Loosing the ball vales on my UDS

[bstomper]

I have a couple UDS'S, one originaly built with ball valves, the other with a home built slide mechanism. My first one with the ball valves is still my best and most efficient one. It can keep constant even temps all day long and when it's time to shut down it does it in an extremly short time. The second with the home built slide didnt work out so well. Since i built it in the winter, I found out real quick that any bit of moisture in the slide rendered it inoperable and it didn't control the heat very well so i quickly discarded that idea and modified it to accept ball valves. Although the ball valves work great and are super easy to operate, I absolutly hate the look of them, so I come up with an idea that I am going to try out this weekend. I took the ball valves off and installed a 3/4" 90 degree elbow facing straight up on two of the threaded nipples. I have the other nipplle capped off. To control the flow of the intake air, I have made 2 stacks of threaded bushings, 3/4", 1/2", 3/8", 1/4", 1/8", and a 1/8" plug. My thoughts are to be able to have a multitude of adjustment by being able to choose the size of bushing I want on each stack to give me the temperature I want. Has anyone tried this before and if so how well did it work. I have just reciently read a thread about using the flexable magnets over holes drilled into the drum and think it would work great also. I have been doing some experimenting lately with different stuff for my next build. I want it to be the ultimate smoker/bbq to do everything I need from a charcoal smoker/bbq.

 

[mikemci]

I have no doubt it will work. It's just another method to control the intake air supply. My only suggestion would to put an anti-seize compound on the threads of the reducers. They will get stuck to each other and difficult to remove each one individually, without resorting to two pairs of pliers. Good luck and keep us posted. :idea:

 

[ebijack]

It does work.
But, depending on how many used coals your using you will need more air than all fresh coals. The bushings do get rusted into place and you will need channel locks to remove them. And the threads where your going to screw the bushings into will rust making it difficult to start a bushing in each time.
I prefer magnets, much easier to adjust and no rust to deal with.
I'd stay away from anti seize, it is nasty, smelly stuff. When it gets hot, it will thin and run down the threads into the elbows and eventually into the bottom of the drum. Channel locks work. You do NOT need to tighten the bushings into the elbow by more than hand pressure to seal out air leaks.
You could fix your slide vent if you wanted.

 

[Luckyaddaam]

Sounds like a unique idea. But also a lot of work. I am in the process of building my first uds so I really don't know anything except what I have read. All I know is I'm going to apply my home brewing attitude to smoking. Keep it simple and easy, you can make it as complex as you want or make it as simple as you want. We homebrewers also say r.d.w.h.a.h.b. relax don't worry have a homebrew. Maybe we could modify it to . R.D.W.S.O. relax don't worry smoke on ??

 

[Nuco59]

The sheet magnet over a simple drilled hole is the definition of simplicity. I never saw the point of ball valves and the odd bits of pipe/fittings just to regulate air coming into a UDS. Even if I owned a stainless steel drum, I'd find a way to use sheet magnets for my intakes- they work that well.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Meh I'll take my
Two ball valves on the front. They look good and work awesome. Wasn't that big
Of a deal or cost to use them.

 

[Bludawg]

I remember seeing this in the Mother of all UDS threads a long time ago so it's been done. If I ever build another it will have sheet magnets.

 

[ebijack]

Fat man option

The magnets keep the snow and rain out also. Easy to move with your foot. And you have a visual of where you set the opening to.

On the mini

After using different size bushings, I just stick with the wide open elbow.

 

[bstomper]

Well I tested out the bushings today and I gotta say they worked pretty darn good. Did some chicken and my uds held 275 for three hours with one 1/2" and one 3/8" bushing. Magnets would be easier but I already have the threaded nipples. And I don't have to worry about the bushings rusting because they are stainless. My next build will be with the magnets.

 

[dadsr4]

Another option. JB Weld a couple of magnets to some washers
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3538462&postcount=11

 

[Joe Black]

I don't have a UDS, but I do own a pipe fabrication company and I think ball valves are beautiful.

 

[bstomper]

Lol. Yeah I've been a pipefitter for 26 years and while I have to agree with you, as far as the beauty of valves go, I just don't care for them on my smoker. But they do work awesome on the uds.

 

[aawa]

My uds has the intake pipes and I use magnets to control the size of the opening, so much easier to move them than having to bend over. Also easier to deal with magnets instead of ball valves.

 

[bstomper]

How did I get a picture of a dog in my last post???

 

[bstomper]

My last two and this one????

 

[SmokerKing]

maybe it's the loose vales that are the problem?

 

[Mo-Dave]

If I ever build another uds, that is a big if, I would like to try the magnetic sheet with maybe 5 or 6 holes that get progressively smaller or larger depending on what you need, say one 2 inch, or 2 1 inch, moving down to 1/2 inch that the sheet could be moved over for your needs, and holes completely covered when done. Very low tech, but still think it should do the job very well at a much reduced cost for the build.
Dave

 

[yakdung]

I use simple magnets. They are a chunky style approximately 1x3 inches. I simply tap them with the toe of my shoe to regulate the air flow. I once used the thin flat variety, but got tired of bending down to move them.