[AZWildcat]

To those w/ experience.....is a 14" diameter firebox too small for a 55gal drum w a 23.5" diameter?

[Skouson]

14" will be fine.  How tall are you making it?  I have a mini-UDS with the basket about 8" in diameter.  Filled to the top, adding lit coals ala The Minion Method, I can get burns of 8 hours+. 

You're going to fill the basket with charcoal, lump or briquets, leave it unlit, and add 8-15 fully lit, glowing briquets to the top.  This will give you a long, slow burn.  The more you fill the basket, the longer the burn.

On my full size UDS with the 18" diameter basket 12" tall, I can get burns of well over 20 hours.

Sterling Skouson

[azkitch]

I started to make mine somewhere in the 16" range, but the ash catcher was only 14". Completely adequate. I've burned for 12 hours at 240, let it nearly die, pulled the basket out--when it flamed up again, I smoked another 5 hours. And had about 1/3 of the basket full left. Mine is 9" deep.
Leave it alone...

[AZWildcat]

Just didn't know with a 14 inch basket if I would have uneven heat dist in a 24 inch barrel. Think of punching lots of holes in a smokey Joe copy for my fire basket.

[Skouson]

That may work, but I'd be a little concerned that it would be too close to the grill.  Have you considered expanded metal?

Skouson

[azkitch]

Just didn't know with a 14 inch basket if I would have uneven heat dist in a 24 inch barrel. Think of punching lots of holes in a smokey Joe copy for my fire basket.

I think I've heard of it being done. Sounds like a neat plan. If it doesn't work well, no big deal. UDS is so flexible; chuck it and start a different charcoal basket. No biggie. I'm just now beginning to understand just how little wood it takes to make every thing OK.

BTW, many steel lots around the valley--I went to Davis on Washington Street around 33rd st.--have scrap pieces of Xmetal. I bought quite the large chunk for $15. That was #9 X 3/4", about 2' X 4'.

[AZWildcat]

Well Dave, I was just at sports authority buying my kid a new baseball glove........and I walked by the camping area. Ohhhhhhh........I saw a brand new genuine 14" Weber Smokey Joe, on CLEARANCE! Well, being the cheapskate I am, I got it for the UDS. It was marked from 40 to 20 dollars. Essentially, by butchering a new Weber Smokey Joe (drilling lots of big 1" holes) am I insulting the BBQ God? After all, it's new in the box! I'm not necessarily a religious man, but i'm spiritual in that Karma is alive and well in life. What do you guys think?   Am I asking for bad BBQ Karma by cutting up one of the lords creations?

[azkitch]

A) I'd have trouble defacing a Weber grill of any kind.
B) Those that have attacked them have mentioned the porcelain coating shattering, making sharp shards. Wear heavy long sleeve and eye protection!
All in all, if you have a cheap imitation, I'd use it, and keep the SJ as a backup/packup grill. Otherwise, go for it.
That's how I think, anyway. As Ralph--Kid Curry--says, YMMV.

[AZWildcat]

So here is the new UDS firebox, untested. A cheap 14" smokey joe wannabe grill w/ bottom grill grate. Holes throughout to allow air flow. Sitting on top of a cheap 18 bbq pan, bolted 2 1/2 inches above the floor w/ spacers. Seems to be quite stable, only time will tell. It comes out just fine when I pull it up and out. The shaker rod is not yet in, ran out of time. Testing results to come. I haven't seen another like it, hope it holds! The unit cost me about $25.00 in all parts.

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[jmcrig]

Looks like it should work. You gotta love unibits.

[azkitch]

That's neat lookin'! I think it'll work pretty well. And you still have the real Smokey Joe, yes?

[AZWildcat]

Of course, couldn't bring myself to deface the master.

[AZWildcat]

I put about 2 dz K bicks in the pan w/ some hickory for a test run. It dumped 3/4 lit chimney full  right on top (not looking for a 15 hr cook yet). The temp spiked to 310 and was climbing fast within a few minutes, but I had all 6 bottom 3/4 holes open, and all 3 top 3/4 vents open. I choked it off for about 5 min and it droppped like a rock to 260 in a few min's. I opened up 3 bottom holes and it stayed at 250 even. This thing holds temps perfectly. Not only that, but it is very easy to manipulate the temp by regulating the bottom vents. Even though I love my WSM, so far this hold temps easier. I'm 4 hrs in and its 250 all the time. I can open up a vent and it rises fast, and when I close it, it drops fast. All within 5 minutes. So far so good, but it's only on a test run..........no product YET. That's the REAL test. I'm just going to let it go and see how it holds.

[AZWildcat]

6.5 hrs later, the temp dropped to 215. There was barely any charcoal to start with (only half the basket full), so its all good. I realized a slight design flaw, in that i need to attach the coal grate to the basket, otherwise it chokes out even when its moved around when shaking the basket. It's since been holding stedy between 215-220, so im happy. Next week comes the Q!

Thx to all who sent me advice, on the forum and thru personal messages.......it's good to have people who are willing to share MOST of their secrets!

Dan