The Birth of a UDS

[Durzil]

Here's the way I'm thinking about designing the drum for grate placements...

I see your using a diffuser but I thought you wanted 24" from the bottom of the coal basket to your first rack? Might consider that. I think I only have 7" between my grates and most go 6".

 

[Norcoredneck]

Man don't overthink it. Just build it simple and it will cook fantastic.

 

[bigdaddydanbbq]

I use horse shoes for handles,but that's how we roll in Texas.:wink:

 

[JMSetzler]

I now have enough expanded metal to make a bunch of charcoal baskets. I hope to get my first one put together this afternoon if time permits

 

[sandiegobbq]

I now have enough expanded metal to make a bunch of charcoal baskets. I hope to get my first one put together this afternoon if time permits

Get this thing done before NCAA basketball season at least! lol

 

[PatioDaddio]

Here's the way I'm thinking about designing the drum for grate placements...

Yup, that looks pretty close to the configuration of mine, and it works very
well. My diffuser (water pan) grate is a bit higher in the drum.

John

 

[Carbon]

My mounts for the diffuser rack ended up being exactly half way up the drum.

 

[JMSetzler]

Ok.. thanks for that info. I don't see any reason to not raise the diffuser grate so I'll do that for sure...

 

[JMSetzler]

I got my expanded metal today. I did end up having to buy a 4x8 sheet and get it cut down. The total cost of this was just change under $80. That is definitely more than I wanted to spend but I have enough expanded metal now to make double baskets for 6 smokers.

I have been fighting with the long piece (56") for a while trying to whip it inot shape to fit around my charcoal grate. The smaller piece underneath is 40" long and will be formed into a smaller basket that can sit inside the big one for shorter cooks if needed.

Here's five extra pieces of both sizes expanded metal. I'll not likely every use all of it so I might put some of it on Craigslist to recover some of my cost... The cost of the expanded metal for my double basket is only $13.34 which is pretty good as far as I'm concerned.

Some of my strips of expanded metal have rather nasty sharp edges that I'm gonna have to grind down. Picked out two pieces that don't have this problem for the initial build but I'll still be grinding down the edges with my dremel tool on those. I'll buy an angle grinder later to finish up the rest of these...

 

[Carbon]

You'll save yourself a lot of time by first snipping those sharp ends off with a small bolt cutter then going over the edge with a grinder.

 

[strawboss38679]

I have heard of guys bending it around a propane tank to get the shape

 

[JMSetzler]

Ok.. I'm done for the day. I think I have let the expanded metal whip me. Bending this thing into shape is probably gonna require another pair of hands...

 

[pman777]

Ok.. I'm done for the day. I think I have let the expanded metal whip me. Bending this thing into shape is probably gonna require another pair of hands...

You've got a knee or more precisly a thigh. Sit down in a lawn chair and start bending it over your upper leg. That's what I did because the propane tank didn't bend mine enough. If you bend too far you can straighten it back out.

If you use bolts to hold it together, I used three, you can bend and true up your circle after it's bolted together.

 

[JMSetzler]

If you use bolts to hold it together, I used three, you can bend and true up your circle after it's bolted together.

That is the approach I plan to take on Monday when I have time to get working on it again

 

[LoneStarMojo]

Hey JM even with a propane tank my exp metal was tuff to get circled evenly all the way to each end. I managed to get it mostly circular but the ends where i started and finished were still straight.

Here is my method for bending that first few inches to match the rest. I have a sawhorse and I took a pair of 1/4 inch slices off the end of a 2X4 and set them on the top of the sawhorse 18 inches apart. Then I screwed an 18" 2x4 on top of them and into the sawhorse. This created a gap that I slide the exp metal into and bend a little at a time. Had it looking good in no time at all and I didnt have to fight with it, just bear down on it some. I now plan on using that to do all of my baskets.

 

[PatioDaddio]

I got my expanded metal today. I did end up having to buy a 4x8 sheet and get it cut down. The total cost of this was just change under $80. That is definitely more than I wanted to spend but I have enough expanded metal now to make double baskets for 6 smokers.

I spent $80 to have two 17" x 8" expanded metal rings bent and welded, so
you're money ahead with the extra manual labor. However, I will say that the
craftsmanship from the fab shop was outstanding.

John

 

[Black Dog BBQ]

I spent $80 to have two 17" x 8" expanded metal rings bent and welded, so
you're money ahead with the extra manual labor. However, I will say that the
craftsmanship from the fab shop was outstanding.

John

This was the hardest part of my build on the first UDS. I got my son to help on the second and it went much better. I used wire to hold the first together, welded the second.

 

[smokeyw]

I know it is too late now, but they would have bent easier if they were cut with the diamond patterns pointed up and down toward the top and bottom of the basket.

Ok.. I'm done for the day. I think I have let the expanded metal whip me. Bending this thing into shape is probably gonna require another pair of hands...

 

[Wampus]

The smaller piece underneath is 40" long and will be formed into a smaller basket that can sit inside the big one for shorter cooks if needed.

OK, I know you have a LOT of metal there, and I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but I see no need for a smaller basket. If you want to do shorter cooks, just cook and when done, shut it down. Or just put less charcoal in the basket. My fire basket ALWAYS has charcoal in it. It's a big one, but whenever I start a new cook, if needed, I'll just top it off. If not, let it ride.

The beauty of the UDS is the efficiency. When you pull the meat off, just close down all the air vents and it will choke the fire out. Then next time, just relight. IMO, there's just no reason to try and add just the right amount of fuel. Burn it for as little or as long as you want and "turn it off" until next time.



Of course....it's your build. Do it the way you want. The worst part of cooking on my drum is messing with the charcoal basket, because it's the dirtiest part. I just think you'll find that handling that nasty thing every cook is uneccessary is all.


BY THE WAY.......looking good so far JMS!:thumb:

 

[Carbon]

As far as forming expanded metal I used a slightly lighter gauge 3/4" metal compared to the heavier ones typically used as grates. I took a gamble when I ordered my 48 x 48 sheet (because it was cheap) from Amazon as they did not specify them by numerical gauge.
It turned out to be just the right gauge for baskets. I wouldn't use them for cooking grates though...