Starting my UDS with new unlined drums
 

I thought the biggest challenge to starting my UDS project would be to find a drum that I wouldn't have to spend hours burning out and sanding out. I looked on CL and found cheap drums for around $30, but they all had a lining. I called about 4 sandblasting shops and the cheapest I found would have been $40 per drum for just blasting the inside. Most of the shops around here charge $80-85 per hour for sandblasting.

I kept searching and I found a local source for a new unlined drum at $30 each. They took my order and actually had the drums made for me. It took 2 days and I just picked up 2 drums. After tax, it was about $75 for both.

http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/a...c221677d1b.jpg

Here's a pic of the inside:

http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/a...7c747c8337.jpg

I can't start work on my project yet because I'm waiting for my step drill bit and the plumbing parts to arrive - I ordered most all the pieces online and it saved me some money.

I'm planing on have three 3/4" bottom fittings - 2 of them with ball valves. I haven't decided on how to vent the top yet. I've been reading and reading, but can't seem to find consensus on how the top exhaust be. I've been reading through the mother of all UDS threads, but that is over 500 pages long. Should I go with four 3/4 holes evenly spread on the lid, or try to go with a single 2" exhaust?

Single two inch. All (imo) adding a bunch of holes in the top does for you is make you wish you didnt drill it full of holes. no easy way to cover all the wholes for rain, as compared to just putting the cap back in the lid like normal.

Lucky you can find a brand new drum for 30 bucks. Im envious. What Company is it, next time im in sac i may pic some up?

If you have a bung hole in the lid, might as well thread it. If you have a plain lid, it might be hard to make a hole. I went with six holes in the lid and threaded them with 6 3/4" pipe nipples (a bit more area than a 2 inch hole), and I love it. Easier to see the smoke through an exhaust. I also have 6 pipe caps that I use to plug (just fyi, the hole I made is a bit less than 1 inch, so that the nipples won't thread too far down into the lid. not very important)

The most common I've seen in the thread is 8 holes each 1/2". You can also go with the weber style exhaust though you dont need to reduce airflow in the exhaust. Another thing to consider is that I've read that the large 2 inch exhausts drip some sludge from smoking but I'm not sure about that one. If you can drill a 2 inch hole and can find some pipe to thread it with, thats a good option too.

Also, I would oil that sucker up right away if it's bare steel. The moisture in the atmosphere will make it rust. Unless there is some rust inhibitor sprayed on. Good luck and post some pics in the mother thread!

I bought a new unlined drum for my UDS from a local dealer, I wouldn't have builta UDS if I had to burn / grind a lining out of one.

Where did you find them?

What do the lids look like? I have never messed with one that's not ribbed for her pleasure. Will it fit a Weber lid without modification?