UDS charcoal basket "how I built it" video

Rodney · 03-23-2010, 11:54 AM

Hey everyone-

Using an upside down clamp light on a 55-gallon drum as a tripod for my iPhone 3GS, I recorded the process of building my charcoal basket. Notice I said "how i built it" and not "how-to", because I'm sure there are better ways of doing it. Anyway, here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCyKypslPhs (480p resolution! Sweet.)

First off, sorry for the low volume level... Gonna have to turn your speakers up a bit to hear what I'm saying.

Some thoughts:

- The last 4" or so of the expanded sheet is difficult to bend when holding it down with your own weight. It was difficult for me, and I weigh 255! Finding a different way to clamp it down would be best, or just use the hammer method all the way around (although it won't come out as smooth unless you're good with a hammer). Using the thinner stuff from Home Depot would be much easier, but may not last as long.

- I think it was easier starting with a 2' square sheet, cutting it into 8" x 24" pieces, and bending the wall of the basket in two halves. Bending by this method with a 48" piece would've been a major pain in the butt.

Other comments are welcome!

-Rodney

Crüe-B-Cüe · 03-23-2010, 12:12 PM

Cool video. I did mine by bolting the two pieces together and laying them flat on the floor. I then stood the grate on it's side right in the middle at one end and just rolled it by hand. Your way would have probably been easier.

Rodney · 03-23-2010, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crüe-B-Cüe

Cool video. I did mine by bolting the two pieces together and laying them flat on the floor. I then stood the grate on it's side right in the middle at one end and just rolled it by hand. Your way would have probably been easier.

Thanks! Were you using 9-gauge material? If so, you're strong! ;-)

Paulmark · 03-23-2010, 12:32 PM

Very good video, thanks

Alan in Ga · 03-23-2010, 12:50 PM

Great video wish I knew how to weld

Phubar · 03-23-2010, 01:00 PM

Nice vid!

Rodney · 03-23-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan in Ga

Great video wish I knew how to weld

I'm really not good at it, and this was great practice. It's nice when something doesn't have to be pretty... ;-) That said, this thing could be built with wire just as easily (I imagine some 304 stainless TIG welding rods, .050" diameter or so, would probably be decent wire to use)... Just gotta twist the wire nice and tight with pliers so it's not rickety!

peppasawce · 03-23-2010, 01:58 PM

I left you a comment over at the youtube Bro' Great Video...Did that Dog stay out the way?!! LOL...Peppa

expatpig · 03-23-2010, 02:05 PM

I fasten mine with, what else....hog rings.

Rodney · 03-23-2010, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peppasawce

I left you a comment over at the youtube Bro' Great Video...Did that Dog stay out the way?!! LOL...Peppa

Thanks! Yeah, she stayed out of the way... at first, she wanted to hang out with me, until I started the cutoff saw. You might notice that when I was cutting the second piece, she was way off in the background. I put her in her kennel before I welded so I wouldn't burn her eyes.

I'm getting more and more southern... My dog is a Catahoula Leopard Dog mix (a hog-hunting breed native to Louisiana, her name is Roux... get it?

) and now I have a smoker and am gonna be making fatties and ABT's, neither of which I'd heard of before joining this forum. My friends and family will be very familiar with BOTH very soon.

-r

Rodney · 03-23-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by expatpig

I fasten mine with, what else....hog rings.

Good call. Hog rings seem to be one of those must-have fastening methods like duct tape and zip ties, but I don't have the rings or the pliers. I should change that.

-r

monty3777 · 03-23-2010, 02:22 PM

I loe the fact that you left in the parts where you had to rethink what you were doing. That is really helpful! Good job.

Smoke & Beers · 03-23-2010, 03:21 PM

Great video!
I've built a number of UDS's and baskets and have found that if you cut the expanded metal the other direction (diamond pattern up and down rather than horizontal) it is much easier to form/roll...and if you're building a number of them and get a 4'x8' sheet of expanded metal, you can get 8 pieces 12" in height out of it and I use the charcoal grate for the 18 1/2" Weber rather than the grate for the 22 1/2" Weber...I built my first couple of baskets using the 22 1/2" charcoal grate, but felt it was too wide in diameter wasting fuel and space and always ended up using a piece of expanded metal to block 1/2 of it off.

This was my first basket that I built back in 08 using the charcoal grate for the 22 1/2" Weber...and it shows the expanded metal piece I inserted to make it's capacity smaller
I don't have any pron of my new style baskets with the vertical diamond pattern or the charcoal grate for the 18 1/2" Weber... but will get some up soon.

Rodney · 03-23-2010, 04:07 PM

Now I feel stupid. ;-) I did so much thinking ahead of time about how I wanted to build my UDS, but didn't even THINK about cutting the expando one way or the other... I just started marking and cutting. Of COURSE it's easier to bend in the other direction! How much easier? Well, I just happen to have the tools in front of me to figure it out... LOL...

So, here I go with a major egghead move:

This model shows two pieces of expando with one edge magically glued to a wall and 20 pounds hanging off of the other end of the piece, and the displacement numbers show how far the end of the piece sags under load. It turns out that expando is 5.2 times stiffer (and therefore stronger) if you try to bend it the way that I did. In other words, BEND IT THE OTHER WAY!

I knew it shouldn't be as hard as it was, but I didn't know I was doing 5 times as much work as I had to!!!

So, now that you all have seen me wrestle with that expando, you know what NOT to do.

Glad I could help.

-r

Smoke & Beers · 03-23-2010, 04:13 PM

Don't feel stupid...I built 2 before I figured it out

...

03-23-2010, 11:54 AM	#1
Rodney Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-15-09 Location: Antelope, CA (Sacramento metro area)	UDS charcoal basket "how I built it" video Hey everyone- Using an upside down clamp light on a 55-gallon drum as a tripod for my iPhone 3GS, I recorded the process of building my charcoal basket. Notice I said "how i built it" and not "how-to", because I'm sure there are better ways of doing it. Anyway, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCyKypslPhs (480p resolution! Sweet.) First off, sorry for the low volume level... Gonna have to turn your speakers up a bit to hear what I'm saying. Some thoughts: - The last 4" or so of the expanded sheet is difficult to bend when holding it down with your own weight. It was difficult for me, and I weigh 255! Finding a different way to clamp it down would be best, or just use the hammer method all the way around (although it won't come out as smooth unless you're good with a hammer). Using the thinner stuff from Home Depot would be much easier, but may not last as long. - I think it was easier starting with a 2' square sheet, cutting it into 8" x 24" pieces, and bending the wall of the basket in two halves. Bending by this method with a 48" piece would've been a major pain in the butt. Other comments are welcome! -Rodney __________________ Char-Broil Commercial Series Gasser, ECB, MECO 4400 charcoal grill, 22.5" OTS, UDS built 3/20/2010 ([URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/album.php?albumid=291"]Pics[/URL], [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCyKypslPhs"]Video[/url]) Maverick ET-7 and ET-73, home-built 18A sous vide temperature controller IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller My blog: [url="http://think-create-eat.blogspot.com"] THINK + CREATE + EAT[/url] - [URL="http://www.facebook.com/pages/THINK-CREATE-EAT/115706441783448"]"Like" on Facebook[/URL] [B][COLOR=red]"Meat: It's what's for dinner. And lunch, breakfast, dessert..."[/COLOR][/B] Last edited by Rodney; 03-23-2010 at 12:37 PM..

03-23-2010, 12:12 PM	#2
Crüe-B-Cüe is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-25-07 Location: Mobile, AL	Cool video. I did mine by bolting the two pieces together and laying them flat on the floor. I then stood the grate on it's side right in the middle at one end and just rolled it by hand. Your way would have probably been easier. __________________ Wes - Mobile, AL - Large Big Green Egg, MES 40

03-23-2010, 12:50 PM	#5
Alan in Ga is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-19-09 Location: Macon,Ga	Great video wish I knew how to weld __________________ NB Black Diamond, 57 Smokehouse BBQ Team [URL="http://www.57smokehouse.blogspot.com/"]www.57smokehouse.blogspot.com/[/URL] Certified GBA Judge/Competetior [SIZE=3]Golden Goose Egg(4 Times Certified)[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]Stumps 223 ,2 UDS,NB Hondo[/SIZE]

03-23-2010, 01:00 PM	#6
Phubar somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-24-09 Location: Utrecht,TheNetherPharkinglands	Nice vid! __________________ -TG -WGA (3) -UDS (S,M,L) All fueled by [COLOR=lime]Ecobrasa[/COLOR] Coco Briquettes [URL="http://lowlandsmokers.blogspot.com/2011/06/lowland-smokers-workshop-hei-en-boeicop.html"]Lowland Smokers[/URL] Dutch BBQ Champion 2011 - 2012 [URL="http://lowlandsmokers.blogspot.com/2011/06/lowland-smokers-workshop-hei-en-boeicop.html"]Lowland Smokers[/URL] Dutch BBQ Champion 2013 Low 'n Slow WGA Ambassador

03-23-2010, 02:05 PM	#9
expatpig is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-20-10 Location: Cochrane, On.	I fasten mine with, what else....hog rings. __________________ "When I was in Canada, I had a lot of time to think."- Doug Sahm [B][COLOR=red]UDS x 5[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=red][B]Weber Performer[/B][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red]Napoleon Apollo[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=#ff0000][B]GOSM[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=blue][B][I]CSBBQA, KCBS, NOBS(Northern Ontario Barbecue Society)Professional Barbecue Team. USAJFKCENMA.[/I][/B][/COLOR]

03-23-2010, 12:32 PM	#4
Paulmark is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-05-09 Location: Stockton CA	Very good video, thanks

03-23-2010, 01:58 PM	#8
peppasawce is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-08-09 Location: Columbia, Mississippi	I left you a comment over at the youtube Bro' Great Video...Did that Dog stay out the way?!! LOL...Peppa

03-23-2010, 02:22 PM	#12
monty3777 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-13-08 Location: Happytown, IA	I loe the fact that you left in the parts where you had to rethink what you were doing. That is really helpful! Good job. __________________ John 21:9

03-23-2010, 03:21 PM	#13
Smoke & Beers is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-10-08 Location: Ellis Co. KS	Great video! I've built a number of UDS's and baskets and have found that if you cut the expanded metal the other direction (diamond pattern up and down rather than horizontal) it is much easier to form/roll...and if you're building a number of them and get a 4'x8' sheet of expanded metal, you can get 8 pieces 12" in height out of it and I use the charcoal grate for the 18 1/2" Weber rather than the grate for the 22 1/2" Weber...I built my first couple of baskets using the 22 1/2" charcoal grate, but felt it was too wide in diameter wasting fuel and space and always ended up using a piece of expanded metal to block 1/2 of it off. This was my first basket that I built back in 08 using the charcoal grate for the 22 1/2" Weber...and it shows the expanded metal piece I inserted to make it's capacity smaller I don't have any pron of my new style baskets with the vertical diamond pattern or the charcoal grate for the 18 1/2" Weber... but will get some up soon. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shawn aka: [B]BUBBA's QUE CREW Competition Team[/B] Blue Weber Performer w/SS top & gas assist Weber One Touch Gold & a Weber 22 1/2" Silver Traeger Jr 2 UDS's Born 9-19-08 & 3-6-09 Weber Smokey Joe Platinum [COLOR=red][COLOR=black]Super Fast[/COLOR][B] RED THERMAPEN[/B][/COLOR] "If you got them by the MOINK balls, their hearts and minds will follow" -John Wayne

03-23-2010, 04:07 PM	#14
Rodney Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-15-09 Location: Antelope, CA (Sacramento metro area)	Now I feel stupid. ;-) I did so much thinking ahead of time about how I wanted to build my UDS, but didn't even THINK about cutting the expando one way or the other... I just started marking and cutting. Of COURSE it's easier to bend in the other direction! How much easier? Well, I just happen to have the tools in front of me to figure it out... LOL... So, here I go with a major egghead move: This model shows two pieces of expando with one edge magically glued to a wall and 20 pounds hanging off of the other end of the piece, and the displacement numbers show how far the end of the piece sags under load. It turns out that expando is 5.2 times stiffer (and therefore stronger) if you try to bend it the way that I did. In other words, BEND IT THE OTHER WAY! I knew it shouldn't be as hard as it was, but I didn't know I was doing 5 times as much work as I had to!!! So, now that you all have seen me wrestle with that expando, you know what NOT to do. Glad I could help. -r __________________ Char-Broil Commercial Series Gasser, ECB, MECO 4400 charcoal grill, 22.5" OTS, UDS built 3/20/2010 ([URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/album.php?albumid=291"]Pics[/URL], [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCyKypslPhs"]Video[/url]) Maverick ET-7 and ET-73, home-built 18A sous vide temperature controller IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller My blog: [url="http://think-create-eat.blogspot.com"] THINK + CREATE + EAT[/url] - [URL="http://www.facebook.com/pages/THINK-CREATE-EAT/115706441783448"]"Like" on Facebook[/URL] [B][COLOR=red]"Meat: It's what's for dinner. And lunch, breakfast, dessert..."[/COLOR][/B]
	1 members found this post helpful.

03-23-2010, 04:13 PM	#15
Smoke & Beers is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-10-08 Location: Ellis Co. KS	Don't feel stupid...I built 2 before I figured it out... __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shawn aka: [B]BUBBA's QUE CREW Competition Team[/B] Blue Weber Performer w/SS top & gas assist Weber One Touch Gold & a Weber 22 1/2" Silver Traeger Jr 2 UDS's Born 9-19-08 & 3-6-09 Weber Smokey Joe Platinum [COLOR=red][COLOR=black]Super Fast[/COLOR][B] RED THERMAPEN[/B][/COLOR] "If you got them by the MOINK balls, their hearts and minds will follow" -John Wayne

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