uds upgrade idea

[pal251]

I am going to make some shelves on my UDS today out of expanded metal and angle iron. I plan on making it a hinge type system with a couple pins that I can put into it and remove the shelf entirely or just lower it..

Another idea I have thought of instead of a ash basket why doesnt someone just cut a hole in the bottom and put a pipe nipple on the bottom base of the drum and push the ashes through that into a bucket or pan. I already have my uds off of the ground with the foot I welded onto it and I can just cover it with a pipe nipple when the UDS is in use. It also would allow water to drain out of it when I wash it.

Just an idea

[hamiltont]

As far as ash goes I had a similar concern when I built mine so I went this route. A little more work to build but clean up is a snap...

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k566/tjhamilton/BBQ/UDS%20Build%202012/DSCN2876.jpg

[pal251]

As far as ash goes I had a similar concern when I built mine so I went this route. A little more work to build but clean up is a snap...

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k566/tjhamilton/BBQ/UDS%20Build%202012/DSCN2876.jpg

Amazinlgy I just got done looking at that photograph of your UDS before I posted this. It looks really nice.

[Carbon]

I would imagine the ash/clean-out hole mod at the bottom of the drum would work as intended, as well as running the drum without a coal basket. Burning the fuel bare at the bottom of the drum would also create more distance between the coals and the grates as the coals are not elevated in a basket. All you need is perhaps an expanded metal ring (with or without bottom) to keep the coals confined, to keep clear of the intake vents.

[Bludawg]

There are Pros and Cons to your idea
Pros
low cost of materials
Cons
Poor draft, the fire will snuff its self out like an ECB. Fire is a bottom feeder it draws air in at the bottom and releases heat out the top: no air= no fire.
You won't be able to snuff out the fire on a short cook and save fuel for the next cook. Charcoal, ashes and drippings all mixed together will draw damp ruining any remaining fuel and also rust out the bottom of the cooker
Once the grease is mixed with the ash good luck pushing that sludge out of a pipe nipple

[J-Rod]

There are Pros and Cons to your idea
Pros
low cost of materials
Cons
Poor draft, the fire will snuff its self out like an ECB. Fire is a bottom feeder it draws air in at the bottom and releases heat out the top: no air= no fire.
You won't be able to snuff out the fire on a short cook and save fuel for the next cook. Charcoal, ashes and drippings all mixed together will draw damp ruining any remaining fuel and also rust out the bottom of the cooker
Once the grease is mixed with the ash good luck pushing that sludge out of a pipe nipple

I agree with all of this. Personally I love simply pulling out my basket/ash pan, giving it a shake over my garbage can to shake out ash and at the same time sift my unused coals, then setting it back in my pit ready to rock. All I can really see the cleanout good for is for washing out the smoker once in a while, and even then I'd want it to be at least a 2" close nipple with no elbows or turns so it doesn't clog.

[pal251]

I won't be using the drain hole as an intake hole. I will look and see if I have any drill bits for 1.5 inch pipe or 2 inch.

I will keep my basket and I don't think the charcoal will snuff out fire if I don't have a ash catcher

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[J-Rod]

I will keep my basket and I don't think the charcoal will snuff out fire if I don't have a ash catcher

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

It's not so important to have an ash pan as it is to have the basket elevated a couple inches to provide airflow under the coals and allow ash to fall away as it burns so it won't choke out your fire. You do have a grate for the bottom of your basket, yes?

[pal251]

It's not so important to have an ash pan as it is to have the basket elevated a couple inches to provide airflow under the coals and allow ash to fall away as it burns so it won't choke out your fire. You do have a grate for the bottom of your basket, yes?

Yes I have a grate on the bottom of my basket. I do not have it elevated off of the bottom except for an old ash catcher I took off one of my OTS. I just balance it on top of that because I have not got around to putting a screw on the bottom to elevate it..

Got done with the shelf today. I need to paint it or put a different type of top shelf on it. But I am pleased with the brackets


https://dl.dropbox.com/u/43831123/uds%20shelf.jpg


I set it up so it is pinned in two places and then you can swing it up and down for storage when you remove the back pin or in my case a bolt

[hamiltont]

Looks good!! You'll definitely enjoy having a shelf close to the pit. Cheers!!!