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Another UDS build! Woohoo!

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  • Another UDS build! Woohoo!

    After much searching, I finally scored a drum and started my build. It's not toast, or even rocket science, but here goes.

    First I'll introduce you folks to my drum. It had kerosene originally, then used motor oil.


    My PlanA to remove the drum lid was to grind off the curled edge, thinking the curl was of the same thin steel as the lid itself. After several minutes of grinding with a new wheel, this is as far as I got.
    The rust you see on the edge is because it took awhile to come up with PlanB and have decent working weather. This is North Dakota, after all!

    I thought I should have my dome lid and do a test fit on the drum before I settle on a PlanB. After much fruitless searching for a used Weber and one false alarm that turned out to be a square Weber I could have had for free, off to Wally-world I went.

    The test fit. This is the lid from the grill on my drum. The grill bottom was smaller, and could fit inside the lip of my drum. I didn't want that.


    I modded the grill lid to fit my drum. I bent (unbent?) the lip flat. This was way easy to do with just a pair of pliers and paint was flying all over, to the point that I stopped to get safety glasses before I was blinded.

    Once the original lip bend was taken out I set the lid right side up on my deck and tapped it completely flat with a claw hammer, centered it on my drum, and kept some downward pressure to hold it in place while forming a new lip.

    I started out with a couple taps on one side, a couple on the opposite side, change angles and repeat, to keep the lid centered. Here's what I ended up with.

    Finally, PlanB! Since the drum has been sitting in the hot sun I removed the bungs to release the internal gas pressure so it wouldn't blow me up. After we both let out a sigh of relief I drilled a pilot hole
    as close to the edge as I could, then used a jigsaw
    to do the real work. The shims were to balance the jigsaw and keep it cutting vertically, but they proved to be unnecessary. The saw rode the curved edge of the drum just fine without them.

    No pesky liner!

    At this point, my camera told me my memory card was full, so I had to quit.
    Last edited by Que-ball; 05-18-2011, 09:44 PM. Reason: Typo

  • #2
    Looks like you got a good start on it...One thing next time just cut horizontal below the curled piece. it does leave a sharp edge but your lid would fit over the drum them. the only thing needed is some rope gasket glued to your lid....I'll be watchin this build as it looks like you got some skills
    Jerod
    GOT-Q-4-U bbq team
    sigpic

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    • #3
      Stay after it Hot Rod! They smoke & cook right nice & efficient on fuel of choice!
      Sunset Eagle Aviation
      https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sunse...888015?fref=ts <... We sure could use some likes!

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      • #4
        Looking good, and good documentation. Thats the first thing I thought of when you started unbending the lip. That damn paint comes off there doing mach 2 lol. Safety glasses a must. Keep the updates coming. Love watching builds come to life
        https://youtu.be/ZcqprrIlbcIli

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        • #5
          Lookin' good.

          I just love the UDS builds.

          Keep the progress pics coming.

          Dave
          CUHS Metal Shop Reverse Flow
          UDS 1.0
          Afterburner
          Weber Performer
          Blue Thermapen
          Thermoworks Smoke with Gateway
          Thermoworks Chef Alarm
          Auber Smoker Controller
          Proud Smoked-Meat Member #88
          -
          "All welcome, take what ya need, share what ya know. " -- Richtee, 12/2/2010

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          • #6
            Que-ball, I realize it's to late now because you've already cut your drum, but if you decide to build a second one, try flippin the drum upside down before cutting the top out. Most drums don't have the curled over edge on the bottom like they do on top, it's a flat crimped edge and it isn't as wide as the top.


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            • #7
              Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I've been a member here for awhile, but I still tend to mostly lurk. I usually post only when I want something, or if I feel I can offer something to someone else. I read alot of the previous build threads before starting my own.

              GOT14U--I did consider the horizontal cut below the lip, but I didn't want the resulting sharp edge. At the time I was thinking I could glue the rope gasket to the drum to cover the sharp edge for safety while reaching in to fuss with fuel and racks, but worried that it would be too big for the lid again.

              MichChef--I thought of this one too, but my drum does have the same rolled edge top and bottom. Nothing to gain for me flipping it over, and thought the original drum lid might make a better ash catcher because of the bungs.

              My camera memory card is empty again, so I'll see what progress I can make tomorrow.

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