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The key is to adjust the height when you attach the legs. Here's my basket, and another shot in position.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...e/IMGP4836.jpg http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...e/IMGP4837.jpg |
^^^^^^^^^^ That is cool.
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hmmmm, that gives me an idea.
The cheapie charcoal grill that I bought for parts on my UDS has parts designed to suspend the charcoal grate from the cooking grate, with three different levels. May have to see about grilling on the UDS. |
Seasoning Burn and temp maintanence- Air Leak ?
Seasoned my new UDS starting this AM about 10. Built using a WlMart 39.00 kettle for the dome lid and used 3 3/4" intakes w/ risers that extend up to about the top rib on the drum, using a ball valve and 2 end caps . I used insulated rope around the lid lip since it had to be persuaded out with an adjustable wrench to fit the drum and my drum top is a little egg shaped rather than true round. I put in about 15 #'s of KB briq. and dumped 9 briqs started in a chimney on top of the load. Left all intakes open and temps fairly quickly went to about 370 and maintained there in the dome for 2 hours. Leaked no smoke from around the lid/drum during the burn, all was coming out the top vent. at noon I closed all three intakes. Temps slowly dropped. Its now almost 6 PM (10 hours total, last six w/o air) and the temp has been holding steady at 270 for the last 2 1/2 hours. Air temps locally in the mid to high 90's and very little breeze. Drum is setting in full afternoon sun. I haven't opened it to see if I have active coals. Is this within the expect range of possibilities or should I be trying to find an air leak?
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Hey, 2 things.
First is that I think you should remove the insulated rope. I believe those are made from tiny fiberglass fragments and there might be a warning not to have it anywhere near food. Kitchen ovens have insulated ropes, but they are wrapped in some metallic lining or something, and they don't quite come as close to the food as possibly the lid of a UDS.. though I'd think it's the same. Second, if you want to shut down your smoker, you have to also close up the vents. Not sure if you did because you wrote only about closing the intake valves. But in the sun, and with vents open, I have seen mine hang around 200 for a while. The sun is hot! :) I don't think you need to worry about looking for air leak. The most important thing is to make sure you are getting proper air flow during cooking. If you don't, your temps will go up and down, and worse, if you don't have enough you'll develop extra creosote inside and on the food. |
Ok, a couple of stupid newbie questions.
1.) Is there a liner in these drums? It looks like just pain to me. 2.) Are these drums even usable candidates for UDS builds? Here's the label on the side of both of them: http://i.imgur.com/ZR805.jpg Here's how they look when I get the lid off (they are open lids), aside from rust & dirt, I don't see any of the tan or red liner: http://i.imgur.com/uil39.jpg Here's where I've gotten with one of the two after easy-off and a wire wheel on an angle grinder: http://i.imgur.com/xpdYP.jpg I'm wondering how much more cleaning out this needs. I'm apprehensive about doing a big burn out since I'm in the middle of suburbia with all my neighbors 30 or 40 feet away. Thanks! |
Thanks for the response, coewar. I did close the top vent. Checked it again just now (8:30) and its now at 240 so I guess it is going to extinguish itself eventually. I was worried I had wasted the entire 15 # of charcoal.......
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I tried the Easy Off on a varnished drum and it didn't do squat.
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Is that what this is, varnished? Any ideas on cleaning that up?
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The one I bought was from ditty.com in Whittier.
It was a refurbished one and it had a varnish in it. I called them up and they said to burn it out. I have a friend with a weed burner and I am going to give that a go. Stay tuned. |
If you close the intakes and exhaust, it should go out within an hour. You've got a significant leak. With one inyake open, and the exhaust open, mine cruises at 225.
BTW- Even if your thermo goes way down, and it appears to be out, there still can be embers. Ask me how I melted a hole in a plastic garbage can....... |
Air Leak?
5:20 AM- Just checked it again: Top of the Dome at 190, 17 hrs after shutting it down. Dang it...... Time to pull the charcoal basket and save what I can and start looking for the air leak......
Well, could only salvage enough briq's for a couple of small grilling sessions. (I usually am grilling for just two so it doesn't take alot) What wasn't salvaged still did some good. Put the cook grill over the ash pan, threw on some chicken burgers, those will be a couple of lunches for Mrs. and me next few days. Think I'll silicone all the wahers/bolts I put in and replace the rope around the lid with a hefty bead of it, and try again, only with alot less charcoal in the basket next time. |
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