AZ Barbeque.com
Smokers, Grills, Pitts & More => BDS & UDS Smokers => Topic started by: z98dog on October 02, 2011, 04:38:06 pm
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With many thanks to Sterling Skouson who graciously donated the drum, I am building my first UDS.
I picked up the drum from Sterling, made sure my Weber 22 1/2" lid would fit, cut the drum head open, and washed it out.
The drum
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/dougphoneOct12011055.jpg)
Nice and clean, ready for a burn
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/dougphoneOct12011057.jpg)
with the lid
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/dougphoneOct12011060.jpg)
I drilled the bottom holes, filled the drum halfway with cardboard, twigs, and small branches trimmed from a dead lemon tree, and lit 'er up
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/dougphone2Oct12011004.jpg)
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Slick! I can wait to see it in action. ;D
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I noticed a few tiny rust spots in there. GOOD! That means you got all the oil out.
Sterling's a nice guy, most of the time. I think he really enjoys getting people into this smoking game. He got me hooked.
steve
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your gonna love that UDS...mine, even without the guru, love to run at about 240.
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It must be in your blood.
;)
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Yeah Steve,
Sterling made sure to say that about the rust. It should have been clean...I only washed and rinsed about SIX times. :police: Chemist, remember?
It was nice to meet Sterling. He is a great ambassador for the smoking community here in Phoenix.
I am looking forward to the UDS. I love the mini, so I am sure the control will be similar if not better on the UDS.
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Control on the UDS is just about as easy as it could be. If you make it properly, it will be airtight, and that is the key for control.
On my old ProQ, it took all day for it to cool down after a burn. The UDS is cold in 1 or 2 hours.
I ususlly just keep my charcoal basket full, and dump some lit charcoal on top of the unlit stuff, to get it going. If I leave the lid off, the temps get up to 3 or 4 hundred, quite quickly, but by putting the lid on, and closing 2 of the intakes, the temps drop right down.
steve
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Doug, it was a pleasure meeting you yesterday.
Looks like that drum cleaned up quite well. Too bad you'll be getting it dirty so soon.
Good luck,
Sterling
p.s. Thank you for the kind words.
S
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Nice UDS Z98dog lookin good ! Btw Skouson thats a hellva a line up of Q equipment you got in your sig ! Would love to see a pic of the pizza gasser though!
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I'll see if I can get some photos up over the weekend.
Sterling
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Cool !
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Thanks everyone. Here's an update.
I got all the hardware installed. Three vents at the bottom (2 by 3/4" pipe nipples and one pipe with an elbow up to a 3/4" ball valve.) I had a pretty good thermo from a previous failed project, so I installed that.
The things I am pretty pleased with are handles and charcoal basket parts from a portable gas grill I found at Goodwill ($10 and I get handles, an ash catcher by using the lid, and a charcoal grate for the basket so I can still use the Weber Kettle)
I loaded up a medium sized basket I have for my offset with a mix of Royal lump and some mequite lump from Smart and Final and put it on a test burn tonight. It is holding temps like a champ...right between 225 to 240.
I also ran the biscuit test to check for hot and cold spots. There was a slight hot spot in the very center, but everything cooked pretty evenly. (And dang! mesquite baked biscuits taste yummy!)
I will get some pics this weekend. It is hard to get pics by the porch light after dark. ;D
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Sounds good ! Can't wait to see the pics !
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I put the finishing touches on the UDS today. Now I can call it a UDS instead of a project. I still have some mods planned, so it might never be complete, but I will be able to enjoy the first of many cooks.
Here are some pics
The completed UDS-Definitely qualifies as UGLY 8)
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/CompletedUDS1.jpg)
A lid hanger mod
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/LidHangerMod2.jpg)
Thermometer cable port and a place to hold the thermos
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/Hangerandportmods1.jpg)
Mega-charcoal basket
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/MegaCharcoalBasket4.jpg)
I plan a short cook tomorrow then a pork butt next weekend.
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What is the purpose for having the tube that runs up the side of the UDS?
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Hi Lee,
Basically because I am a big guy with a bad back and don't want to bend over to mess with the nipples or a valve all the time to adjust the temp. ::)
I also use an iQue-110 stoker and the draft doesn't matter as much. I have read that tall intakes don't draft as well to control the temps. I cannot speak to that, but I shortened the stack just in case.
Here is a later pic. I shortened the pipe and painted the UDS so it is not nearly as ugly. This pic shows the iQue hooked up.
(http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac87/dmlenz/iQue110UDSat2802.jpg)
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What is the purpose for having the tube that runs up the side of the UDS?
air intake. typically, when cooking with a UDS only one intake port on the bottom is open. why bend over to adjust it when you can run a pipe up the side to adjust it easily?