Building my UDS ------ Finally

[Max1]

Well peeps tomorrow is the big day for me, I am going to start building my UDS that I have planned on building for the past 2 years. Wish me luck.

I will be posting photos...........

 

[bbquzz]

Anxious to see it Max, good luck!

 

[bigwheel]

Best of fortunes on the endeavor. I try not to wish folks Good Luck because that is asking a blessing from Lucifer ya know? Would not want to jinx you like that.

 

[DJ]

I've had my barrel like three years....You're my hero!!
dj

 

[Max1]

Well my start has been postponed until tomorrow. The weather has been shotty around my house, I have to work outside because of bad lighting in my garage, not to mention I don't feel like sweeping it out after I am done. Thats what grass is for... :P It has been raining of and on all day here... SUX, but I will get this going tomorrow even if it is just to measure things out. And let us not forget the pictures. HA!

 

[davidtxs]

piece of cake I LOVE mine i have an old weber I can swap lids so have two racks and a turkey fits on the top one im a cheap skate too instead of the exp valves I cut 4 evenly space rectangles about bus card sixe for bottom air vents and for control i cover up what I need to hold temp with fridge magnet lol

 

[Max1]

Never said I was a cheap skate LOL, well I don't remember saying it. I am building a UDS, because my offset consumes way too much fuel during a smoke. I will still use it for big smokes, but for just a couple racks of ribs something smaller is better.

 

[bigwheel]

Yeah yeah yeah..we know thrifty Scotsmen when we happen to stumble over one..lol.

 

[davidtxs]

Never said I was a cheap skate LOL, well I don't remember saying it. I am building a UDS, because my offset consumes way too much fuel during a smoke. I will still use it for big smokes, but for just a couple racks of ribs something smaller is better.

Oh hell dont think i meant you were hell ITS ME THATS the cheap skate BUT it does hold temp well plus with 4 you cqan adjust for wind direction

 

[Max1]

I have been really thinking of using the top for the bottom and cutting the bottom out. My lid I have fits perfectly on the bottom, and with the barrel inverted it would be a hell of alot easier to clean out the ash. The top the the barrel I have seals itself, so I guess I have a choice to make on my hands.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Cliff H.]

They are a royal pain to clean out. Anything to make that job easier would be a plus.

Good luck on the build.

I hope yours turns out very ugly.

 

[bigwheel]

Now that is smart thinking. Have a firepan in the bottom and just lift that barrel off of there when you need to tend the fire etc. Prob need some handles on the barrel suspect it do get hot. Handles off old ECBs work great for that task.

 

[Max1]

Damn I forgot about this thread, I plan on posting up some pictures of what I have accomplished this next coming weekend. I have about 80% of my fire basket done. still have to get a few part for my drum. But other than that I have gotten alot done it even though it is getting cold around here. Past few days it has not gotten over 40 degrees.

 

[MUShand]

I hope to have mine roughly finished to cook 3 butts and some bologna this weekend

 

[MI Smoke]

Damn I forgot about this thread, I plan on posting up some pictures of what I have accomplished this next coming weekend. I have about 80% of my fire basket done. still have to get a few part for my drum. But other than that I have gotten alot done it even though it is getting cold around here. Past few days it has not gotten over 40 degrees.

When is the party? :partyman:

 

[Max1]

Saturday for the burn in hopefully.

 

[Max1]

I have pictures of this, I am almost done with the build. I will post the pictures tonight when I get home. Have some errands to run.

 

[Max1]

I HAVE PICS.... LMAO.... Here are some for a bit f a preview. The UDS itself will not be completely functional until tomorrow sometime, but any picture is good right.

I got up early this morning to take a friend back to his terminal to get his truck and back on the road. So I came back home and had nothing to do at 8:00 in the morning. So I thought to myself, what a better way to pay my neighbors back for the party they had last week that had blaring music until 4:00am than beating the shit out of 55 gallon drum. So I got me a cold rolled steel chisel, and a 20 ounce ball hammer and started beating.

After about a hour and a half I finally got the bottom of the damn thing separated from the rest.

I figured that since the cops had been called and I needed a break anyway, I got a cold pop (soda to the rest of the nation except Michigan and Ohio) and waited for the cops to show up.

Got back started after dinner, and worked until my drills battery died. Now while I am posting this am waiting for it to get charged. :P

More to come folks. Just have to wait a bit more for them. By the way BW I took your advice however misguided and got some nice handles today.

 

[Max1]

And some more pictures...

These ones here show the new bottom

Here it is right side up. Have to use the pipes, because of a back injury. I can only bend over a 1/3 of what I used to be able to. So I extended the air inlets.

This is with the new thermometer in place.

The interior of the drum.

Here it is at 11:00pm with its new hat on. :P

I am sure that there will be more pictures because I am not fully done with this project yet. Still have the handles to put in place, and a few nick nacks that i plan I getting for this. I am not going to tell, so you will just have to wait and see. Still have to paint it too. Don't know what I am going to do for that yet.

 

[MI Smoke]

Looks good so far Max. Should be able to make some good grub for you peeps and forum friends with that!
I will keep my beer coozy handy for the party, maybee we can pay the neighbors back :rock: