UDS Weber Top Mod Pictutorial. Pr0n Heavy

Smokin' D · 07-28-2010, 05:27 PM

Here is what I did today. Took drum #1 and added a Weber Top.

Here is the sacrificial Weber Bar-B-Cue circa 1985. $5 Craigs List find.

Step #1 Cut off the handles. I used a jig saw.

Before

And after

Drill a pilot hole about 1 3/4" from the bottom of the lip.

Using the a fore mentioned jig saw, and the bottom of the rim of the kettle as a guide, cut off the upper portion of the kettle. I kept the legs on up to and including this step to make handling the work easier.

I then put the cut off ring in a vise to grind off the handle stumps.

The diameter of the drum was too big for the ring so I used some 1/8" x 1 1/4" aluminum strips to fill the void.

Using some clamps to get a nice tight curvature.

The complete circle.

Needed two aluminum rings to make a tight fit. The aluminum sits 1/4" above the lip of the drum. It is screwed in place with some 1/2" self tapping screws that I've had kicking around for 20+ years. Screwed through the drum into the aluminum and then used the grinder to remove the points on the inside of the drum. A wire wheel buffing and wiping with some lacquer thinner gives up a nice shiny and clean surface.

Some high temp red silicone to seal things up nicely. Slide the Kettle ring into the drum and affix with 4 screws through the ring and into the rolled edge of the drum and you're done.

And finally, the old Kettle Top has a nice new home.

This drum has not been used in about a year because !redruM works a bit better and has two racks. Now a second rack can be added to this one and with some minor mods to the intake, I'll have two perfectly functioning drums. Thanks for watching and Happy Smokes to ya!

Phrasty · 07-28-2010, 05:32 PM

Nice work there! Looks great! Man that weber looks old school too!

Cheers

Johnny_Crunch · 07-28-2010, 06:00 PM

Nice work, too bad you had to sacrifice the kettle and not be able to use it.

bobsuosso · 07-28-2010, 06:42 PM

nice job, hopefully will mod mine soon

Alan in Ga · 07-28-2010, 07:09 PM

Good looking build there now get that thing dirty....

Smokin' D · 07-28-2010, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny_Crunch

Nice work, too bad you had to sacrifice the kettle and not be able to use it.

Well Johnny, That was a $5 kettle. Came with an almost new Weber chimney and a grill brush. I have a $40 Performer with stainless top from Craigs list and another Weber Silver that was a freebee. This old one with the three wheels for bottom vents was either going in the trash or being reborn in a UDS. I do believe it is happy.

McGurk · 07-28-2010, 07:26 PM

Nice looking work!

Harbormaster · 07-28-2010, 09:10 PM

That kettle looked to me to be a mid 70's kettle, not an 85. By 85 they had wood handles I think.

Anyway, nice work on adapting it to your UDS.

Boshizzle · 07-28-2010, 09:29 PM

That's some sweet work there, bro! Nice going!

SmokinAussie · 07-28-2010, 10:12 PM

Nice fabrication indeed.

Cheers!

Bill

stglide · 07-29-2010, 08:03 PM

I too have the solid top, so this helps me understand how I may approach my build.

Was it a possible fit if you just used the aluminum, and the lid, since the lid should sit over top? Or does that leave it too loose, thus the lower kettle rim give it a more secure fit? My kettle lid fits fairly well over but didn't seem to be that tight. I'll light up a fire in it and see how it does....

Great post!

LoveMeSomeQ · 08-03-2010, 10:53 AM

that's a great job!!! Looks fantastic!

chambersuac · 08-03-2010, 10:55 AM

good job!

Smokin' D · 08-03-2010, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stglide

I too have the solid top, so this helps me understand how I may approach my build.

Was it a possible fit if you just used the aluminum, and the lid, since the lid should sit over top? Or does that leave it too loose, thus the lower kettle rim give it a more secure fit? My kettle lid fits fairly well over but didn't seem to be that tight. I'll light up a fire in it and see how it does....

Great post!

With just the aluminum strip the top was way too loose. Using the kettle bottom makes for a nicer seal with less wiggle room.

stglide · 08-03-2010, 07:42 PM

Tks Smokin'D!! Figured as much, but figured I would ask.

07-28-2010, 05:32 PM	#2
Phrasty Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-19-08 Location: Jamaica	Nice work there! Looks great! Man that weber looks old school too! Cheers __________________ 1 - 100 lb. self-made cylinder grill/smoker 1 - 100 lb. self-made cylinder smoker 1 - 20 gal. self-made grill/smoker 1 - 25 gal. self-made vertical smoker 1 - 120 gal. self-made trailer stick-burner http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=88599

07-28-2010, 06:00 PM	#3
Johnny_Crunch Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-03-10 Location: Cypress TX	Nice work, too bad you had to sacrifice the kettle and not be able to use it. __________________ J Crunch

07-28-2010, 07:09 PM	#5
Alan in Ga is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-19-09 Location: Macon,Ga	Good looking build there now get that thing dirty.... __________________ NB Black Diamond, 57 Smokehouse BBQ Team [URL="http://www.57smokehouse.blogspot.com/"]www.57smokehouse.blogspot.com/[/URL] Certified GBA Judge/Competetior [SIZE=3]Golden Goose Egg(4 Times Certified)[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]Stumps 223 ,2 UDS,NB Hondo[/SIZE]

07-28-2010, 07:26 PM	#7
McGurk Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-26-10 Location: Bloomington, MN	Nice looking work! __________________ Bad decisions make for good stories!

07-28-2010, 09:10 PM	#8
Harbormaster somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-14-06 Location: Wyocena/Pardeeville, WI Name/Nickname : Clark	That kettle looked to me to be a mid 70's kettle, not an 85. By 85 they had wood handles I think. Anyway, nice work on adapting it to your UDS. __________________ Clark My Boys: Joseph (EI); Andrew (EE); Daniel (EE) My Toys: 10 WSMs (B, C, E, DH, DA, EZ, DZ, EO, DU, DR); 5 - 22.5" Bar-B-Q-Kettles; 2 - 18.5" Bar-B-Q-Kettle; 4 WGAs (EZ, DE, N, B); 2 SJPs ( DR, DR); 2 Smokey Joes (A, K); Brinkman Cimmaron. "For when democracy becomes tyranny, those of us with rifles still get to vote"

07-28-2010, 05:27 PM	#1
Smokin' D is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-11-07 Location: N. Andover, MA	UDS Weber Top Mod Pictutorial. Pr0n Heavy Here is what I did today. Took drum #1 and added a Weber Top. Here is the sacrificial Weber Bar-B-Cue circa 1985. $5 Craigs List find. Step #1 Cut off the handles. I used a jig saw. Before And after Drill a pilot hole about 1 3/4" from the bottom of the lip. Using the a fore mentioned jig saw, and the bottom of the rim of the kettle as a guide, cut off the upper portion of the kettle. I kept the legs on up to and including this step to make handling the work easier. I then put the cut off ring in a vise to grind off the handle stumps. The diameter of the drum was too big for the ring so I used some 1/8" x 1 1/4" aluminum strips to fill the void. Using some clamps to get a nice tight curvature. The complete circle. Needed two aluminum rings to make a tight fit. The aluminum sits 1/4" above the lip of the drum. It is screwed in place with some 1/2" self tapping screws that I've had kicking around for 20+ years. Screwed through the drum into the aluminum and then used the grinder to remove the points on the inside of the drum. A wire wheel buffing and wiping with some lacquer thinner gives up a nice shiny and clean surface. Some high temp red silicone to seal things up nicely. Slide the Kettle ring into the drum and affix with 4 screws through the ring and into the rolled edge of the drum and you're done. And finally, the old Kettle Top has a nice new home. This drum has not been used in about a year because !redruM works a bit better and has two racks. Now a second rack can be added to this one and with some minor mods to the intake, I'll have two perfectly functioning drums. Thanks for watching and Happy Smokes to ya!

07-28-2010, 06:42 PM	#4
bobsuosso Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-11-09 Location: Saugus MA	nice job, hopefully will mod mine soon

07-28-2010, 09:29 PM	#9
Boshizzle somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-26-10 Location: Virginia	That's some sweet work there, bro! Nice going! __________________ Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it.

07-28-2010, 10:12 PM	#10
SmokinAussie somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-19-09 Location: Gold Coast, Queensland! (Finally Escaped Melbourne) Name/Nickname : Bill	Nice fabrication indeed. Cheers! Bill __________________ A butterflies wings. About to bring down everything...

07-29-2010, 08:03 PM	#11
stglide On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-23-10 Location: Charlotte NC	I too have the solid top, so this helps me understand how I may approach my build. Was it a possible fit if you just used the aluminum, and the lid, since the lid should sit over top? Or does that leave it too loose, thus the lower kettle rim give it a more secure fit? My kettle lid fits fairly well over but didn't seem to be that tight. I'll light up a fire in it and see how it does.... Great post! __________________ [B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=3]Bill[/SIZE] UDS - Ole Blue Weber 22.5 Kettle x 2 Charbroil Quantum 5 burner Brinkman SKD Offset w/ Mods [/COLOR][/FONT][/B]

08-03-2010, 10:53 AM	#12
LoveMeSomeQ Got Wood. Join Date: 04-03-09 Location: Chicago, Ill	that's a great job!!! Looks fantastic!

08-03-2010, 10:55 AM	#13
chambersuac somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-09 Location: San Antonio, TX	good job! __________________ Dan IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball maker and IMBAS Sgt. At Arms. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. [Acts 20:32 KJV]

08-03-2010, 07:42 PM	#15
stglide On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-23-10 Location: Charlotte NC	Tks Smokin'D!! Figured as much, but figured I would ask. __________________ [B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=3]Bill[/SIZE] UDS - Ole Blue Weber 22.5 Kettle x 2 Charbroil Quantum 5 burner Brinkman SKD Offset w/ Mods [/COLOR][/FONT][/B]