UDS: a newbie bringing up common questions

Bettermj · 11-16-2016, 04:44 PM

I'm in the process of building my first UDS. I see there are several hundred posts/replies on this site. I have answered many of my questions reading through them. I have a few more that I can't find answers/help at the moment so I apologize if these questions have been asked hundreds of times this week alone.

First, my lid has 3 threaded bungholes across the center of it. They're about 2 inches in diameter and I have the caps that were threaded into it. Is it easy to make a chimney stack out of these holes? Are there pipes that thread into these? Would 3 stacks be too much, or would it just be overkill? I'm thinking the chimney stacks should have a 180 degree elbow to keep out rain and give better control of the draft/chimney effect, but I'm no expert. I've also contemplated having a handle fashioned somehow that screws into the center bunghole, maybe even interchangeable, perhaps something that correlates with various school mascots (LSU and my son's high school are both purple and gold, tigers and yellow jackets). Also, are people laughing at me behind my back every time I say "bunghole?"

Second, the barrel I got was from a feed store that sells them to people who make feeding troughs out of them. They told me they're safe, but couldn't tell what was in them. I've burned it out 2-3 times over a week, bought a large propane torch and burned it some more, sanded it with a drill sanding attachement for as much as I can stand, & eventually decided to pay someone to sand blast it. If there WAS something toxic in it, how comfortable would you be using it after all of that? It is down to the silver metal all the way around inside and out. I've contemplated cooking some briskets for the endoscopy nurses a few times and see if we lose any of them before cooking for my family.

Third, any thoughts on securing the UDS to a nice looking dolly? Would make for easy transport, & kind of unique. But I don't know if the wheels can tolerate the heat. Maybe some steel wheels. So, where can I get steel wagon wheels? :-)

Fourth, where do people get the decorative metal plates that you see on some UDSs? I'm thinking tigers/yellow jackets again.

Fifth, I am searching for "how to paint flames with spray cans" with minimal success. I'm envisioning purple and gold flames. But I am pretty useless when it comes to artistic touches. How do you do those?

Thanks for all of the feedback.

Jeff

mikemci · 11-16-2016, 05:55 PM

1) You will only need one 2" exhaust. You can get them at HD or Lowe's.
2) You have done a great job of cleaning the inside.
3) Others have attached them to dollies, without issues re: wheels melting.
4) Find a local welding shop, ask if he can cut out a logo. If not, he probably knows who can.
5) I don't know.

Rounder · 11-16-2016, 08:35 PM

From my experience, with my UDS, my lid has a 2" bung and about a 3/4" bung. I've put a "chimney" with turn out on each. I keep the 2" closed up almost all the time, I only use it on cooks in the 350 degree range. I use the smaller bung most of the time, up to about 290 degrees. The size of the exhaust plays a large role for what temp you're running at. I can add pictures later if you'd like.

As for a dolly, mine isn't nice looking by any means, I used 4 pieces of 2" by 8" left over treated deck wood for the base, secured along the sides and base with metal straps. I used 4 caster wheels each with 150 lb weight capacity. This thing is rock solid and will easily double as a furniture dolly.

I built my UDS 2 years ago and it's already showing rust. I burned it out, used a wire wheel over all of it, used 2000 degree primer and high heat BBQ paint. I live in Missouri and the elements simply take their toll over time. The good news is I can remove all of the hardware anytime I want, clean up the drum or buy a new one and reinstall the hardware to make it look "pretty" again. I doubt any drum smoker is going to look good over time unless you store it inside or live in a very dry climate.

Bettermj · 11-16-2016, 08:52 PM

Than you all for the replies. I'll post pics when I get done.

And we have two new BBQ places going up by my house. I'm so happy

Rounder · 11-16-2016, 08:58 PM

Here's some pics of my lid and you can see the dolly I built. And yes I took the easy way out with the Big Poppa kit. Oh and the chimneys helped temp control enormously. I tried just using the bungs as exhaust and my temps fluctuated wildly, especially in windy conditions. I added the chimneys and I have all the control I need. I'd like to add a slider of sorts to the large exhaust in order to control temps a little more but just haven't found the need yet.

Bettermj · 11-17-2016, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rounder

Here's some pics of my lid and you can see the dolly I built. And yes I took the easy way out with the Big Poppa kit. Oh and the chimneys helped temp control enormously. I tried just using the bungs as exhaust and my temps fluctuated wildly, especially in windy conditions. I added the chimneys and I have all the control I need. I'd like to add a slider of sorts to the large exhaust in order to control temps a little more but just haven't found the need yet.

That looks great!

BigTerp · 11-17-2016, 11:07 AM

For the exhaust, I have the exact same setup as Rounder minus the smaller chimney. I just use the 2" bung with a 6" stack and 90 degree elbow. I keep my smaller bung hole closed. Works great.

For mobility I welded on 2 larger casters to the bottom of my drum at like 4 and 8 o'clock. At 12 o'clock I welded on a piece of angle with a larger washer welded to the bottom of it. This keeps the drum stable while cooking, yet still easily movable by using the handle I welded to the side of the drum with the casters.

Obieone · 11-17-2016, 12:07 PM

Nice build, well done!

Bettermj · 11-17-2016, 01:55 PM

One of the questions that comes to mind about the dolly is if the paint would need to tolerate the heat.

Those are some great designs. I ran across some whiskey barrel smokers last night. I'm so tempted to start one of those before I even finish the UDS. It's like stuffing another bite of brisket in your mouth before swallowing the rib.

Bettermj · 12-12-2016, 09:56 AM

I've been out hunting in the woods the past few weeks and so I've been MIA. Some of the questions I had were pretty simple to answer had I continued to proceed my project before typing away here. I've found a lot of help here still, so thank you.

I'm almost done. I decided to order a charcoal basket off ebay and focus on completing the barrel. I found a barrel hinge on Amazon. I also found a few step drill bits that weren't available in stores near me. Seems I've spent more money buying tools than actual parts for the smoker.

I've found that getting a smooth paint job is more difficult than I anticipated. My FIL said that having it sandblasted was helpful but it increased the surface area significantly. I painted the entire barrel with a high heat white paint first. It took 2 cans and still was splotchy in some areas. I let it dry over the week and tried painting it purple and gold yesterday (1 can of purple and 1 can of gold). I tried following the advice I've seen on proper spray painting techniques but the patches drive me crazy. I ordered 2 more cans of both colors to try to better blend them in.

I also want to paint the stove pipes and caps. They are galvanized. Any recommendations for the barrel and/or the pipes? I'll see if I can post a pic or two here.

Bettermj · 12-12-2016, 04:40 PM

Not sure if I'm submitting the pics the proper way. Hopefully I only submitted them once and not a dozen times.

mikemci · 12-12-2016, 05:36 PM

Groovy man! Psychedelic paint job you got going there!
Tie-dyed look.

Fwismoker · 12-12-2016, 05:45 PM

Here's my exhaust, it's 4" high (minimum) and goes the whole way around the drum.

Bettermj · 12-12-2016, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemci

Groovy man! Psychedelic paint job you got going there!
Tie-dyed look.

LOL!!! So, my first thought was Mardi Gras. One thing is that it is NOT the intimidating LSU purple and gold I had in mind.

mikemci · 12-12-2016, 06:04 PM

That's just the base coat.....you'll get it to LSU.
Lookin' real good!

11-16-2016, 04:44 PM	#1
Bettermj Found some matches. Join Date: 11-10-16 Location: Shreveport LA	UDS: a newbie bringing up common questions I'm in the process of building my first UDS. I see there are several hundred posts/replies on this site. I have answered many of my questions reading through them. I have a few more that I can't find answers/help at the moment so I apologize if these questions have been asked hundreds of times this week alone. First, my lid has 3 threaded bungholes across the center of it. They're about 2 inches in diameter and I have the caps that were threaded into it. Is it easy to make a chimney stack out of these holes? Are there pipes that thread into these? Would 3 stacks be too much, or would it just be overkill? I'm thinking the chimney stacks should have a 180 degree elbow to keep out rain and give better control of the draft/chimney effect, but I'm no expert. I've also contemplated having a handle fashioned somehow that screws into the center bunghole, maybe even interchangeable, perhaps something that correlates with various school mascots (LSU and my son's high school are both purple and gold, tigers and yellow jackets). Also, are people laughing at me behind my back every time I say "bunghole?" Second, the barrel I got was from a feed store that sells them to people who make feeding troughs out of them. They told me they're safe, but couldn't tell what was in them. I've burned it out 2-3 times over a week, bought a large propane torch and burned it some more, sanded it with a drill sanding attachement for as much as I can stand, & eventually decided to pay someone to sand blast it. If there WAS something toxic in it, how comfortable would you be using it after all of that? It is down to the silver metal all the way around inside and out. I've contemplated cooking some briskets for the endoscopy nurses a few times and see if we lose any of them before cooking for my family. Third, any thoughts on securing the UDS to a nice looking dolly? Would make for easy transport, & kind of unique. But I don't know if the wheels can tolerate the heat. Maybe some steel wheels. So, where can I get steel wagon wheels? :-) Fourth, where do people get the decorative metal plates that you see on some UDSs? I'm thinking tigers/yellow jackets again. Fifth, I am searching for "how to paint flames with spray cans" with minimal success. I'm envisioning purple and gold flames. But I am pretty useless when it comes to artistic touches. How do you do those? Thanks for all of the feedback. Jeff

11-16-2016, 05:55 PM	#2
mikemci Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-19-13 Location: Live Oak, Texas	1) You will only need one 2" exhaust. You can get them at HD or Lowe's. 2) You have done a great job of cleaning the inside. 3) Others have attached them to dollies, without issues re: wheels melting. 4) Find a local welding shop, ask if he can cut out a logo. If not, he probably knows who can. 5) I don't know. __________________ 55 gal.UDS stick burner mini WSM red Thermapen There are two kinds of countries in the world, those that use the metric system and the one that sent men to the moon and back.

12-12-2016, 05:36 PM	#12
mikemci Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-19-13 Location: Live Oak, Texas	Groovy man! Psychedelic paint job you got going there! Tie-dyed look. __________________ 55 gal.UDS stick burner mini WSM red Thermapen There are two kinds of countries in the world, those that use the metric system and the one that sent men to the moon and back.

12-12-2016, 05:45 PM	#13
Fwismoker somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-22-13 Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana	Here's my exhaust, it's 4" high (minimum) and goes the whole way around the drum. __________________ Change the way you rotisserie for the BETTER![COLOR="Red"][B]Cajun Bandit Kits for your WSM or Weber Kettle Now Available![/B][/COLOR] Visit [COLOR="Red"]OctoForks[/COLOR] in Sales & Ventures Website & Blog: [url]www.octoforks.com[/url]
	1 members found this post helpful.

12-12-2016, 06:04 PM	#15
mikemci Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-19-13 Location: Live Oak, Texas	That's just the base coat.....you'll get it to LSU. Lookin' real good! __________________ 55 gal.UDS stick burner mini WSM red Thermapen There are two kinds of countries in the world, those that use the metric system and the one that sent men to the moon and back.

11-16-2016, 08:35 PM	#3
Rounder Got Wood. Join Date: 05-26-14 Location: Springfield, MO	From my experience, with my UDS, my lid has a 2" bung and about a 3/4" bung. I've put a "chimney" with turn out on each. I keep the 2" closed up almost all the time, I only use it on cooks in the 350 degree range. I use the smaller bung most of the time, up to about 290 degrees. The size of the exhaust plays a large role for what temp you're running at. I can add pictures later if you'd like. As for a dolly, mine isn't nice looking by any means, I used 4 pieces of 2" by 8" left over treated deck wood for the base, secured along the sides and base with metal straps. I used 4 caster wheels each with 150 lb weight capacity. This thing is rock solid and will easily double as a furniture dolly. I built my UDS 2 years ago and it's already showing rust. I burned it out, used a wire wheel over all of it, used 2000 degree primer and high heat BBQ paint. I live in Missouri and the elements simply take their toll over time. The good news is I can remove all of the hardware anytime I want, clean up the drum or buy a new one and reinstall the hardware to make it look "pretty" again. I doubt any drum smoker is going to look good over time unless you store it inside or live in a very dry climate.

11-16-2016, 08:52 PM	#4
Bettermj Found some matches. Join Date: 11-10-16 Location: Shreveport LA	Than you all for the replies. I'll post pics when I get done. And we have two new BBQ places going up by my house. I'm so happy

11-17-2016, 11:07 AM	#7
BigTerp Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 04-20-15 Location: Falling Waters, WV	For the exhaust, I have the exact same setup as Rounder minus the smaller chimney. I just use the 2" bung with a 6" stack and 90 degree elbow. I keep my smaller bung hole closed. Works great. For mobility I welded on 2 larger casters to the bottom of my drum at like 4 and 8 o'clock. At 12 o'clock I welded on a piece of angle with a larger washer welded to the bottom of it. This keeps the drum stable while cooking, yet still easily movable by using the handle I welded to the side of the drum with the casters.

11-17-2016, 12:07 PM	#8
Obieone Found some matches. Join Date: 11-14-16 Location: Salem Oregon	Nice build, well done!

11-17-2016, 01:55 PM	#9
Bettermj Found some matches. Join Date: 11-10-16 Location: Shreveport LA	One of the questions that comes to mind about the dolly is if the paint would need to tolerate the heat. Those are some great designs. I ran across some whiskey barrel smokers last night. I'm so tempted to start one of those before I even finish the UDS. It's like stuffing another bite of brisket in your mouth before swallowing the rib.

12-12-2016, 09:56 AM	#10
Bettermj Found some matches. Join Date: 11-10-16 Location: Shreveport LA	I've been out hunting in the woods the past few weeks and so I've been MIA. Some of the questions I had were pretty simple to answer had I continued to proceed my project before typing away here. I've found a lot of help here still, so thank you. I'm almost done. I decided to order a charcoal basket off ebay and focus on completing the barrel. I found a barrel hinge on Amazon. I also found a few step drill bits that weren't available in stores near me. Seems I've spent more money buying tools than actual parts for the smoker. I've found that getting a smooth paint job is more difficult than I anticipated. My FIL said that having it sandblasted was helpful but it increased the surface area significantly. I painted the entire barrel with a high heat white paint first. It took 2 cans and still was splotchy in some areas. I let it dry over the week and tried painting it purple and gold yesterday (1 can of purple and 1 can of gold). I tried following the advice I've seen on proper spray painting techniques but the patches drive me crazy. I ordered 2 more cans of both colors to try to better blend them in. I also want to paint the stove pipes and caps. They are galvanized. Any recommendations for the barrel and/or the pipes? I'll see if I can post a pic or two here.