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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking.


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Old 11-25-2012, 10:46 AM   #16
Skidder
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That is a great picture. I can imagine lying it that hammock listening to the waves against the shore with the smell of hickory smoke in the air. Man you live good
Nope smell of apple wood!
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Old 11-25-2012, 11:13 AM   #17
pritchardhallhokie
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Join Date: 11-23-12
Location: richmond, va
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Hey Everyone. First off, thanks for all the kind words. After reading a lot of your comments, I realized I left out some pictures and a few things.

First of all, I made a mistake, my exhaust is only 2.75", not 3.5. Secondly, the reason I was bringing the temp up so much was to season the UDS originally. I have done another burn just to see and it looks like it's stabilizing much better.

I'm able to maintain 225-240 which is perfect for Pulled Pork by tweaking the magnets on the intakes. Pretty much leaving one open and all the rest closed. I have 1/2" nipples with caps that I will install after this burn.

I'm using plain old Kingsford charcoal. I use a weed burner on the middle for about 30 seconds for the minion method and that works great.

My thermometer is a replacement grill thermometer, so it doesn't have a long probe, just about 1" inside the drum. I have installed it just below (but not touching) the grill itself. Also, I'm using what's called "Regular Metal lath" that I got from the cement section of Home Depot for like 7 bucks for a huge sheet. I was able to cut it with tin snips and bend it into a circle around a propane tank and clip it together with metal rings then put three 3" carriage bolts in the bottom to get it above the bottom of the barrel 3 inches.
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Old 11-25-2012, 12:00 PM   #18
pritchardhallhokie
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Join Date: 11-23-12
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Here is a picture of the inside of my drum, notice the thermometer probe just below the grate. Also, pictures of the material I used for my charcoal basket and the basket itself. Seems to get plenty of air, made of metal, might be a possible VERY cheap alternative to a welded expanded metal basket. Only cost me about 8 bucks including the washers/nuts/bolts.
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Old 11-25-2012, 09:35 PM   #19
Daggs
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That mesh won't last long, and make sure it's not galvanized!
Are you using the 2" bung that comes in many of our lids? I only use 2, 3/4" inlets. Reason for this is I know what certain lumps max out at temp wise in my drum.
5 inlets is way to much! Ive had problems with magnets personally. Not the best seal and don't hold as well over time.
This is just my opinion but I keep my intake equal to or just less than my exhaust. This prevents stale smoke and keeps my temps from jumping too much.
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Old 11-25-2012, 11:12 PM   #20
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A something to keep it the back of your melon: The temp in the center will be 50 deg hotter than the thermo reads. save up some cash and get some expanded that lath wont last to long.
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Old 11-26-2012, 04:42 PM   #21
pritchardhallhokie
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A something to keep it the back of your melon: The temp in the center will be 50 deg hotter than the thermo reads. save up some cash and get some expanded that lath wont last to long.

Thanks Bludawg - would you have any idea how long it'll last? Shouldn't be any danger to use it though, should it?

Also, you're saying the temp in the center of the drum is 50 degrees hotter than I'm seeing with the small probe? What if I'm using a diffuser pan on top of the basket? Also, would I be okay drilling a hole in the top of the drum and putting the probe in there?

or, is there any way I can extend that probe to read deeper with some sort of add on? Like a piece of metal of some sort?

Thanks so much!
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Old 11-26-2012, 05:42 PM   #22
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You can buy an 8" turkey thermometer at Academy for less than $10 (or a 12" one for a couple dollars more). Drill a hole in the barrel (under grate level) just large enough for the stem. The holder that comes with the thermometer can slide on the stem inside the barrel to hold it in place.
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Old 11-26-2012, 05:44 PM   #23
pritchardhallhokie
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Join Date: 11-23-12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daggs View Post
That mesh won't last long, and make sure it's not galvanized!
Are you using the 2" bung that comes in many of our lids? I only use 2, 3/4" inlets. Reason for this is I know what certain lumps max out at temp wise in my drum.
5 inlets is way to much! Ive had problems with magnets personally. Not the best seal and don't hold as well over time.
This is just my opinion but I keep my intake equal to or just less than my exhaust. This prevents stale smoke and keeps my temps from jumping too much.

Thanks for the response. So, if I wanted to have a better seal for the intakes and forget the magnets, should a small nipple and cap be what I go for for each of the intakes except the one with the valve? The reason I've been skimping is that I told myself I could build this for under 25 dollars, after the drum...and so far, I'm under budget.
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Old 11-26-2012, 09:52 PM   #24
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Spend a little more and it will pay you back for years. Especially when you are starting out its important to have consistancy! Nipples should help, they did wonders for me.
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Old 11-27-2012, 01:00 PM   #25
pritchardhallhokie
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Well, I think I may be the dumbest person on the planet, because I still can't get thing to balance out and hold heat.

I am trying a picnic shoulder today, 7lb - figured on a 10 hour burn. I filled the basket this morning around 8:30, lit the charcoals (minion method) - they're holding fine, put them in the UDS and got my temp up to 230 and held it, put on the pork and temp balanced back out... now, I'm slowly losing heat, down to 190. I open another valve, doesn't work, I have the 2.75" bung hole open completely and there's a second, smaller hole, 3/4" wide, I open that, nothing. I just can't keep the temp up. I look in at the coals and they're nice and white, getting plenty of air, not smothering, the ashes are falling down into the pan well. I have a 3" lift off the bottom of the basket to the bottom of the UDS.

One thing I've noticed, everyone says when they open the lid, their temp spikes, mine actually plummets. I opened the top just now for about 45 seconds and the temp dropped 40 degrees.

Does anyone have any idea what my dumba$$ is doing wrong? Or should I just hang it up?

Thanks guys!
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Old 11-27-2012, 03:25 PM   #26
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How is the exhaust located in relation to your temp probe? When you put the lid back on is the exhaust location changing?

My UDS temps do not normally spike either when I take off the lid and replace it. Normally the temp is down and it takes a bit for the temps to rise back to where they were at, unless there is fat on the coals, then watch out for some serious flame up.
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Old 11-27-2012, 03:41 PM   #27
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try using a 6" stack to get your draft up..... go to Ace harware find a 2-1/2" gray pvc 6" nipple and screw it into your bung... That should bring your draft up enough to get your temp to stabilize nicely....
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Old 11-27-2012, 03:44 PM   #28
pritchardhallhokie
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try using a 6" stack to get your draft up..... go to Ace harware find a 2-1/2" gray pvc 6" nipple and screw it into your bung... That should bring your draft up enough to get your temp to stabilize nicely....

I have nothing but the open hole at the top. Does that really impact the draft that much? if so, I'm going to have to go try that... in advance, THANK YOU if that's the fix I need. Seems too easy though!
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Old 11-27-2012, 04:05 PM   #29
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Are you lighting enough coals on fire? I had a similar problem when I first started to using a weed burner. Try a chimney and get a 1/3 load glowing red hot.

Also, unless you pit themo is tried, tested and true. Best stick with a digital probe on grate level.

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Old 11-27-2012, 04:12 PM   #30
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I don't know nuthin about UDS's
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