AZ Barbeque.com
Smokers, Grills, Pitts & More => BDS & UDS Smokers => Topic started by: bucaguy on July 05, 2011, 01:55:44 pm
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Would like to go the UDS route but I have know knowledge or time to build one.. Is there anyone in town who builds them and sells them?
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I don't sell them, but would be glad to help you build one. I'm in the east valley and have access to free 55 gallon barrels and have built over 30 drum smokers over the past couple of years. If you're interested, send me a message.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Sterling
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I bought a new Uni-Bit from Harbor Freight that I need to break in, have a bunch of other bits for the grate bolts etc. I'll be glad to help. Davis Metals is a great place to get scrap chunks of expanded metal. I just bolted a 4 foot by however high piece into a circle for my firebox. Sterling, I'm interested in another drum someday! I'd like to have different ones in case I ever want to smoke 2 types of meat w/different woods...
Anyway, I'm offering my assistance.
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Just let me know. All of mine are closed top, unlined barrels.
Sterling
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looks like we may have a building party coming up soon ;D
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I'm a new member and in need of a smoker too. I've been indecisive on a WSM or UDS for months and I've been attempting to smoke on a kettle grill with mixed results in the interim. Once the barrel is burned out how long does it take to fabricate a UDS. The reason I ask is that I need another project like I need another hole in my head.
Thanks,
Zor
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Drill 4 intake holes, 3 or 4 grate holder holes, add bolts, thermometer cable pass holes, vent the top. 20 minutes, depending upon how long you deliberate on where to put the holes...fabricate a firebox. I bolted expanded metal into a circle with fender washers and stainless hardware, then attached w/j bolts thru a pizza pan w/2 1/2" room underneath. That's the minimum required. Anything after that, gate valves, extension pipes, smokestack, is all for convenience or appearance. I have 10 holes in my barrel and 8 in the lid, + 2 in the lid for the handle and hanging hook. I plug the holes with magnetic steel balls. I drop a stainless bowl on top of the holes in the lid to close that off. I would prefer a smokestack, about 3 1/2" X 15 or so...seems to draft fairly well that way. I haven't spent the $ for the attaching parts, though. I propped the one off'n my offset on top a time or two. I do wish I had a few handles on the outside, but again, I'm not spending the $ on it until I get another real job.
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Alright, I'm sold. Sterling got in touch with me and put me on the path to righteousness. I'm about to go grab a Weber kettle from craigslist as a parts grill. Thanks for the info guys. Oh and I've got a rack of ribs on the kettle grill now. I'll let you know how they end up.
Dave
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Dave,
Just let me know when you've scored a Weber. We'll take the lid and fit it to a barrel. Then you're off to the races.
Sterling
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Sterling,
Snagged a One Touch gold last night that's in top notch shape, which means my old weber is the one that'll be sacrificed to the BBQ gods. I also put an order in for a couple of thermometers, so all that's left is a couple of hardware store items. What parts do I need to scavenge from the Weber? I know Grill grate and lid, any thing else?
Thanks for all the info and help so far,
Dave
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One approach I've seen is to cut the top ring of an old Weber Kettle off, a couple inches down from the top, then attach that ring to the barrel, ensuring a perfect fit for the lid. Obviously for those more skilled in the realm of metal working. Be sure to wear protective clothing, due to flying porcelain bits!
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Actually, Dave, it doesn't really require much in the way of metal working skills. I'm a human resources supervisor with little formal training in the manual arts and I've done it a number of times with just a hacksaw blade in a sabre saw and installed the ring in the top of the drum using RTV high temp silicone caulking compound. If I can do it, anyone can, including my brother.
If you look closely at the top of the drum in the photo below, you can see what I'm talking about.
D.J. It was good to meet you yesterday. Keep us posted on your drum's progress!
Sterling
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Having used RTV before, does it smell? Could you use JB WELD as a very perm sealer?
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You would have to use an awful lot of JB Weld ($30-70 worth to make the seal). The RTV ($11.00 for a whole tube) smells for about 24 hours and then the acetic acid smell is gone and all you are left with is inert silicone.
JB Weld is very much overkill in my opinion. You just don't need that much strength. What you need is mild strength (remember all you are supporting is a 3# Weber lid.) The RTV is strong enough by far.
Sterling
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JB Weld is very much overkill in my opinion.Sterling
Isn't overkill what building a UDS is all about? haha.....good points though. Thx!
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Skouson hooked me up with a barrel yesterday morning and even made a fire basket for me. All went well and I now have a seasoned UDS in my backyard waiting for me to get home from vacation to get it cooking. Anyone who wants to build one and hasn't yet, what are you waiting for. It's way to cheap and easy to not have a smoker. I had it assembled and a test fire going by 5pm yesterday. At 5am this morning it was still 250F and that is with no restriction on air flow. That means the fire basket is plenty big and won't require refilling during a cook. Including Skouson's nominal fee for the fire basket I'm $89 into this thing, and I splurged and put a thermometer at each cooking grate. I think I'm going to add some coat hooks to the fasteners that support the upper grill for utensils and make a rolling base for it out of a junk dolly and some left over scrap tubing, so that might add another 5 bucks. I'll have picks up when I get back from up north.
Thanks again Sterling.
-Zor
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Actually, Dave, it doesn't really require much in the way of metal working skills. I'm a human resources supervisor with little formal training in the manual arts and I've done it a number of times with just a hacksaw blade in a sabre saw and installed the ring in the top of the drum using RTV high temp silicone caulking compound. If I can do it, anyone can, including my brother.
If you look closely at the top of the drum in the photo below, you can see what I'm talking about.
D.J. It was good to meet you yesterday. Keep us posted on your drum's progress!
Sterling
HEY!
I resemble that remark! :D
Guys, Sterling's method is about the easiest I've seen. My current UDS has a weber lid, with the lower edge pried out to fit on the barrel. Works just fine. Maybe, I'll try the weber base ring as an adapter.
After helping him make a dozen or so, the method is really quite easy
I use 1 thermometer just below the lower level, and a turkey fryer therm pushed into one of the lid vents. Both read different, because of the levels.
steve
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I'm not in the market for one, but this sure sounds like a club bonding event waiting to happen. Pool resources, crack open a keg and collectively bang out a dozen UDS's for all who want to participate. Even have some high temp paint to personalize and decorate them. ;D
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I'm not in the market for one, but this sure sounds like a club bonding event waiting to happen. Pool resources, crack open a keg and collectively bang out a dozen UDS's for all who want to participate. Even have some high temp paint to personalize and decorate them. ;D
Sounds good to me. PARTY at Sterling's place!!
(I wonder if he's got enough BBQ equipment?)
steve