[Barbarian]

This ashpan may help. My UDS is now upside down, I cut the bottom out so that I could get to the ashes for easy cleanup. I used the lid from a donor and made a ashpan. I cut is about 1.5" smaller then the drum so the drum would be easy to lift over the charcoal basket and ashpan and set on the stand. After several cooks I think I am having a little trouble controlling the temps due I think to some air intake where the drum meets the stand. Nothing major, but I am going to weld two rings to the stand for the drum to fit into. I will put stove gasket between the rings so that it should be pretty airtight around the bottom of the drum allowing me more control with the intakes.

Just a curious question for Carrsvillesmoker, why 5" nipples?

And step bits are the way to go. They are so much better then reguluar bits I cannot describe the difference. After being in on 6 builds I would never go back to regular drill bits on a UDS or UDG.