1st UDS build and cook

[Jeremy]

I finished building my uds using inspiration and ideas from this site and a few others.
I works ok but I think I either need more expierience with it or I did something wrong
It doesnt really hold the steady "set it and forget it" temp like I have read about on these things. It gets temp spikes and most of the time I run it with only the ball valve open about 1/4 or closed after I open the lid.
Using a mix of kingsford and r.o. lump and a few chunks of apple wood it took about 45 min with all valves open to get 230ish, then closed both caps and held temp for about 2 hours then checked it and it was up to 280, closed the ball, still at 280, closed the top vent and it finally started to come down.
The 2 buttts came out good in about 12 hours but I made quite a few adjustments on the intakes and vent to keep 240ish.
Also, there is alot (about 2 cups or so) of water in the bottom of the drum after cooking, is that normal?
Also I shut it down last night at about 8:30 and today at 3pm it is still at 120, I took the lid off and there is still some smoldering coals.
[ATTACH]uds final a..JPG[/ATTACH]

[Jeremy]

This is the basket after 12 hour cook plus 18 hours or so of smoldering after the drum was closed up.
fire basket.JPG

This is the water in the bottom after cooking 2 pork butts.
inside water.JPG

I figured out the lid is leaking air because I put the drum lid on and it was cooled off in around an hour. I have rope gasket in the dome lid, any other ideas?

Do any other UDS users see this much water after a long cook?

[bd354]

I don't have any experience with the uds smokers but I hafta say those are some goodlookin buts. As far as the fire taking a long time to get up to temp are ya sure it's getting enough air?

[Earache_My_Eye]

My first uds had a lot of the same issues....temp spikes...etc...

The best way to control your uds temps is to be able to control the air flow...and if you don't have a lid that seals, you don't have control of your air flow.

Mine started as a open-head drum, and whenever I used the flat lid, I had great control of temps...if I tried using my kettle lid, temps were all over the place.

Figure out how to get your kettle lid to seal better.....maybe find some sort of cam-over clamps to "secure" the lid to the drum...??

Hope this helps.


L8r,
Eric

[Jeremy]

Eric... I put a stove rope gasket in it but clamps might be an option. I'll try to figure out how to add them.
I almost have to use the kettle lid when I cook on the top grate because the handles on the grate are too high and dont let the drum lid close at all.

[lcruzen]

Sounds like an air leak to me. I used the stove rope on the drum rim and my dome lid sits right on it. When I'm done cooking and close up everything my fire dies quick. Also, the water in the bottom looks like grease to me but that may just be floating on the top. I've not seen any water in mine.

[SmokinTim]

Nice looking drum, gonna steal the grate hanger idea, love it!

One thing you will learn is to keep the lid on as much as possible. If you need to tend to your meat, take the lid off, set the grate(s) on a table and replace the lid quickly. Then you can turn, foil, or tend to your product with the lid on. I have a helper ready to lift the lid, grab the grate of meat, and get the lid on in seconds. This helps. I use a couple 1 X 1 slats on my table to set the hot grates on and foil underneath.

I fitted a rolled steel band to make a tight fit inside the lid, and then welded that to the top ring of the drum for a perfect fit.

What were your outside air temps? Mine condensates a lot inside when it's cold out.

[Jeremy]

Thanks SmokinTim. It was only around 50 the day I was smoking on it. I left it outside overnight and it probably got down to upper 30s. You could have something there....

lcruzin... I did figure out I have an air leak at the lid. I do have stove rope seal in the kettle and it seems like it fits tight but apperently it doesn't. When I put my drum lid on it cools down in less than an hour. Might try to add some latches or maybe another line of stove rope???

[lcruzen]

Jeremy,

This is a link to the thread for my build. Post #21 shows what I did with the stove rope. It worked well for my drum but they are not all the same.

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/sho...t=13831&page=2

On edit: I believe you have a rabbit hiding under your charcoal basket!

[rbranstner]

If I know I am going to be opening the lid I usually choke out the air and bring my temps down so that once I open the lid and my fire spikes back up I am not at a higher temp then I want. If I am running at 225 for smoking I will usually choke my fire down to around 200 then open my lid and do my thing and have all of my valves closed then once the lid is placed back on the smoker it will spike up again. The only reason I open the lid is to foil something otherwise I leave that baby shut. Like they said if you have control of you air flow you will have control of you heat. If you are opening the lid or you have a leak you don't have control of the airflow and the temps will spike.

[Jeremy]

rbranstner... I'll try closing valves before opening. When I had the offset I seldome opened it and I won't open this one much either

...If youre lookin, youre not cookin...

lcruzen... I'll check out the link later, I am off to work now.
Little Beagle found something to lick off of the coal basket, it was cold of course.

[Earache_My_Eye]

Here's another link to give you more ideas....

If your drum has a locking style lid, this is an option for a tight-sealing kettle lid....

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13865


L8r,
Eric

[Jeremy]

Eric...
I was thinking about cutting out the rim from the barrel top and welding it to my kettle lid like you did. Mine has a latch but it won't work because is latches over top of the lid not on the out side.
My drum tapers in at the top a little so the kettle lid is actually a little too big which is why I put the smaller sized rope gasket in it. But it still doesnt fill in the gap enough while allowing it to sit properly on the drum.