Building fire ring

dukesbb37 · 01-28-2013, 01:01 PM

Ok so i must be a moron, i cant find a search tab anywhere on the site. I am a member of a lot of forums so i know about annoying it is to have people post questiont that have been asked a hundred times.

That said... Can you guys help me with some ideas for a fire ring/charcoal basket in my UDS. I do not have the equipment to weld or cut sheet metal so it has to be a job i can put together.

I found 12x24" sheets of expanded steel at home depot for 10 bucks each but i think i would need 2. Does it need to be 12" high?

Would a 10" steel pot with a bazillion holes drilled in it work well?

Enkidu · 01-28-2013, 02:22 PM

I don't own nor have I ever used a WSM, but I do use the ring of fire method on my 22.5" OTG all the time to BBQ. With that method, I can maintain temps of ~220 for 10+ hours with no water pan. All I do is circle (with a gap) the charcoal grate with KB briquettes 2 wide and 2 high placing maybe 3-4 wood chunks along the path (including at the start). I start the ring with 4 lit coals. I leave the top vent open all the way, and leave the bottom vent open until it gets close to temp and then close it it 1/8th open.

I don't have any experience with the WSM, but I could imagine that doing something similar would probably give you at least any equally long (if not longer) burn with stead temps given how much more efficient on fuel I imagine the WSM is when compared to an OTG.

EDIT: Okay, I just realized you were asking about building a charcoal basket, not asking about the "ring of fire" method. Please ignore my post! Doh!

HookedOnQ · 01-28-2013, 02:38 PM

U can scroll down to the bottom of the main forums page there u can do a custom google search.. Just search uds fire basket and i think that will get u what u are looking for..

javahog2002 · 01-28-2013, 03:01 PM

I used the expanded metal from home depot and attached it to a small weber charcoal grate. Added some bolts for legs. No welding required. Tin snips will work if you need to cut.

Smokin' D · 01-28-2013, 03:22 PM

Here is a pic of the one I made. 12" tall, 2 - 12" x 24" pieces of expando wired to a 13" charcoal grate with 12 gauge copper wire. The expando is bolted together and the handle is made from some flat stock that was kicking around. The ash catcher is made from a 30 gal. barrel cover and is bolted to the charcoal basket with 3 1/2" long carriage bolts.

It does certainly not need to be 12" tall, but I will never have the need to add any charcoal in the middle of a cook with it being that tall.

dukesbb37 · 01-28-2013, 03:41 PM

I may not be the first person to post this, but I found this and it looks like it would work.

I would have to put legs on it... But it may save me some trouble.

Amazon.com: Spectrum 47970 Medium Storage Basket, Chrome: Home & Kitchen

If this metal looks safe to you guys, im ordering one.

Smokin' D · 01-28-2013, 04:26 PM

Looks to be pretty small gauge wire which will probably burn out quickly and has really large openings for the charcoal to fall through. Cheap though.

Garrett · 01-28-2013, 04:39 PM

I cut mine out of a small grease barrel and left risers on it to put the rack on it for high heat grilling or a pizza pan for indirect cooking, also gives me something to grab hold to. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359412753.900184.jpg

01-28-2013, 01:01 PM	#1
dukesbb37 Found some matches. Join Date: 07-01-12 Location: Durham, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Building fire ring Ok so i must be a moron, i cant find a search tab anywhere on the site. I am a member of a lot of forums so i know about annoying it is to have people post questiont that have been asked a hundred times. That said... Can you guys help me with some ideas for a fire ring/charcoal basket in my UDS. I do not have the equipment to weld or cut sheet metal so it has to be a job i can put together. I found 12x24" sheets of expanded steel at home depot for 10 bucks each but i think i would need 2. Does it need to be 12" high? Would a 10" steel pot with a bazillion holes drilled in it work well?

01-28-2013, 02:22 PM	#2
Enkidu Take a breath! Join Date: 06-12-12 Location: Los Angeles Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I don't own nor have I ever used a WSM, but I do use the ring of fire method on my 22.5" OTG all the time to BBQ. With that method, I can maintain temps of ~220 for 10+ hours with no water pan. All I do is circle (with a gap) the charcoal grate with KB briquettes 2 wide and 2 high placing maybe 3-4 wood chunks along the path (including at the start). I start the ring with 4 lit coals. I leave the top vent open all the way, and leave the bottom vent open until it gets close to temp and then close it it 1/8th open. I don't have any experience with the WSM, but I could imagine that doing something similar would probably give you at least any equally long (if not longer) burn with stead temps given how much more efficient on fuel I imagine the WSM is when compared to an OTG. EDIT: Okay, I just realized you were asking about building a charcoal basket, not asking about the "ring of fire" method. Please ignore my post! Doh! __________________ 22" OTG; 22" Performer; mini-WSM; Brinkmann gasser; UDS (on the way); Maverick ET-732

01-28-2013, 03:01 PM	#4
javahog2002 Take a breath! Join Date: 10-02-09 Location: Longmont, CO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I used the expanded metal from home depot and attached it to a small weber charcoal grate. Added some bolts for legs. No welding required. Tin snips will work if you need to cut. __________________ Smokemaster OffsetSSP:'95 Blue '00 Maroon'69 22 Cado'90 Red MTWSM Mini'77 Red 18'73 WSJET-732

01-28-2013, 03:41 PM	#6
dukesbb37 Found some matches. Join Date: 07-01-12 Location: Durham, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I may not be the first person to post this, but I found this and it looks like it would work. I would have to put legs on it... But it may save me some trouble. Amazon.com: Spectrum 47970 Medium Storage Basket, Chrome: Home & Kitchen Amazon.com: Spectrum 47970 Medium Storage Basket, Chrome: Home & Kitchen If this metal looks safe to you guys, im ordering one.

01-28-2013, 04:39 PM	#8
Garrett Take a breath! Join Date: 10-03-12 Location: Gastonia North Carolina Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I cut mine out of a small grease barrel and left risers on it to put the rack on it for high heat grilling or a pizza pan for indirect cooking, also gives me something to grab hold to. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359412753.900184.jpg __________________ My arsenal, Stumps Clone, Two Modified offsets, open pit with grate and rotisserie,UDS, and a free to me Weber One Touch Silver 18.5" kettle

01-28-2013, 02:38 PM	#3
HookedOnQ On the road to being a farker Join Date: 12-31-12 Location: chesterfield, va Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	U can scroll down to the bottom of the main forums page there u can do a custom google search.. Just search uds fire basket and i think that will get u what u are looking for..

01-28-2013, 03:22 PM	#5
Smokin' D is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-11-07 Location: N. Andover, MA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Here is a pic of the one I made. 12" tall, 2 - 12" x 24" pieces of expando wired to a 13" charcoal grate with 12 gauge copper wire. The expando is bolted together and the handle is made from some flat stock that was kicking around. The ash catcher is made from a 30 gal. barrel cover and is bolted to the charcoal basket with 3 1/2" long carriage bolts. It does certainly not need to be 12" tall, but I will never have the need to add any charcoal in the middle of a cook with it being that tall.

01-28-2013, 04:26 PM	#7
Smokin' D is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-11-07 Location: N. Andover, MA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Looks to be pretty small gauge wire which will probably burn out quickly and has really large openings for the charcoal to fall through. Cheap though.