Best place to mount thermometer on UDS?

bluegrass smoke

bluegrass smoke

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I'm finishing up my first UDS (hopefully tonight!!) and one of the last things I need to do mount the thermometer. I actually have 2 to use. I aleady got one on the weber lid so I don't need one on top. Also the drum is brand new and it is painted... do I need to burn the paint off with my weed burner before I can use it or can that be done later? I was going to call some body shops to see how much it would be to sandbast....would burning the paint off be the same thing or do I even need to do that?
thanks
have a great weekend!!!!
 
1/2" to 1" below the center of the cooking grate. But, if the thermometer probe isn't long enough to reach just go with 1/2" to 1" below the grate.

As far as paint on the outside, it's irrelevant. But, if there is a liner on the inside, it HAS TO be removed.
 
Im just guessing that the liner would be easy to spot. As far as I can tell it is just bare metal inside. What should I look for?
 
The liner is usually either brown/tan or red. If you see metal it's probably coated with a rust inhibitor. You can remove it by burning it out and then either taking an orbital sander or sand blaster to it or both.

If it's just a rust inhibitor count your lucky stars. It's much easier to get rid of than a liner.
 
Ok there is already some rust forming on the inside where we have handled it and from drilling/mounting things? So is it safe to say it doesnt have a rust inhibitor?
 
Not necessarily. I'd build a big hot fire in it and sand it down either way. But, I'm over cautious with this stuff.
 
Nope. Get a lot of hard wood like from an old pallet or even some oak if you can. Make a huge fire in it. I mean a fire where the flames are shooting out over your head and let it burn. It helps make the fire hotter if you cut the holes for the vents before burning it out.
 
After dealing with different long stemmed, short stemmed, and wired probed therms in a zillion different locations on my new UDS initially I eventually end up mounting my short stemmed Tel Tru therm on the side of the dome lid as its final resting spot. After the cold meat warms up the therm gives me a fairly good within-the-dome air temp reading in which I have learned to cook off of. I plugged up all the experimental probe holes I made on the side of the drum. I am no longer concerned with actual grate temp as I am slowly getting to know my UDS.
 
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