Chief's UDS Build

Chief_USN · Mar 23, 2013

First off I want to say thank you to anyone that has posted pics of their UDS'. I have gotten a ton of ideas, incorporated some and tried to come up with my own. This has been an ongoing project as I am constantly looking to do stuff. I also have a 30g that will be getting started here soon now that the 55g is just about complete. Anyway, here is a link to the entire project on my Photobucket account:

http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/Chief_USN/library/UDS%20Smoker%20Build?page=1

Here are a couple of pics out of the so far 73 that I've taken.

The drum. New and unlined.

My completed charcoal basket. I used this to perform my first welds ever. Figured if they didn't turn out good, they wouldn't be seen.

I welded the Weber lid to the drum lid and cut the center out. I'm still learning how to weld so I had a lot of burn through and came up with this idea to seal and smooth the joint between the two up. It worked great.

Here is a shot of the underside of the lid. I put some fiberglass rope gasket around the drum lid channel to make for an air tight seal.

The completed lid with a fresh coat of primer.

First time lighting it to get a good seasoning.

Messing around with ideas I have seen and incorporated an adjustable shelf system. 18" rails with 1" increments. Water pan is from my ECB. I can use this, a diffuser, or nothing. All depends on what I want to smoke and how to smoke it. A huge thanks to fellow Brethren savageford for that idea.

So that's where she's at. Any comments, questions, ideas, etc are always welcomed. Thank you again for all the help and ideas.

Chad

colonel00 · Mar 23, 2013

Great job :thumb: Somebody else used that shelf system before. Looks like a great idea. The only thing I question is how much of a pain is it to get everything out? Looks like you have to constantly remove all or most of the brackets to get the charcoal basket out. Let us know how you like the system after several cooks.

Chief_USN · Mar 23, 2013

The basket just barely fits by the top rack supports. The bottoms ones do have to come out. They slide in and out of pretty easy but I will keep everyone informed how much of a pain it is if at all. I got that idea from savageford here.

Chad

pal251 · Mar 23, 2013

I thought about doing the adjustable shelf idea also. I may just put in another shelf at the bottom to do a water pan or diffuser...

Some of the UDS users here will be cranky when you mention using a water pan though.

frugalsob · Mar 23, 2013

Lookin good!

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · Mar 23, 2013

Chief_USN said:
The basket just barely fits by the top rack supports. The bottoms ones do have to come out. They slide in and out of pretty easy but I will keep everyone informed how much of a pain it is if at all. I got that idea from savageford here.

Chad

If they turn out to be a PIA, it should be pretty easy to find another way to support the water pan. Maybe on a grate that is supported on short clips on the adjustable tracks. Or maybe a long legged spider that straddles the charcoal basket to rest on the kettle bottom.

Good looking UDS :thumb:

Budman1 · Mar 23, 2013

I welded some uprights in my basket, the diffuser sits on top , and if I want to use a drip pan, that sits on top of the diffuser. Works good and simple to remove.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · Mar 23, 2013

^^^^^ Good idea right there. Deceptively simple.

bigabyte · Mar 23, 2013

Nice drum!

Budman1 · Mar 23, 2013

I also mounted a cheap pizza pan under the basket for easy clean-up. :-D

Outboard Racer · Mar 23, 2013

Water Pan

I really like the idea of the shelf bracket on the side of your drum. A thought to your water pan being a pain to get out what I did was I took a 22.5 weber grill turned the pan upside marked it and cut the grill so the pan rim sits on the rack flush with the pan portion below the grill. For you this might help so you can shorten your self supports that stick out as the shelf brackets will hold the grill not your water pan.

Works well for the pan and difuser can sit on top if you choose.

But I like Bud-Man's may look at trying this as well on mine.

Lot of great ideas from everyone

Carbon · Mar 23, 2013

Nice looking drum build Chief!

I also like Budman's coal basket diffuser uprights. Very simple and functional.

Toney Marconi · Mar 23, 2013

Chief_USN said:
The basket just barely fits by the top rack supports. The bottoms ones do have to come out. They slide in and out of pretty easy but I will keep everyone informed how much of a pain it is if at all. I got that idea from savageford here.

Chad

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling after about a dozen or so cooks you won't want to be sliding the rack supports in and out.

Chief_USN · Mar 23, 2013

Some of the UDS users here will be cranky when you mention using a water pan though

Oh well. That's the way I learned (ECB) so I will try the other ways as well and see how it goes.

I welded some uprights in my basket, the diffuser sit on top...

Cool Idea. Might have to try that if the adjustable shelves don't work out.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling after about a dozen or so cooks you won't want to be sliding the rack supports in and out.

You got that right. They'll probably be so caked and seasoned they won't come out. Of course I'll be removing them all the time to put the basket in so, they'll just be sticky and well coated with drippings. Nothing a couple of latex gloves won't take care of. I usually wear a pair anytime I mess with the water pan anyways.

Thanks for the critiques Brethren. Keep it coming.

Chad

jmoney7269 · Mar 23, 2013

Nice lookin drum build. Some good ideas.
I have tried lots of them also: diffuser, adjustable racks, water pan, but in the end you just can't beat a direct Cookin UDS with a weber lid, 2 racks, 3 bolts to hold the racks, simple and works great. A well used drum gets kinda dirty, so the less stuff in there, the better.

1911Ron · Mar 23, 2013

Nice looking drum Chief:thumb: Also some good ideas popping up.

cholloway · Mar 23, 2013

Chief, also let us know how the red RTV holds up as a gasket adhesive. I'm running ideas on how to affix some fire rope around the smoking chamber door of my Bandera.

savageford · Mar 23, 2013

Good looking drum. As with mine time will tell on the shelving brackets.

Chief_USN · Mar 23, 2013

Got my wheels added today. Took the Weber wheels from the donor 22.5". Here's a couple of pics.

Just need to add a front leg to make it level, but it's time for an adult beverage up at the adult beverage preparation station.

Chad

EX~DY · Mar 23, 2013

Battleship Grey?
Squid.

jk brother!

Chief's UDS Build

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