Minor UDS Tweaks

[DDave]

I never really did like the way the Weber lid sealed on my drum. Even though I used the top lip of a donor kettle bottom, I evidently tweaked it when I was bolting it in place and the lid would rock a bit and let some smoke escape.



Well, I came across some leftover stove rope and cement in the garage and figured it was time to fix it.

So I wirewheeled some of the loose stuff off



and applied another bead of the gasket cement



and put another layer of stove rope around the lip.



Had a bit of a problem where the ends came together but I figure out I can trim that later.



It's curing now but I'm hoping it will seal better.



Oh . . . and I also added some more holes to my deflector plate.



Here it is inside the drum.



I may light a small batch of charcoal and put the plate over the basket to eliminate the remainder of the Teflon coating.

Thanks for looking.

Dave

[davidmcg]

Good man, I see ya got a step drill bit. Life saver they are, right up there with a reaming bit.

[Pandemonium]

LOL you love that deflector plate haha is yours about heat or stopping grease from dripping the fire? Because im not thinking its stopping much grease?

[DDave]

LOL you love that deflector plate haha is yours about heat or stopping grease from dripping the fire? Because im not thinking its stopping much grease?

I never really worried too much about center to edge temp variations. It's mostly about stopping temp spikes when I remove the lid. Just something to interrupt the air flow when the lid is removed. Helps keep the temp from creeping up over the course of a long cook.

It does catch a fair amount of grease though but obviously not all of it. That was not my initial intent, but it does help I am trying to recover burn time by adding the holes. I'd still like to get 12 hours + out of a single load of fuel.

Dave

[Pandemonium]

I never really worried too much about center to edge temp variations. It's mostly about stopping temp spikes when I remove the lid. Just something to interrupt the air flow when the lid is removed. Helps keep the temp from creeping up over the course of a long cook.

It does catch a fair amount of grease though but obviously not all of it. That was not my initial intent, but it does help I am trying to recover burn time by adding the holes. I'd still like to get 12 hours + out of a single load of fuel.

Dave

So it has cut your burn times down? Dont like that.

[DDave]

So it has cut your burn times down? Dont like that.

Yeah, that's why I put the holes in it to let a little more heat through. I can still easily do ribs or even butts on it, but it would be cutting it close if I had a brisket that needed 16 hours.

I used to get 16+ on 3/4 of a basket. When I tried a full basket, I'd have issues with the ash build up but that was with the Kingsford Comp briquettes. I think with RO lump (much less ash) and the Auber blower (puts in much more air than natural draft) I probably could safely burn a full basket without issues. That coupled with the holes letting more of the heat through will get me back to a burn time I'll be happy with.

This Saturday, I'm going to do a couple of butts with the Auber and a full basket of RO lump to see how it goes.

Dave