what to do with $200?

[Smoothsmoke]

I would go for the WSM or build a UDS. Both are totally new and awesome smoking experiences.

Pretty much sums it up. Both get tons of great reviews.

 

[Ground Pounder]

With 200 bucks, I'd build a UDS and use the other $150 on enough practice food to make me a rockstar

 

[martyleach]

With 200 bucks, I'd build a UDS and use the other $150 on enough practice food to make me a rockstar

I sure couldn't build a UDS for 50 bucks. That's about the cost of the fire basket if you use 3/4 #9 expanded metal and a charcoal grate from a Weber. A UDS without the lid and a free barrel will run you over a hundred bucks unless you've got all this stuff laying around.

Whatever, they are really worth it!

 

[Soybomb]

#3 You can cook a lot of food in a 18" WSM

Agreed, saying "you'll always regret not having the 22" is a little strong. I have the 18 and don't believe I've ever longed for more space. I can put 4 butts on easily and I hear about people doing some arranging to get 6 on. Its rare that I cook more than 2 at a time. Ymmv of course. Low and slow on a kettle is a pain, the wsm is a dream. The right tool for the job and all that.

 

[jimithing78]

#3 no question. I also have an 18.5 WSM and just cooking for my family I've never wished for a bigger one. PS - where do you see a used WSM on craiglist? I'm not seeing any around Dallas

 

[WineMaster]

I disagree. I have 5 18.5" WSMs and have never wished for the bigger one.

Get the WSM on CL, you will NOT regret it.

Your right, Size dont matter.
And when in doubt, Pinky out!!!

 

[jdloring01]

Quick question. How much are you guys spending on your UDS?? I was pricing out everything and the price was higher then I thought. Still cheap. Still trying to decide what Im gonna do.

 

[WineMaster]

Its not the cooker thats expensive, Its the Banjo lessons.

 

[daninnewjersey]

Quick question. How much are you guys spending on your UDS?? I was pricing out everything and the price was higher then I thought. Still cheap. Still trying to decide what Im gonna do.

I just finished one and it was maybe $70-$80 (with a free drum). You could easily build one with little ability (if you can operate a drill and plyers). I have no welds (just bolts), and magnets work very well for air control. My UDS has quickly become one of my best friends.

 

[Seymour Butts]

What Bob says. Keep your kettle and add WSM.

YUP!:thumb:

 

[MikeR]

Buy a couple of raffle tickets to maybe win a WSM or a kettle and help fight breast cancer at the same time.:thumb: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103284

 

[Marck]

#3 no question. I also have an 18.5 WSM and just cooking for my family I've never wished for a bigger one. PS - where do you see a used WSM on craiglist? I'm not seeing any around Dallas

There's a guy that posted a Craigslist ad to say that he buys Webers, you may have seen that one if you did a search for Weber. Any-hoo, I emailed him to ask if he re-sold the Webers he bought, and of course he does. After a couple emails back and forth he said he had an 18" WSM he'd sell me, as described in my post. If you reply back to his CL post to ask about the 18", tell him ol' Marck sent ya :=)

By the way, nice to see that someone in nearby Plano does their own BBQ!! Everybody around here seems to just go to Dickeys or Spring Creek like they don't want to get there hands 'dirty' doing it themselves. Ah well, to each their own.

 

[lookwow]

Id go with the UDS also. The WSM's work really well i would say they are right up there with the UDS as far as cook times as you can take a WSM for a 20+ hour ride without adding anything. For me its the price that gets me. If you have to buy everything you can still make a uds for under $130 and it will work just as well as the 22.5 WSN at less then half the cost.

 

[Smoothsmoke]

Uh, but you have 5 (five) ! So you did want more space, you just went a different route than most other people might take. Not faulting you for having 5, heck buy 5 more. Just maybe 18.5 x 1 may not be enough.

Maybe he competes and likes to have 1 cooker for each type of meat.

 

[Big Jim BBQ]

A UDS and many cases of beer. :-D

Otherwise, I'd go for the WSM

What he says.:clap2: Especially about the beer. Seriously the UDS is the ticket.

 

[Stoke&Smoke]

There is nothing wrong with either WSM. I really only use our 22.5 WSM for comps and LARGE amounts of food. For the wife and I, the BGE or an 18.5 WSM have more than enough room, AND, they don't consume as much fuel.

 

[jimmyinsd]

Drum $25.00-(grease drums with a pull out liner-clean and with a banded lid.)

grates $20.00x2=$40.00 -authentic weber 22" hinged grates

BI nipples valves and caps $15.00 (i am pipe wholesaler so i buy pretty right.)

elcheapo round grill $5.00 - i use the bottom as the ash pan under my coal basket.

expanded metal $beer and meat - scraps from my brother in laws welding shop (value $20.00)

misc bolts $2.00 tops(?) - no sure the value but I have tons around. (hint dont buy the little bubble packs at a big box.) go to a fleet and farm type place that sell in bulk, cool stores with tons of crap and way cheaper than the bubble packs and who cant use extra hardware around the house/farm/shop etc.

total- $107.00 your total might vary, but i would still challenge anybody to get more cooking capacity and functionality for less money than an UDS will provide.

 

[jimithing78]

There's a guy that posted a Craigslist ad to say that he buys Webers, you may have seen that one if you did a search for Weber. Any-hoo, I emailed him to ask if he re-sold the Webers he bought, and of course he does. After a couple emails back and forth he said he had an 18" WSM he'd sell me, as described in my post. If you reply back to his CL post to ask about the 18", tell him ol' Marck sent ya :=)

By the way, nice to see that someone in nearby Plano does their own BBQ!! Everybody around here seems to just go to Dickeys or Spring Creek like they don't want to get there hands 'dirty' doing it themselves. Ah well, to each their own.

Ah, ok. I thought you might have been that guy buying Webers on craigslist. I don't think I need another WSM right now, I was just curious where you saw one since I have only seen one WSM listed on craigslist in the past year. I hear you about doing your own BBQ. I just don't understand people that think Dickey's is good. At least you've got Rudy's up in Frisco, it's decent BBQ in a pinch.

Have you ever tried Meshack BBQ in Garland? Real good stuff. They're open from 11am until they run out of meat which tends to happen around 2 or 3 on weekends. It's really just a shack where you order at the window and then eat in your car or take it to go - there's no tables anywhere. Also they only take cash but you can get a chopped beef sammich for $2.50 or a rib sammich for $4.00. Of course they sell meats by the pound too. Ask for some spicy sauce on the side.

 

[Ground Pounder]

Quick question. How much are you guys spending on your UDS?? I was pricing out everything and the price was higher then I thought. Still cheap. Still trying to decide what Im gonna do.

You can build one for free:

1) Drum - Free - grease drum with a pull out liner from your local mechanic / machine shop. Make a friend with these guys, and promise to cook them lunch on your new smoker.

2) Grate - Free - find an old trashed grate on Craigslist or make one out of an old oven rack with some tin-snips.

3) Charcoal Basket - Free - Use the rest of the old oven rack. Alternately, you can find an old metal washer or dryer basket at the junkyard and cut it down.

4) Hardware - Free - use your imagination, there's all kinda' stuff you can steal a nut or a bolt from, especially things like old stoves and appliances.

5) Damper / Air control - Free - use the end caps off or an old table, or shove some aluminum foil into the holes.


See, now you've got $200 to buy food with!

(Good thing too, because you probably owe lunch to a couple hungry mechanics...)

 

[Marck]

Ah, ok. I thought you might have been that guy buying Webers on craigslist. I don't think I need another WSM right now, I was just curious where you saw one since I have only seen one WSM listed on craigslist in the past year. I hear you about doing your own BBQ. I just don't understand people that think Dickey's is good. At least you've got Rudy's up in Frisco, it's decent BBQ in a pinch.

Have you ever tried Meshack BBQ in Garland? Real good stuff. They're open from 11am until they run out of meat which tends to happen around 2 or 3 on weekends. It's really just a shack where you order at the window and then eat in your car or take it to go - there's no tables anywhere. Also they only take cash but you can get a chopped beef sammich for $2.50 or a rib sammich for $4.00. Of course they sell meats by the pound too. Ask for some spicy sauce on the side.

Thanks for the tip on Meshack, I'll have to try that! I do like some Rudy's BBQ once in awhile, for sure, their sauce is my favorite after my own.