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View Full Version : UDS Here we go. Show me yer firebox


jdub
01-11-2008, 06:16 AM
Tried the search, but the UDS info on the site is SO voluminous that its needle/haystack! Thats good.

What do you like? What don't you like in a firebox? What was genius, what was a flop?

Got 3 barrels to pick up this weekend to burn out.

CajunSmoker
01-11-2008, 06:22 AM
The general consensus seems to be wide and low. Keeping the basket low gives you more usable space inside the drum. I think 18x7 is the number I've seen kicked around.

SmokeWatcher
01-11-2008, 06:25 AM
I made the standard (if such a thing) 12x12x6 expanded steel box, with 2½" stainless steel legs to hold it above the ash pan. The pan came from my GOSM charcoal cooker after I modded it with SFB. It holds 10 lbs of fuel and the ash pan lifts right out for easy cleaning, but I think I need to go "lower and wider" for the basket. You can see pics of them by following the link in my sig.

chinesebob
01-11-2008, 07:15 AM
I went with a square that started out as 18 and I think ended up as 14 but low and wide are it. I made the mistake of putting it on top of a weber charcoal grate. Too much gets stuck between the bottom of the box and the grate so I'm taking the box apart and going to go with N8Man's version of rolling the expanded metal around the weber grate.

Norcoredneck
01-11-2008, 07:53 AM
Here's a few I have built.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k296/norcoredneck/IMG_2665-1.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k296/norcoredneck/IMG_2664-1.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k296/norcoredneck/IMG_2604.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k296/norcoredneck/Fire_ring.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k296/norcoredneck/Frri_ring2.jpg

smooookin
01-11-2008, 08:01 AM
Here is the one I have built for all of them. The grate is a charcoal grate from an 18 inch weber grill, I think it is 13 1/2-14 diameter. Wrapped in 1/2 expanded sheet metal with the grate 2 1/2 inches from the bottom. I can fill this thing to the brim and watch her go for more that 12 hrs.
With the extension I need to build a larger one as it consumes more fuel.

N8man
01-11-2008, 08:14 AM
Pat, what is the size/length of the shoulder bolts used that your cooking grates sit on?

Jeff Wohlt
01-11-2008, 09:14 AM
Seems to me you would want it shallow 6-8 inches and wide...maybe round so anything that drips hits the fire and not the barrel floor just to have a mess. You also would have a more even heat stream and not up the middle like some of the baskets I have seen.

Why does a valve need to be there and not just a damper on the barrel? That part I do not get.

My biggest issue is getting in to the barrel and leaning over it. Doors leak...unless they are done right but sure would make it easier to load and deal with.

Norcoredneck
01-11-2008, 09:46 AM
Pat, what is the size/length of the shoulder bolts used that your cooking grates sit on?
Not sure Just had them. They are 1/2-13thd. It is Single Fins maybe he will chime in. This set up worked great. Would behow I'd do it next time. It's hard to tell but there is a gap between grate and edge of bowl. I would guess 5.5"-6" (139.7mm-152.4mm)

Bigmista
01-11-2008, 12:11 PM
Here's mine...

http://www.thesurvivalgourmet.com/images/newsmoker4.jpg
http://www.thesurvivalgourmet.com/images/newsmoker7.jpg
http://www.thesurvivalgourmet.com/images/newsmoker8.jpg

N8man
01-11-2008, 01:11 PM
This is how I built mine: I used two lengths of 12x24 expanded metal.
First I got some c-clamps and some old shelving and sandwiched the
metal on top of my work table and measured for the first bend
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8285&d=1182605245http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8286&d=1182605245
Wearing heavy work gloves I bent down the metal and guessed at the angle
then reset for each bend after using the same measurement.
It only appears to be a nice round shape but is rather a series of bends
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8287&d=1182605574
Once the ends were bolted together I layed it on the floor and
used a little friendly persuasion to conform into shape:wink:
And it ended up like this:http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8284&d=1182598999
I added a wire handle on top so I wouldn't have to lean down
too far into the Drumpit.

Bbq Bubba
01-11-2008, 01:20 PM
Nate, that is a sweet basket, but with the height, and if you load it up, do you have a problem with burning anything (food)??

N8man
01-11-2008, 01:29 PM
Nate, that is a sweet basket, but with the height, and if you load it up, do you have a problem with burning anything (food)??
If I was to load it full, it could hold 18-20#s....I only load it about half way and it burns 12+ hours. I just left it 12" tall (Lazy Mod) and that height plus
the wire handle makes for ease of use in and out of the Drum....

Mark
01-11-2008, 02:22 PM
And mine

N8man
01-11-2008, 02:27 PM
And mine
That is a Studly FireBox for sure!!!!

Single Fin Smoker
01-11-2008, 03:32 PM
I'm diggin that handle on N8mans Did that come off an old pant bucket?

wlh3
01-11-2008, 03:45 PM
Here's mine used a charcol grate from a weber 22.5 . My lath is 7" X 48" to start. then did what N8man did not quite as purty as his. Ended up 7" X 14 " dia. Holds 12 pounds easy. I would use the bolt idea for the legs by Norco the next time I build one.:icon_cool

chinesebob
01-11-2008, 04:02 PM
looks pretty good.

N8man
01-11-2008, 04:39 PM
I'm diggin that handle on N8mans Did that come off an old paint bucket?
1/8" diameter cold rolled steel rod from Home Depot's Steel Bins. Bent two loops, one on each end, to fit onto 1/4-20 Stainless bolts and nutted it down.

sterlingsmoker
01-11-2008, 07:11 PM
Here is mine.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i299/TER_bucket/PictureorVideo811.jpg

Browser
01-12-2008, 04:41 AM
I win the award for 'The most ridiculously heavy and over-engineered UDS grate of them all':oops:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/ambrosemoo/Grate.jpg

My excuse was that the boiler tube it's made from was all I could get fer nowt, so that's what I used!!:tongue: The retaining ring for holding the coals in is about 21" diameter and 6" high. I'm experimenting by taking the 'wide and shallow' concept to it's limits. Knowing my luck it probably won't work:rolleyes:

Dr_KY
01-12-2008, 05:24 AM
How about some holes in the sides like the one above so it gets plenty of air?

Browser
01-12-2008, 05:29 AM
My air inlets will be beneath the grate so I don't think it'll need side holes. Besides, if it does without them, all well and good, 'cos I can't be arsed with a load of holesawing at the moment!

Dr_KY
01-12-2008, 05:42 AM
Ahhh now i get it.

SmokeWatcher
01-12-2008, 08:12 AM
I win the award for 'The most ridiculously heavy and over-engineered UDS grate of them all':oops:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/ambrosemoo/Grate.jpg

My excuse was that the boiler tube it's made from was all I could get fer nowt, so that's what I used!!:tongue: The retaining ring for holding the coals in is about 21" diameter and 6" high. I'm experimenting by taking the 'wide and shallow' concept to it's limits. Knowing my luck it probably won't work:rolleyes:
Now that is heavy duty! I hope you don't hurt your back lifting that behemoth in and out of the drum.

Browser
01-12-2008, 08:26 AM
I've yet to try but I may be making a pair of long lifting handles to get it in and out (or making a lighter grate!).

N8man
01-12-2008, 09:46 AM
I've yet to try but I may be making a pair of long lifting handles to get it in and out (or making a lighter grate!).
Perhaps this will help:http://www.coastalmarineequipment.com/images/Mooring%20Winch%201.jpg

Browser
01-12-2008, 10:54 AM
Arf Arf!!!:tongue::biggrin:

JW
01-12-2008, 11:15 PM
Here's what I'm using jdub,

http://usera.imagecave.com/TNroadrider/charcoalbasket002-copy.jpg

its 12" square x 6" deep with offset dividers 4" apart that are double walled with a 1/4" air gap between them to keep the heat from transferring to the next line of coals. Expanded metal bottom with 2 1/2" legs. This allows the fire to snake along the coals I can get 12 hour burns easily at 250+ degrees. Works equally well made from expanded metal on the sides instead of sheet steel but use solid sheet steel for the dividers.

Meat Burner
01-12-2008, 11:42 PM
JW, I have some from expanded metal but one of mine is very similar to yours. I made it for one of the offsets and it works great in one of the UDS as well.

SmokeWatcher
01-13-2008, 06:55 AM
Here's what I'm using jdub,

http://usera.imagecave.com/TNroadrider/charcoalbasket002-copy.jpg

its 12" square x 6" deep with offset dividers 4" apart that are double walled with a 1/4" air gap between them to keep the heat from transferring to the next line of coals. Expanded metal bottom with 2 1/2" legs. This allows the fire to snake along the coals I can get 12 hour burns easily at 250+ degrees. Works equally well made from expanded metal on the sides instead of sheet steel but use solid sheet steel for the dividers.
I definitely have to try that mod in my fire basket one of these days.

CajunSmoker
01-13-2008, 07:47 AM
I had planned on using the charcoal pan from my ECB for my UDS. I tried it on the maiden voyage and it sucked:mad: Ashes choked the coals out after 4 hours and my temps plummeted to 150*.

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/6621/img0396bq4.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0396bq4.jpg)

I made a quick trip to Home Depot and picked up the stuff to make a basket like Norco has been using. 8" of 3/4" expanded metal wrapped around a 18" weber charcoal grate and bolted together. I didn't try to save the coals out of the ECB pan, I just loaded a fresh pan up with 10# of new charcoal and some fresh pecan chunks.
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/221/img0393iu3.th.jpg (http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0393iu3.jpg)

It worked wonderfully. Here is a pic down into the barrel after the coals had been burning for 6 hours. You can see there is even chunks of wood that haven't burned yet.:cool: When I crashed last night the UDS had held 240* temps for 10 hours with no sign of letting up. Sometime during the night it did finally burn out though. All this with 8 pounds of Royal Oak unlit and 2# lit on the top with the pecan chunks you can see in the picture above. Awesome.
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/6051/img0400zg1.th.jpg (http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0400zg1.jpg)

gotwood
01-24-2008, 02:25 PM
Here's mine......
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/borscout/IMG_0452.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/borscout/IMG_0451.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/borscout/IMG_0449.jpg

Crüe-B-Cüe
01-24-2008, 02:47 PM
Here's my example of southern engineering. My daughter says it looks like an Easter basket. I think I need more holes around the ash pan. If I cut the airflow down to try to reduce the temps below 240, it seemed like the fire died and quit smoking. It seemed to hold between 240 & 250 no matter how I adjusted it.

http://www.hockey-love.com/images/basket.jpg

Jack2u2
01-24-2008, 02:50 PM
This is mine. It was a tight fit, but it works. I can put 12/15 pounds of charcoal in the basket. The basket and ash catcher are 15 3/4 by 15 3/4. Ought to be enough to smoke all night and half a day. Both come out togehter, welded as you can see, so I don't have to dump the barrel. If a little falls out, I may have to clean it up, but overall, it'll work. 2 1/2 inches from bottom of firebox to the ash catcher.

Dr_KY
01-24-2008, 05:23 PM
Almost done...

http://i32.tinypic.com/1z2emm8.jpg

http://i31.tinypic.com/2gturnn.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/2euslr5.jpg