Thanks for all the atta boys.....
Will get it dirty as soon as I get a handle on the temps. Did a first burn last night and couldn't controll the temps worth a hoot. I think I got off to tooo hot a start!! And my lid doesn't fit as good as I would like it to. On the plus side I did get a 12+ hour burn out of about a half a bag of kingsford char. And that with temps well above 220*!! If, or I should say when I get the temp dialed in super long cooks shouldn't be a problem.
The long temp gagues are turkey fryer thermometers. I have them about a 1/2 inch below each grate. I also have a digital them. for sticking the meat.
I have about $135 into it at this point. I think pretty cheap since a SS barrel is about $500+ by itself!!!!! Mine was only $5.00 at a garage sale.
Someone asked about how SS would hold up after a bunch of cooks. Let me tell you it probably will last forever. A friend of mine has one of those portable fireplaces on wheels made of SS and new costs around $350, his garage sale find for $50!!!! We have used it at his hunt camp for outside fires and cooking for well over 3 years now, and that's with roaring, flames coming outside the screen and licking above the domed lid. The thing looks damned near new with only the nicest patina to the SS. So, there it is, I think I will have a lifetime UDS!!!! Unless one of ya'll come by and make it grow legs LOL:biggrin::biggrin:.
Again, thanks for all the encourgment and praises.........
I will continue to post as updates come, or questions are asked.
Paul B