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CraftWerks-RC
07-20-2012, 10:41 AM
I have been wanting to build a UDS for awhile now but just never had the time as other projects kept getting in the way. after collecting all the parts and supplies I needed, I finally made the time to start my build. I wanted to keep it simple and not stray from the basics that I learned from the great UDS threads here. Although I did (as I always do) ended up doing a few things different along the way as the work started, I think it turned out pretty good....


This is what I started with:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/IMG_7041.jpg



Then picked up this weber with some extras from CL for CHEAP!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/IMG_7042.jpg



The drum was bought new and painted before I got it, So I had to get busy with the wire wheel on the inside.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/82a41132.jpg



I Ended up scoring another Weber Kettle (freebie!) and decided to use that one for this project as it was blue and I wanted to keep the black Weber. My kettle lid did not fit my barrel very well so I had to figure out how to mount it. Well one thing led to another and I tried using the bottom to the weber kettle and liked the way it looked with the extra headroom, and the vents being dead center on the top.

I decided this was going to be my lid and this is how I made it work:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/Untitled.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/be865456.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/f0585b95.jpg



I cut the nubz off the dome and went a little deep to get rid of some rust, so I used some JB weld to smooth/fill the area.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/be9acc46.jpg



The bottom of the lid is damm heavy, so I had the idea of hinging it....In the end it turned out awesome and was totally worth it, but it added A LOT of time to my build.

I started by using the handle already on the kettle and welding on a 4" metal hinge...

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/29e22178.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/af34be06.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/d3118ab1.jpg



It took on a life of its own after this as I continued to build as needed.

I call it "FrankenHinge".

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/e4900f61.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/5c3186a1.jpg

I built in a stop to hold the lid open as well.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/4f0f03b6.jpg

Time to burn it out!

Smoker Build :: 80e806f5.mp4 video by CRAFTWERKS-RC - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid260.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/80e806f5.mp4@@AMEPARAM@@vid260@@AMEPARAM@@260@@AME PARAM@@ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/80e806f5@@AMEPARAM@@mp4

After the burn the outside got sanded and then a good cleaning.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/b13b959c.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/267ee4b6.jpg

Then I painted her with some Duplicolor gloss black engine paint.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/e7dd7317.jpg

There was a 3/8" gap that need to be sealed between the ring for the lid and the drum so I used some stove gasket to keep it leak free. I finished this with black high temp RTV, oiled up the rim of the lid and closed it tight for a couple days so the RTV would form a nice tight seal around the lid. The outcome was better then I expected before I started... The lid closes and seals perfectly!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/0200c0ca.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/b8574a00.jpg


DONE!!!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/35de7df0.jpg





Thanks for looking!

charrederhead
07-20-2012, 10:48 AM
Pure genius and it's gorgeous! Well done.

I am jealous of all welders. :mrgreen:

MisterChrister
07-20-2012, 10:51 AM
Wow, you took the ugly out of UDS, nice fab work, it looks great!

jasonjax
07-20-2012, 10:55 AM
Awesome dude. I wish I had any kind of fabrication skillz like you!

cowgirl
07-20-2012, 11:09 AM
Great job! That's a beautiful smoker. :thumb:

CraftWerks-RC
07-20-2012, 02:09 PM
Thanks for all the comments.... I hope to season it this weekend and get to learning what a UDS is all about!

yakdung
07-20-2012, 02:22 PM
Sweet!

ricknct
07-20-2012, 02:29 PM
great fabrication skills. good job!

Mattman
07-20-2012, 02:32 PM
I do not think it is applicable to keep the "U", because that is definately not ugly.

Absolutely wonderful job. Thank you for posting. I hope to utilize your ideas when I finally get around to my own UDS.

jalon
07-20-2012, 04:09 PM
Very nice job on your PDS (pretty drum smoker) :wink:

Seriously though, nice work!!

BillywannaQ
07-20-2012, 05:44 PM
Meh... Can it cook or is it just yard art?
Just kidding bro. That thing is a piece of work. I'm sure you (and all your buddies, remember that) are gonna enjoy some fine Q out of it. Just think about what you're gonna say when they ask you: "Can you make me one?"

InTheRedZoneBBQ
07-20-2012, 06:11 PM
Very nice job! I may have to incorporate a few of your ideas in a future build...very nice.

heatseeker
07-20-2012, 07:32 PM
You're pushing me over the edge there with that ADS (Awesome Drum Smoker)


now enough of all this build pr0n.....let's see some meat on that bad boy!

juslearning
07-20-2012, 08:58 PM
I kinda liked the the leg holders on it. Nice job!!!

Napper
07-20-2012, 09:04 PM
Love that LID! Best one I have seen!

Big Bears BBQ
07-20-2012, 09:06 PM
Nice build ...............

cirk
07-20-2012, 09:09 PM
That is sweet! After all that work you need beer and fire!

barney jr
07-20-2012, 11:38 PM
awesome work crafty!very clean and glad to see you here bro:-D

Jethro608
07-21-2012, 12:16 AM
Nice build. Now I know what to do the bottom half. I gonna build another one. Let us know how it works.

CraftWerks-RC
07-24-2012, 08:34 AM
That is sweet! After all that work you need beer and fire!

Hoping to make that happen later today!

Thanks again for all the comments....

Here's a couple pic's I forgot to post.

I made a hook to grab my charcoal basket out of an old sprinkler wrench (?) I had laying around.

Before:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/38bb2fad.jpg

After:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Smoker%20Build/74924264.jpg



I also plan on adding some wheels and side shelves for some work space ! :)

bluetang
07-24-2012, 08:41 AM
Killer build!

Johnny_Crunch
07-24-2012, 09:14 AM
Nice looking cooker, nothing ugly to see here!

likeadeere
07-24-2012, 09:32 AM
I agree, you did a great job. Your future looks bright! Gonna be some awesome Q off of that UDS. I like the hinge, should work out very nice.

slow-smoker
07-24-2012, 09:54 AM
Nice work! :clap:

willbird
07-24-2012, 10:28 AM
That is utterly cool :-), looking for a craigs weber myself, never considered I could get TWO lids out of the deal....hmmmmm :-)

expatpig
07-24-2012, 10:34 AM
Nice job, now start on #2

certified106
07-24-2012, 11:05 AM
That's really cool! I love it......Now where is the Pron?

Teamfour
07-24-2012, 11:27 AM
Really nice fab work!

pitbossJB
07-24-2012, 12:16 PM
That's kind of the direction I'm heading with mine. Nice job! I can't wait for your first cook.

dbq
07-24-2012, 12:35 PM
You forgot the opener, but otherwise a fantastic looking cooker.

cameraman
07-24-2012, 12:54 PM
You have stepped up to the pantheon of drum builders. Simple, elegant, functional... Glad you've joined us bro. Looking forward to seeing your cooks.

Arg1129
07-24-2012, 01:10 PM
I just finished my build and was very proud, until I read this post. That is one fine piece of craftsmanship. Good job bro!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2:

CraftWerks-RC
07-25-2012, 07:17 AM
That's really cool! I love it......Now where is the Pron?

Hows this?


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Food/UDS%20First%20Cook/432b1d06.jpg


And more here...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2149447#post2149447

pitbossJB
07-25-2012, 09:48 AM
Looking good! So how was your first outing with the UDS, how did she handle?

CraftWerks-RC
07-25-2012, 10:39 AM
It handled very well... The food was unbelievable. Best fatty's I have ever made.

I was rushed for time to get the UDS seasoned and cook the fattys so I rushed thru the whole process faster than I would have liked but once I got her settled, she performed like a champ. I cannot wait to cook on it again.

I left her burning last night just out of curiosity and wanting to see if it would still be going this morning.

It was @ 200 degrees and still smokin. I pulled off one cap and she jumped right up to 250 and has been there for over an hour.


One more pic from last night.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/CRAFTWERKS-RC/Food/UDS%20First%20Cook/0ad68f31.jpg

pitbossJB
07-25-2012, 10:45 AM
Nice! I do love a fatty sandwich. I can't wait to get mine done.

sparky'
07-25-2012, 10:57 AM
excellent job on your PDS (pretty drum smoker). let me know when you start making them to sell to ppl. i'll buy one of your PDS (pretty drum smoker).

bbqlearner
07-25-2012, 11:16 AM
Awesome :clap2::clap2::clap2:

Wish I could learn how to fab like that

CraftWerks-RC
07-26-2012, 08:14 AM
Awesome :clap2::clap2::clap2:

Wish I could learn how to fab like that


Thank You...I have been doing this kind of stuff all of my life.

I fab for a living so It's hard not to make everything I build function well and look good out of habit. I guess I failed in keeping the "Ugly" in UDS... LOL.