UDS Basket Question

Hello all, building my first UDS and have a design/cook time question I'm hoping you all can help me with. After much reading I have purchased all the parts and mocked up my basket. Using a Weber charcoal grate (17" in diameter), a 16x2" cake pan for an ash catcher, and two pieces of the Home Depot 12x24" expanded metal for the basket itself. Incorporated a rod with eye bolt for lifting in and out. Here's what I believe my possible issues are going to be with the rest of the build. I'm planning on using a dome lid with the aluminum flat mod for increased room on the top rack. I'm wanting to add a second rack below that and a place for a diffuser below that lower into the drum. The coal basket, in it's current configuration, between the bolt heads used to attach the coal grate to the ash pan, the ash pan itself, coal grate, basket and eye bolt it stands at approximately 16.6" tall and 15.5" around (basket itself is 12" high by 15.5" around). I'm building this primarily for long cooks like brisket and butts and am afraid that if I cut the basket shorter to make adequate room for the two grates and diffuser that I'll negate my main reason for building one and won't get a long enough cook time out of a load of coal. So, for those more well versed on UDS smokers than myself, how long of a burn are you getting out of a load of coal in your basket and what are it's dimensions.

I've included a picture of my mocked up basket. I was also think that if I CAN cut down the height of the basket that I can add a little more space between the ash pan and coal grate for better airflow.

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

Mike

Thanks for the quick responses and good info/suggestions. Since patrickd26 mentioned distance from heat source, that's just one of the things I'm trying to take into consideration during the build so as to correct or avoid problems down the line. That's why I've decided to go with a dome lid. To get the protein farther away and then add the diffuser to hopefully help some more. The dual racks near the top, the lower of the 2 will probably not be any farther than 8 maybe 9" inches from the top of the drum, is for if I decide to try several racks of ribs on it or a bunch of wings...or something.

Please keep the suggestions and info coming. It's all appreciated!

Thanks for all the sage advice so far. Already modified the coal basket. Took 4" off the top, shortened the stance beneath the ash pan and added to the gap between the top of the pan and the bottom of the coal grate, and used the 4" of expanded metal from the top to increase the diameter and have it wrap around the outside edge of the coal grate. That puts the bottom of the grate about 3" off the bottom of the drum with about an inch between the top of the pan and the grate. May even drill a few holes along the perimeter of the pan to increase air flow even more.

Anyone know how close you can put the diffuser to the top of the basket before it becomes a point of restriction that would risk snuffing the coals?

mrboy said:

I'd ditch the cake pan and swap in a pizza pan for the ash catcher .....

Click to expand...

Thanks. Now that's it's built I've kind of had that same thought. I may end up doing that down the road a bit but after what it took to track this down (as in I had to get the wife involved because Hell if I knew where to get a cake pan this size) a change this soon may result in me getting...."The Look" :wacko: