Want to move more air... will I be happy with a UDS?

[JWACKS]

Generally speaking, a charcoal smoker controls temperature by the amount of intake air. More air = more fuel burn = hotter temps. In theory, if you could limit the fuel you could provide excess air and keep the temps low, but without an automated feeder or a lot of intervention, this would probably make your smoker unstable and uncontrollable.
The ideal solution then would be a secondary air inlet "downstream" of the burn so that it wouldn't see the excess oxygen. I'm not sure how to do this in a barrel style cooker. And it too becomes somewhat unstable since the draft can now pull from two sources - unless you feed the fire with a temperature controlled blower.

 

[rwalters]

I get exactly what you are after... a bit more airflow = a bit more smoke production.

I believe you will be very happy with a UDS (although I'd much prefer a PBC) ;-)

 

[SmittyJonz]

I'd get a SmokeHouse :
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=220797

 

[Doog]

Do you want more airflow because you don't like the flavor profile?

A UDS build is an afternoon of your time and probably about $100.00. You would probably move more air with the UDS vs the Acorn.

How often do you want to be tending fire? Have you ever thought of an offset?
You could also be watching Craigslist and see what kind of smokers is for sale.

 

[DjPorkchop]

dont build a uds...just dont

Why? If he don't like it after the build he can sell it. I have 2 of them and don't regret for a minute building those.

 

[ITBFQ]

Why? If he don't like it after the build he can sell it. I have 2 of them and don't regret for a minute building those.

Pretty sure jbounds was joking. A UDS sounds like just what you want. They can be built pretty quickly (or not, depending on how much time you need to double check things a.k.a. as drinking a few beers) and he has easy access to drums. I say go for a UDS. Worst case scenario, give it to a buddy if you don't like it. They are cheap to build. I compete on mine (lots of folks do) and wouldn't change a thing.

 

[AClarke44]

Pretty sure jbounds was joking. A UDS sounds like just what you want. They can be built pretty quickly (or not, depending on how much time you need to double check things a.k.a. as drinking a few beers) and he has easy access to drums. I say go for a UDS. Worst case scenario, give it to a buddy if you don't like it. They are cheap to build. I compete on mine (lots of folks do) and wouldn't change a thing.

I should let jbounds speak for himself but in the event he doesn't chime in I will say he wasn't joking. He built a UDS and didn't care for it. I don't think his experience allows him to be very pro UDS.

 

[DriverWild]

I should let jbounds speak for himself but in the event he doesn't chime in I will say he wasn't joking. He built a UDS and didn't care for it. I don't think his experience allows him to be very pro UDS.

While I know this site is the home of the worlds most extensive UDS thread and countless UDS fans, I didn't have a good experience either. I loved the way it cooked, fuel consumption was insanely small and I felt proud that I spent all that time building it. That was the good part, the bad - it rusted out in about a year. I would sometimes open the lid and be unhappily greeted with mold, a common problem. It was a pain to get ashes out compared to WSM. I spent so many hours finding the right parts, prepping the barrel, cleaning it out, building & etc. I would have been way ahead if I had simply bought a product that didn't rust out after one season and wasn't such a pain to maintain. This was my experience, no one could have talked me out of building a UDS, I had to learn on my own. Best wishes on whatever you decide but if I had to do it over I would have kept my WSM that I sold because who needs one when you have a UDS? Or maybe tried a PBC? Thankfully this journey led to my stick burner.

 

[ebijack]

I think I am looking for more smoke flavor than the akorn will provide.

Like mentioned, you will have trouble trying to get a heavier smoke flavor from an Acorn.
A UDS with "X" amount of wood pieces and placement of those pieces ( I have used up to 50/50 wood/coal). You should be able to get as much of a smoke flavor profile as you require. Having enough exhaust to draw fresh air in, along with enough intake but more exhaust than intake. You can get a clean burn if set up properly. My UDS's are set up with more intake and exhaust than a majority I have seen built. My UDS's have quite a few mods/changes done over time to get where they are today. I never started out with the KISS method most folks used. I knew what I wanted out of my UDS's and experimented with mods to get them dialed in and see what does or doesn't work for me. I've had plenty of non working mods. All just part of this wonderful BBQ addiction.

 

[Nuco59]

The advice to build a UDS has merit - a few disgruntled users not withstanding. They are not for everyone - sure. But the fact that this IS the worlds largest repository of UDS Lore says quite a bit for its popularity.

Build one- what do you have to lose?