My No Thrills UDS Build is Complete!
 

Well, almost....it's smoking (seasoning) right now so I can cook next weekend! I went with a $3 pizza pan from WalMart and a turkey fryer basket for my charcoal and ash catcher. Two Weber 22.5" grates and the flat/sealed top for my lid until I find a dome lid. She's gloss black and needs another coat, but the West Texas wind wasn't cooperating with me today for paint. Here's a few pictures:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/c51qtrs9c8...2021.32.14.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6kk1kbl54f...2022.03.04.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wb89m356ml...2015.51.58.jpg

That looks nice. Although I like the charcoal "basket", I think you will find that there will not be enough airflow or capacity.

Capacity I can see being an issue for sure :/. I drilled the holes out and made them bigger to try and help airflow. She's cranking along at 300 or so right now wide open, so you be right. Expanded metal is plentiful for free around here, so I'll plan to change that sooner than later. This was too cheap and easy not to try!

If that is an Al basket you will be building very soon. Al + heat = not good.

Cheers

And why is that?

Ever seen a beer can in a camp fire the next day? Nooo they melt. Melting also means toxic I mho

Yep but they don't just melt, they burn up with nothing left if the fire is hot enough.