Stubby UDS
We have a female family friend who is vertically challenged but really wants a UDS.
N8man had built a short UDS quite a few years ago. :hail: His chicken cooker. I don't believe those photos are still available. A quick few designs/measurements. Off to build in this teen's to below zero weather.
I got a used drum, cut the height to 24" tall. I'll use the cut off top to make a firepit for said person.
With the 24" drum, 7.5" legs ( I added wheels on the rear for easy mobility). That brings the drum/top grill grate to 32" high. Same as a Weber kettle.
6" down from the top grate is the second grate. 4" below that for holding a drip pan/diffuser. 3" legs on the coal basket ( she won't be doing overnight cooks). Lots of room above the coal basket if mods are required.
2-1.5" pipe elbows for intakes (she wants to be able to do pizza's). 2- magnets to control intakes. Same as all my other cookers. Water proof and easy to adjust/use in any weather.
I rolled a metal ring that I inserted/welded into the hole I cut where the original 5 hole exh was. The original exh was NEVER going to seal! Stupid location on the radius of the lid for a Weber copy exh. Both top/bottom edges wouldn't touch the lid. So this is how I fixed that. Trying to keep this on the cheap side.
The drum needed handles for easy moving. 2- welding hammers..cool touch handles. $6 ea. Another hammer for the lid handle. :biggrin1:
Handle/bar on the side to hold the lid and tongs etc. The hammer handles are great for hanging your cooking grates on.
17" Weber coal grate with 6" high expanded metal.
To cold to paint the thing. It was 18* out when I brought it outside to fire it up. (14* inside my garage) I know I can not see all that well anymore. But a frosted up welding helmet sure doesn't help. Just don't breath when the helmet is on. :crazy:
I fired the stubby up using only used coals from my other drum. No wood added. 25 mins and I'm at 600* and holding. Let that ride for 20 or so minutes. Brought the temp down to 275* and let it go for another hour. I'll be smoking a couple fatties soon.
Wife doesn't want me to paint it. She thinks it looks like R2D2. We'll see what the the friend wants.
This drum was for holding canola oil. No liner.
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