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Looking to add to my smoker collection

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bucaguy

  • Karma: 4
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?
#1 - July 05, 2011, 01:55:44 pm
Owner of Sin Bin BBQ and Member of Fat Man Que bbq team
Just some big heavy offset right now.

Skouson

  • Karma: 0
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
#2 - July 05, 2011, 04:11:16 pm
Green Weber One-touch Platinum 22.5"
Green Weber One-touch Gold
Black Weber Silver Kettle 22.5"
Red Weber One-Touch Silver 22.5" (The Redhead)
Black Weber Silver 22.5" converted to a gasser pizza oven, on wheels
Weber 1970's vintage Bar-B-Kettle, converted to a rotisserie cooker
Twin UDS: Blue

azkitch

  • Karma: 9
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.
#3 - July 05, 2011, 07:51:51 pm
CBJ # 53779
For cooking, lower and slower. For spices, mo' hotter, mo' better. Habaneros rule!

Skouson

  • Karma: 0
Just let me know.  All of mine are closed top, unlined barrels.

Sterling
#4 - July 05, 2011, 07:54:15 pm
Green Weber One-touch Platinum 22.5"
Green Weber One-touch Gold
Black Weber Silver Kettle 22.5"
Red Weber One-Touch Silver 22.5" (The Redhead)
Black Weber Silver 22.5" converted to a gasser pizza oven, on wheels
Weber 1970's vintage Bar-B-Kettle, converted to a rotisserie cooker
Twin UDS: Blue

bucaguy

  • Karma: 4
looks like we may have a building party coming up soon ;D
#5 - July 06, 2011, 06:53:54 am
Owner of Sin Bin BBQ and Member of Fat Man Que bbq team
Just some big heavy offset right now.

Zor

  • Karma: 0
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
#6 - July 06, 2011, 01:23:57 pm

azkitch

  • Karma: 9
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.
#7 - July 06, 2011, 02:15:41 pm
« Last Edit: July 06, 2011, 02:17:12 pm by azkitch »
CBJ # 53779
For cooking, lower and slower. For spices, mo' hotter, mo' better. Habaneros rule!

Zor

  • Karma: 0
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
#8 - July 06, 2011, 08:26:33 pm

Skouson

  • Karma: 0
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
#9 - July 07, 2011, 05:03:49 pm
Green Weber One-touch Platinum 22.5"
Green Weber One-touch Gold
Black Weber Silver Kettle 22.5"
Red Weber One-Touch Silver 22.5" (The Redhead)
Black Weber Silver 22.5" converted to a gasser pizza oven, on wheels
Weber 1970's vintage Bar-B-Kettle, converted to a rotisserie cooker
Twin UDS: Blue

Zor

  • Karma: 0
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
#10 - July 07, 2011, 07:01:00 pm
« Last Edit: July 07, 2011, 07:15:20 pm by Zor »

azkitch

  • Karma: 9
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!
#11 - July 12, 2011, 08:25:16 am
CBJ # 53779
For cooking, lower and slower. For spices, mo' hotter, mo' better. Habaneros rule!

Skouson

  • Karma: 0
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

[attachment deleted by admin]
#12 - July 12, 2011, 04:38:03 pm
Green Weber One-touch Platinum 22.5"
Green Weber One-touch Gold
Black Weber Silver Kettle 22.5"
Red Weber One-Touch Silver 22.5" (The Redhead)
Black Weber Silver 22.5" converted to a gasser pizza oven, on wheels
Weber 1970's vintage Bar-B-Kettle, converted to a rotisserie cooker
Twin UDS: Blue

AZWildcat

  • Karma: 22
Having used RTV before, does it smell? Could you use JB WELD as a very perm sealer?
#13 - July 12, 2011, 05:18:39 pm
2 UDS's-Stoked
2 WSM's-Stoked
BWS Party-Stoked
22.5 Kettle to burn burgers and steaks.

Be kind, polite and courteous to everyone you meet, and ALWAYS have a plan to kill them.

Skouson

  • Karma: 0
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
#14 - July 12, 2011, 06:21:22 pm
Green Weber One-touch Platinum 22.5"
Green Weber One-touch Gold
Black Weber Silver Kettle 22.5"
Red Weber One-Touch Silver 22.5" (The Redhead)
Black Weber Silver 22.5" converted to a gasser pizza oven, on wheels
Weber 1970's vintage Bar-B-Kettle, converted to a rotisserie cooker
Twin UDS: Blue

AZWildcat

  • Karma: 22

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!
#15 - July 12, 2011, 09:23:11 pm
2 UDS's-Stoked
2 WSM's-Stoked
BWS Party-Stoked
22.5 Kettle to burn burgers and steaks.

Be kind, polite and courteous to everyone you meet, and ALWAYS have a plan to kill them.

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