design from Mr. Richmond. There's a lot more to what he has created than just cutting a hole in the bottom and top of a barrel and calling it a good cooker.



When loaded with 10-12 lbs. of charcoal, I was able to cook long cooking meats (brisket, butts, etc.) without refueling the fire, which could be a pain to some (taking off the cooking grate to add charcoal, wood etc.). With three or four good size chunks of wood (fist size or larger), I used three pecan "mini" logs about 2- 2 1/2 in. in diameter and 6 in. long, the smoke never ran out. I was skeptical about this aspect, but it kept on smokin. After the meat came off and the fire diminished, the only thing left was a couple of the pecan logs that were nearly burned up, but not completely. So the smoke keeps going for a long cook when done properly with no additional wood needed. The pit was still up to cooking temperature after my cook was done. I got about a 10 hour burn, or longer, on 10-12 lbs. of charcoal with wood chucks at an ambient temperature of 48-50 degrees. Summer time heat will bring longer cooks, if that's important to you. One thing you need to remember when cooking this method...the meat will cook quicker due to the DIRECT and convection heat combined. This method of cooking does not reduce flavor...This is a good thing. I know how so many folks get hung up on super long cooking times, and I ain't gonna get into that. That theory holds true in certain cooking situations, but it is not a constant.



Performance: This smoker created a good even heat over the entire cooking grate...not perfect, but close. Never cooked on a pit yet that the heat was perfect. The fire and heat control was a breeze. Easiest I've ever seen. It held steady for hours with an adjustment of putting in one or two plugs out of the three into the air intakes. You can go off and leave this smoker for hours once you do a few cooks on it and figure out how to use the plugs (or sleep at a cook off). Mr. Richmond sends the "how to" manual with the smoker and it is very easy to read and understand, plus accurate. Just read it. Easy as can be. If ones wishes to add a second cooking shelf, that is easily done. Since there are 9 inches from the cooking shelf to the lid, one could add a second shelf at 4 1/2 in. above the main shelf. This would give you a distance of 4 1/2 in. between each cooking shelf and the lid. This would work fine for chichen halves, briskets, sausage, ribs, and other items that aren't too tall. However, if you are smoking tall items like butts, turkeys, beer can chicken, or using rib racks, either take out the second shelf and use the main one, or for high capacity cooking (12 beer can chickens, four turkeys, etc.) place the top cooking shelf eight inchs above the main cooking shelf and use a Weber 22 1/2 in. kettle grill lid for the main lid. This will give you a lot of distance from the top cooking shelf to the lid and about 32 in. from the bottom of the fire box. An extra cooking shelf (22 1/2 in.) can be ordered from Amazon.com for $16.99.



As the cooker comes with one cooking grate, it is a serious machine. You can cook a 10-12 lb. brisket and 2 pork butts, or 4 big butts, or 2 big briskets, or 8 slabs of ribs using the Cookshack rib holder, or 6 beer butt chickens. Figuring the most bang for your bucks...or should I say food...(briskets and butts) one can easily feed 20-25 people. Add the second cooking shelf and you can feed more people than I want in my house on one given day. If this smoker isn't big enough for you, the man makes a Jumbo cooker that holds about 2 1/2 to 3 times the meat the BDS does. It sell for 525 American Dollars. If you want a stainless steel one, that's avaliable also. I can't tell you how much fun I've had cooking on this smoker. I keep coming back to it day after day and it has become my favorite out of many. It is a joy to have in my back yard.



I've talked to a lot of pit makers and distributors in my 30 years of being in the BBQ business. This I can tell you for sure... Rocky Richmond is serious about his smokers and is a man of the highest integrity. He believes in his product and will do his best to see that you are a satisfied customer. Good luck with your smokers, Rocky. What a deal.



Danny

"Rocky" > wrote in message
news:6%Kmf.619214$_o.378101@attbi_s71...
Danny Gaulden's Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005

After a bit of research was able to find just what the heck was being
reviewed.

http://comunidades.msn.es/BigDrumSmoker-BDS

I think anyway. Nice review otherwise, well other than the html


--

"Rocky" > wrote in message
news:6%Kmf.619214$_o.378101@attbi_s71...
Danny Gaulden's Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005



>The BDS is a 16 gauge drum that is approximately 38 in. tall and 23 1/4 in.
>wide. It has a high heat resistant paint >and the color is black. It comes
>standard with one cooking grate that is 22 1/2 in. wide, a good
>thermometer, and a >heavy duty charcoal ring that measures 6 in. deep and
>at least 13 in. in diameter.

Well Rocky still ain't lit a fire in my brand new BDS but sooner or later
will get the meat over the fire!!! This darn preXmas rush is slowing me
down

see ya

Buzz

That's cool Buzz. I just got a call the other day from Wayne Keaton in
Idaho. He said he has been using his new BDS in 10 degree weather and a foot
of snow. He cleared a small patch of snow and built a small 3-sided wind
break from plywood and 2 x 4's. Said his smoker chugs along just fine and
puts out the best ribs he has done in over 30 years. He gave a platter of
leftover ribs to his son to take to work and his son's boss called him the
next day asking him to bring the BDS to the jobsite to cook a mess of ribs
for the whole factory that friday!!

Speaks for itself.

Let me know when you fire that baby up Buzz!!

Regards,


"2fatbbq" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Rocky" > wrote in message
> news:6%Kmf.619214$_o.378101@attbi_s71...
> Danny Gaulden's Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005
>
>
>
>>The BDS is a 16 gauge drum that is approximately 38 in. tall and 23 1/4
>>in. wide. It has a high heat resistant paint >and the color is black. It
>>comes standard with one cooking grate that is 22 1/2 in. wide, a good
>>thermometer, and a >heavy duty charcoal ring that measures 6 in. deep and
>>at least 13 in. in diameter.
>
> Well Rocky still ain't lit a fire in my brand new BDS but sooner or later
> will get the meat over the fire!!! This darn preXmas rush is slowing me
> down
>
> see ya
>
> Buzz
>

On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 17:59:35 -0800, "Duwop" >
wrote:

>
>"Rocky" > wrote in message
>news:6%Kmf.619214$_o.378101@attbi_s71...
>Danny Gaulden's Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005
>
>After a bit of research was able to find just what the heck was being
>reviewed.
>
>http://comunidades.msn.es/BigDrumSmoker-BDS
>
>I think anyway. Nice review otherwise, well other than the html

Interesting that the poster seems to be the maker of those pits.

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

That's Right, I am the Maker of those pits....you got a problem with that???

What the @#$%^& does thatn have to do with anything???

All I was doing is posting the review.

Happy Holidays you nice person you.

Cheers!!


"Denny Wheeler" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 17:59:35 -0800, "Duwop" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Rocky" > wrote in message
>>news:6%Kmf.619214$_o.378101@attbi_s71...
>>Danny Gaulden's Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005
>>
>>After a bit of research was able to find just what the heck was being
>>reviewed.
>>
>>http://comunidades.msn.es/BigDrumSmoker-BDS
>>
>>I think anyway. Nice review otherwise, well other than the html
>
> Interesting that the poster seems to be the maker of those pits.
>
> --
> -denny-
> "Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth
> unannounced?"
>
> "It's come as you are, baby."
>
> -over the hedge

"Rocky" > wrote in message
news:gVNmf.396563$084.211455@attbi_s22...
> That's Right, I am the Maker of those pits....you got a problem with
> that???
>
> What the @#$%^& does thatn have to do with anything???
>
> All I was doing is posting the review.
>
> Happy Holidays you nice person you.

A lot actually. Newsgroup posters have a certain inegrity and unwritten
code of ethics. You posted a review. What you did not do was inform us as
to why it was posted and that you have a connection to the company, be it
the owner, salesman, accountant, whatever. Had you made a simple one line
comment such as "I've been making these pits for years and this is what
Danny thinks of them" would be sufficient. We probably would have
congratulated you on the success. Instead, you are making Danny's comments
about your integrity as suspect. You come back with a nasty attitude and
foul language (implied by @#$%^& symbols)

You could have scored a lot of points with the group that hangs out here,
but instead, you lost many, many points. You sure as hell did not make a
very good first impression on me I've know Danny in newsgroups and email for
many years. Shame on you.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

Rocky wrote:

> That's Right, I am the Maker of those pits....you got a problem with
> that???
> What the @#$%^& does thatn have to do with anything???

<plonk>

--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 04:27:56 GMT, "Rocky" >
wrote:

>That's Right, I am the Maker of those pits....you got a problem with that???

Oh my. Getting defensive, are we?

>What the @#$%^& does thatn have to do with anything???

You might read what Ed P says, and think about it.

>All I was doing is posting the review.

To quote a particular commercial, "Next time, maybe do a little
research?" Suggestions for that: Usenet posting etiquette. The
definition of 'spam' and how to avoid looking like a spammer. (you
were right on the edge of that one, you see) Oh, and while looking
into the posting etiquette thing, learn how to post only plain
text--HTML is a solid no-no on text groups, which afb is.

"All I was doing is posting the review," you say. Looked more like
all you were doing was advertising. Which isn't altogether a bad
thing, but see above about posting etiquette.

>Happy Holidays you nice person you.
>
>Cheers!!

Your reaction to my remark--and all I said was 'interesting'--speaks
loudly. Care to erase that impression?

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

In article <gVNmf.396563$084.211455@attbi_s22>,
says...
> That's Right, I am the Maker of those pits....you got a problem with that???
>
> What the @#$%^& does thatn have to do with anything???
>
>

That make you a spamming ****wit. Shit for brains.

Plonk.

Bill

>Danny Gaulden's Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005
Just curious. Why did you opt for a vertical standing drum rather than
a horizontal laying drum? It seems you'd get alot more room to cook
horizontally.

Rocky wrote:
> *Danny Gaulden’s Big Drum Smoker Review - KCBS BBQ Forum Blog - 12-06-2005*
>
>
>
> The BDS is a 16 gauge drum that is approximately 38 in. tall and 23 1/4
> in. wide. It has a high heat resistant paint and the color is black. It
> comes standard with one cooking grate that is 22 1/2 in. wide, a good
> thermometer, and a heavy duty charcoal ring that measures 6 in. deep and
> at least 13 in. in diameter. The ring is mounted on a grate that fits
> into the bottom of the pit and easily holds 12 lbs. or more of charcoal.
> The distance from the charcoal ring to the bottom of the the drum is
> about 2 1/4-2 1/2 in. for ash build-up. Distance from the bottom of the
> charcoal ring to the cooking grate is about 24 in. The lid is very
> tight fitting, plenty heavy, and has eight 1/2 in. vent holes precisely
> cut at even intervals. The bottom of the drum has three 7/8 in. air
> intakes with a plug for each one to regulate the draft. Pit weights
> about 72 lbs and comes in a shrink wrap. Lid is super secured. There
> was no damage (dings or dents) to my pit which was delivered by Fed-X.
> Pit can be easily transported from place to place by one person.
>
>
>
> Within 15 minutes of the first cook, I knew this pit was a winner. The
> smell was absolutely what I look for in a first class cooker and NEVER
> have I achived this quality for the price and cooking capacity. I call
> it that ol' time "Grandpaw smell"... when many years ago men cooked meat
> over hardwood coals and the smoke from the wood and the drippings from
> the meat fell down into the fire, creating an aroma that was
> unforgetable. It was a lot of work. Not saying that some folks don't
> do this today, but they are a dying breed. This pit accomplishes this
> ol' time flavor with little effort due to the fact that the cooking
> grate is located about 24 inches from the bottom of the charcoal ring
> which allows direct cooking over the coals, plus the well thought out
> design from Mr. Richmond. There's a lot more to what he has created
> than just cutting a hole in the bottom and top of a barrel and calling
> it a good cooker.
>
>
>
> When loaded with 10-12 lbs. of charcoal, I was able to cook long cooking
> meats (brisket, butts, etc.) without refueling the fire, which could be
> a pain to some (taking off the cooking grate to add charcoal, wood
> etc.). With three or four good size chunks of wood (fist size or
> larger), I used three pecan "mini" logs about 2- 2 1/2 in. in diameter
> and 6 in. long, the smoke never ran out. I was skeptical about this
> aspect, but it kept on smokin. After the meat came off and the fire
> diminished, the only thing left was a couple of the pecan logs that were
> nearly burned up, but not completely. So the smoke keeps going for a
> long cook when done properly with no additional wood needed. The pit
> was still up to cooking temperature after my cook was done. I got about
> a 10 hour burn, or longer, on 10-12 lbs. of charcoal with wood chucks at
> an ambient temperature of 48-50 degrees. Summer time heat will bring
> longer cooks, if that's important to you. One thing you need to
> remember when cooking this method...the meat will cook quicker due to
> the DIRECT and convection heat combined. This method of cooking does not
> reduce flavor...This is a good thing. I know how so many folks get hung
> up on super long cooking times, and I ain't gonna get into that. That
> theory holds true in certain cooking situations, but it is not a
> constant.
>
>
>
> Performance: This smoker created a good even heat over the entire
> cooking grate...not perfect, but close. Never cooked on a pit yet that
> the heat was perfect. The fire and heat control was a breeze. Easiest
> I've ever seen. It held steady for hours with an adjustment of putting
> in one or two plugs out of the three into the air intakes. You can go
> off and leave this smoker for hours once you do a few cooks on it and
> figure out how to use the plugs (or sleep at a cook off). Mr. Richmond
> sends the "how to" manual with the smoker and it is very easy to read
> and understand, plus accurate. Just read it. Easy as can be. If ones
> wishes to add a second cooking shelf, that is easily done. Since there
> are 9 inches from the cooking shelf to the lid, one could add a second
> shelf at 4 1/2 in. above the main shelf. This would give you a distance
> of 4 1/2 in. between each cooking shelf and the lid. This would work
> fine for chichen halves, briskets, sausage, ribs, and other items that
> aren't too tall. However, if you are smoking tall items like butts,
> turkeys, beer can chicken, or using rib racks, either take out the
> second shelf and use the main one, or for high capacity cooking (12 beer
> can chickens, four turkeys, etc.) place the top cooking shelf eight
> inchs above the main cooking shelf and use a Weber 22 1/2 in. kettle
> grill lid for the main lid. This will give you a lot of distance from
> the top cooking shelf to the lid and about 32 in. from the bottom of the
> fire box. An extra cooking shelf (22 1/2 in.) can be ordered from
> Amazon.com for $16.99.
>
>
>
> As the cooker comes with one cooking grate, it is a serious machine.
> You can cook a 10-12 lb. brisket and 2 pork butts, or 4 big butts, or 2
> big briskets, or 8 slabs of ribs using the Cookshack rib holder, or 6
> beer butt chickens. Figuring the most bang for your bucks...or should I
> say food...(briskets and butts) one can easily feed 20-25 people. Add
> the second cooking shelf and you can feed more people than I want in my
> house on one given day. If this smoker isn't big enough for you, the man
> makes a Jumbo cooker that holds about 2 1/2 to 3 times the meat the BDS
> does. It sell for 525 American Dollars. If you want a stainless steel
> one, that's avaliable also. I can't tell you how much fun I've had
> cooking on this smoker. I keep coming back to it day after day and it
> has become my favorite out of many. It is a joy to have in my back
> yard.
>
>
>
> I've talked to a lot of pit makers and distributors in my 30 years of
> being in the BBQ business. This I can tell you for sure... Rocky
> Richmond is serious about his smokers and is a man of the highest
> integrity. He believes in his product and will do his best to see that
> you are a satisfied customer. Good luck with your smokers, Rocky. What
> a deal.
>
>
>
> Danny
>
>
>
Thanks for the detailed review Rocky, guess I'll go out an buy me a drum
for say $7, 2 grills at home depot for about $30 smacks, an a few
dollars for nuts and bolts, then I'll be cooking as good as everyone
else that paid hundreds for your cooker.

Warmest Regards,
Piedmont

>Newsgroup posters have a certain inegrity and unwritten
>code of ethics.

Hmmm..you sure about that? LOL

Kurt

-- "Chef Kurt" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> >Newsgroup posters have a certain inegrity and unwritten
>>code of ethics.
>
> Hmmm..you sure about that? LOL
>
> Kurt
>
Hey Kurt, Why don't you and Mama load up and come over for the 28th New
Years bash?
James A. "Big Jim" Whitten

www.lazyq.com

> Thanks for the detailed review Rocky, guess I'll go out an buy me a drum
> for say $7, 2 grills at home depot for about $30 smacks, an a few
> dollars for nuts and bolts, then I'll be cooking as good as everyone
> else that paid hundreds for your cooker.
>
> Warmest Regards,
> Piedmont

Piedmont,

Actually, I did that very thing several years ago. I got a used drum
for free, and then took it to a welding shop and told them what I
wanted. Instead of a buying a grill to scavenge parts from, the welding
shop used some expanded metal for the grilling surface. I dropped the
drum off along with $25, and received a day or two later a nice small
bbq pit/drum.

To answer a few questions from other posts and give my own review:

The reason that pit is vertical instead of horizontal is to keep the
grilling surface sufficiently far from the heat source. That way, the
grill is forgiving, and prevents you from cooking too hot very easily,
and it reduces the radiant cooking.

The pit works great! However, when cooking in cold or windy conditions,
the pit requires massive amounts of charcoal or coals to keep it going.
On a nice calm summer day, I can put 10-15 lbs of charcoal in and let
it go for 3-1/2 hours. That will about perfectly cook chickens or spare
ribs. I've even cooked shoulders on this thing. One cold winter day, I
cooked chickens and it took 40 lbs of charcoal. Due to there being no
insulation, and little mass to regulate temp, the fluctuations and heat
loss can be extreme.

I've found the pit to be a great way to cook a small batch of ribs or
chickens. It also travels well. When you unload that thing at a
campground, sporting event, etc, people look at you as if you were
unloading toxic waste! But when the aroma starts to waft from the drum,
they come running back to it!

I now have a brick pit in my yard, and have a small section of it
cordoned off for smaller cooking jobs. I seldom use the drum as a
result, but it is a great way to cook.

MonopTN

>Hey Kurt, Why don't you and Mama load up and come over for the 28th New
>Years bash?

Somehow I got stuck going to Vegas.

Kurt

MonopTN wrote:
snip
> Piedmont,
snip
> The pit works great! However, when cooking in cold or windy conditions,
> the pit requires massive amounts of charcoal or coals to keep it going.
> On a nice calm summer day, I can put 10-15 lbs of charcoal in and let
> it go for 3-1/2 hours. That will about perfectly cook chickens or spare
> ribs. I've even cooked shoulders on this thing. One cold winter day, I
> cooked chickens and it took 40 lbs of charcoal. Due to there being no
> insulation, and little mass to regulate temp, the fluctuations and heat
> loss can be extreme.
>
snip
> MonopTN

A big difference in cooking times from what Rocky says it will do, I
think your times would be more credible. The one thing that I've learned
is that if you cook a lot, insulation is a must have option in order to
conserve heat and therefore save on charcoal costs.

Regards,

Piedmont

"Mike "Piedmont"" > wrote in message
...
> MonopTN wrote:
> snip
>> Piedmont,
> snip
>> The pit works great! However, when cooking in cold or windy conditions,
>> the pit requires massive amounts of charcoal or coals to keep it going.
>> On a nice calm summer day, I can put 10-15 lbs of charcoal in and let it
>> go for 3-1/2 hours. That will about perfectly cook chickens or spare
>> ribs. I've even cooked shoulders on this thing. One cold winter day, I
>> cooked chickens and it took 40 lbs of charcoal. Due to there being no
>> insulation, and little mass to regulate temp, the fluctuations and heat
>> loss can be extreme.
>>
> snip
>> MonopTN
>
> A big difference in cooking times from what Rocky says it will do, I think
> your times would be more credible. The one thing that I've learned is that
> if you cook a lot, insulation is a must have option in order to conserve
> heat and therefore save on charcoal costs.
>
Just for the record Monop TN is not cooking on one of Rockys cookers--have
known more than one owner of the BDS that regularly will cook 2 briskets on
10lb or so of charcoal with no reloading! Circumstances have benn bad so
haven't had a chance to even finish unpacking my bds but it will replace at
least one WSM at contests for us.

Won't get into the posting of the the review by Rocky but there probably
isn't more than a couple folks in the country that have any better
"bonafides" in BBQ circles than Danny G-----what he says I will take to the
bank!
and of course as always ymmv


--
Buzz
2fat Bikers bbq

>
> Just for the record Monop TN is not cooking on one of Rockys cookers--have
> known more than one owner of the BDS that regularly will cook 2 briskets on
> 10lb or so of charcoal with no reloading! Circumstances have benn bad so
> haven't had a chance to even finish unpacking my bds but it will replace at
> least one WSM at contests for us.
>
> Won't get into the posting of the the review by Rocky but there probably
> isn't more than a couple folks in the country that have any better
> "bonafides" in BBQ circles than Danny G-----what he says I will take to the
> bank!
> and of course as always ymmv
>
>


No, I'm not cooking on Rocky's BDS, but mine works well, and seems to be
of similar construction. I do not have a basket for the charcoal, and
that may contribute to the greater charcoal consumption of my pit.
However, I doubt it could extend the cooking time that much. The 10
pounds of charcoal only gives off so much energy, and it has to heat 55
gallons of space.

People do swear by the drums around here. Many people will hang the
chickens by wire from the grilling surface and call the product "trash
can chicken"! I call mine "paint thinner chicken" because the drum once
contained paint thinner. (Just kidding)

Rocky, more power to ya. Your post stirred up some interest and didn't
bother me one bit. Based on my experience, my "knockoff" BDS works
great. I even thought of trying to sell them myself.

Monoptn

> The pit works great! However, when cooking in cold or windy conditions,
> the pit requires massive amounts of charcoal or coals to keep it going.
> On a nice calm summer day, I can put 10-15 lbs of charcoal in and let
> it go for 3-1/2 hours.

You got that right about temperature and fuel amounts. I built a drum
cooker similar to these but had a door near the bottom for adding coal.
In the Arizona sun on a summer day I could easily do two whole
shoulders with 10 lbs of charcoal. The first time I tried it in the
winter was a humbling experience. I had to make two trips to the store
for more coal. The 30 guests didn't get to eat until about ten that
night and what they got was chopped medium rare pork. -RP

Randy wrote:
>
>> The pit works great! However, when cooking in cold or windy
>> conditions, the pit requires massive amounts of charcoal or coals to
>> keep it going. On a nice calm summer day, I can put 10-15 lbs of
>> charcoal in and let it go for 3-1/2 hours.
>
>
> You got that right about temperature and fuel amounts. I built a drum
> cooker similar to these but had a door near the bottom for adding coal.
> In the Arizona sun on a summer day I could easily do two whole
> shoulders with 10 lbs of charcoal. The first time I tried it in the
> winter was a humbling experience. I had to make two trips to the store
> for more coal. The 30 guests didn't get to eat until about ten that
> night and what they got was chopped medium rare pork. -RP
>


Randy,

I've got a hinged door on the bottom also for coal addition and airflow
regulation.

> Randy,
>
> I've got a hinged door on the bottom also for coal addition and airflow
> regulation.
I switched to a WSM about 4 years ago and this year switched again to a
Big Green Egg. -RP