Ugly Drum Smoker

[Partsguy]

Well after months of reading here i finally got my done. Now this weekend i have to get smoking.

[N8man]

Good on you!!!
Now, get it dirty!!!

[Nemo]

Fired up the UDS for it's first real run and I have to say it worked great. Pretty much held a steady temp. After about 6 hrs, there was probably half the charcoal left (around 10lbs to start). first here's a shot of the drum mid way through the smoke...the rest speak for themselves. The baby backs were a huge hit, served Bone Sucking Sauce and Scott's on the side. Made a fattie too, cause well just had to. This one was sweet Italian sausage, stuffed with cheddar and a thick cut bacon weave.

I think the ribs were damn good but apart from pictures on the internet and what I've made before, I don't have much to compare them to. What do folks think? How did a UDS rookie do?

[daninnewjersey]

Originally Posted by Nemo

What do folks think? How did a UDS rookie do?

Great job, man

[ksgoosekillr]

Just wanted to give a big thanks to everyone here for the ideas i put them to good use!

[brad6622]

Just finished mine. Thanks for all the help in this forum.

[BigG_UK]

Excellent job, looks like a great UDS, enjoy..........

G

[BigG_UK]

Originally Posted by ksgoosekillr

Just wanted to give a big thanks to everyone here for the ideas i put them to good use!

Excellent job, looks like a great UDS, enjoy..........

G

[BigG_UK]

Originally Posted by brad6622

Just finished mine. Thanks for all the help in this forum.

and yours too brother !

G

[rudy497]

Y'all expertise needed. After many nights of reading this forum, I finally finished my mini uds. I fired it up to season it, but it's holding the temp at about 360. I have 3 3/4 intakes and 1 3/4 inches ball valve, i closed the ball valve and covered two of the intake holes and also almost closed the top holes on the weber lid, but it's still at 360. Any suggestions? I have two thermometers one at the grate level and one in the lid holes, both reading the same temp.

[BigG_UK]

If its a mini UDS as I'm imagining I'd say Less fuel and a smaller fire basket, you'd be surprised how little you can get away with, In my mini I've found it's better to use brickettes instead of lump wood in my mini with smoking chips on top. But I much prefer lumpwood charcoal so mostly stick with my bigger original UDS. Have you got any pics?

G

[smokindave74]

Originally Posted by rudy497

Y'all expertise needed. After many nights of reading this forum, I finally finished my mini uds. I fired it up to season it, but it's holding the temp at about 360. I have 3 3/4 intakes and 1 3/4 inches ball valve, i closed the ball valve and covered two of the intake holes and also almost closed the top holes on the weber lid, but it's still at 360. Any suggestions? I have two thermometers one at the grate level and one in the lid holes, both reading the same temp.

I would agree with the other poster and say too much fuel, but even so, after it burns for a while and settles in, it should come down in temp. If it is staying way up at 360 for more than 15 min or so, with the vents closed then I would say you have some air getting in somewhere. If I close all my vents and exhaust, my uds will drop 100 degrees in an hour or so.

[Carolina gamecock]

http://db.tt/uSSlbqZp
Look at what I found behind the plant. All unlined sealed tops.

[rudy497]

Thanks for advice, I decided to plug 2 of the 3 3/4 intakes and the 3rd I downsized it to a 1/2, I also downsized the ball valve to a 1/2" valve. I fired it up again just now and it stayed at about 260. I went and checked after about 30 minutes and it had climbed to 300, ball valve 1/2 closed. I also used less charcoal.No Pictures yet, and it is a mini.

[razrbakcrzy]

Originally Posted by Rodney

Here are two places to get it online:

https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/ca...ductID=EXC349F

These guys will cut it to shape for you, but keep in mind that you can't specify in which direction you want it cut, i.e. with the long axis of the diamond shapes aligned with the length of the sheet vs. across the sheet. Maybe you can call them up and specify that...

http://www.mcmaster.com/#9302t89

This is a 24" square sheet. You'd have to get out a jig saw, a hack saw, an air-powered cutoff tool, a torch, or put it on a sheetmetal shear to cut it to size. In order to make a circular wall that goes around (for example) a base made out of a charcoal grate from an 18.5" Weber (available at Home Depot or Lowes), you'll need to cut two 8x24" pieces from the sheet.

As for bending the expanded steel sheet, I devised this method, but haven't tried it yet. I haven't been able to find the time to build my UDS yet, but I'll be trying this method when I do:



I'll then be welding the two half-circle-shaped 8"x24" pieces around the above mentioned charcoal grate and welding it all together.

Good luck!

-Rodney

that is a heck of an idea, good noodle there man!!! ingenious, I say even!!


Jim Boston
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