UDS 1.0 Revisited

[DDave]

Just had to check to make sure there was a difference.





Yep.

This time around looks better.

It's amazing what 2 years in the elements will do to the liner.

Dave

[DDave]

Went to the hardware store and picked up the nipples, caps, ball valve, grate nuts and bolts, and handles. Forgot bolts for the handles.

The 3/4" nipples threaded quite nicely into the previously drilled 1" holes. This drum is an older drum made of some pretty heavy guage steel. My yellow drum feels like a friggin' Pepsi can in comparison. So I don't think I'll have a problem with the nipples coming loose in the new (old) one. No need for conduit nuts or welding.

I'm hoping to drill the holes for the grate bolts today and maybe do a seasoning burn today or tomorrow. I'll slather the insides with Crisco and smoke it up.

Still haven't got a Weber lid for the 2nd one but am on the lookout. I can use the Weber lid from UDS 1.0a to test fit the band though.

Dave

[Squirrel]

Reading your posts about the UDS build is really helping me understand the process. Thanks Dave!

[DDave]

Reading your posts about the UDS build is really helping me understand the process. Thanks Dave!

I'm glad, Cheryl. You're getting a lot of conflicting info in the other thread. Don't get me wrong -- all of the ideas and methods have merit -- it just makes it hard to know which way to go on your first build.

I think the one in the BBQ Brethren thread is probably the best starting point, but that's just me.

Anyway, I got the grate bolt holes drilled and the bolts in today.



Those bottom bolts are for the deflector to sit on.

I like to use "cap nuts" or "acorn nuts" I think they're called on the outside.



Makes for a nice finished look. At least on a painted drum it does.



I just thread the bolt tight into the cap nut then tighten the nut on the inside of the drum tight against that with a split lock washer between the inside nut and the drum.



Drilled the 3/4" hole 1" below the grate bolts for the bolt that holds the 12" thermo.



Or I can take that bolt out and mount the Teltru thermo.

It's starting to look like a UDS.



Yikes, I think the camera was trying to focus through the grate instead of on the grate.



I still need to find a Weber lid for it though. And make a charcoal basket for this one.

I'll probably season it tomorrow with the charcoal basket from the other drum.

More later.

Dave

[ThunderDome]

Building them is half the fun. Lookin forward to seein it's transformation to it's finish

[DDave]

Building them is half the fun.

Ya know, that's really true. I didn't need another one, but I did want to build another one.

Got it seasoning right now.

Here it is freshly wiped with veggie oil (didn't have Crisco )



About 3/4 of a basket of Kingsford Comp with some maple chunks for smoke.



Fifteen briquettes ready to light off.



More than I normally use. I would normally use 10 but it's just a seasoning run so I'm okay of the temp goes a little high.



Coals dumped into the basket and the basket in the drum.



And we're off to the races.



Temp rocketed past 250° almost right away so I put 1 cap on and closed the valve halfway. I've got the datalogger going so I can see exactly what happens during the course of the burn when everything is stable. No lid removal, no valve adjustment, no nothing.

Got some good seasoning smoke going.



Good thing there is no meat in there.

This temporary lid has 8-1" holes so I imagine it will run a little on the high side. Plus there is no meat or any other heat sink in there so the temp should gradually creep on up until it runs out of fuel.

It started out at around 270°. It's been going a couple of hours now and is at 372°. Good temps for a seasoning burn I think.

Still have a ways to go -- dolly, handles, charcoal basket, Weber lid mod, paint . . .

Dave

[Tean94]

Dave, I've read that some season their UDS with bacon the first time. Have you ever done that? When I am ready to season mine, should I also rub the inside down with vegetable oil or crisco?

Also, how long and what temps is typical for a season burn?

[DDave]

Dave, I've read that some season their UDS with bacon the first time. Have you ever done that?

I have read that too, although I have personally not done it. Whatever you use, the fattier the better so bacon would be good. You want start that buildup of "seasoning" on the inside which is primarily vaporized animal fat.

When I am ready to season mine, should I also rub the inside down with vegetable oil or crisco?

That would work, or spray it down with Pam or wipe it with veggie oil. They all will accomplish the same thing. The main thing I tried to do is get a thin coat of something on it once it was down to (mostly) bare metal to keep it from rusting. Then for the seasoning burn, I'll put a little more on it to give the "seasoning" build up a head start.

Also, how long and what temps is typical for a season burn?

Probably 4 to 6 hours with temps of 250° to 350° or so if your drum will hit that.

I think most folks use the seasoning run as kind of a "get to know your drum" time. Start with a fairly full basket of charcoal and try to bring it up to a target smoking temp without overshooting too much. Then after it has run there for awhile, give it some more air and let the temp creep up. Use the seasoning run to gauge what kind of temps you can get out of it with the number of intakes you have.

I don't think there is a wrong way to do it. Also be aware that an empty drum will creep up in temp anyway so if you're having trouble keeping the temp where you want it, don't worry about it. It will be easier when it is loaded with meat.

Dave

[DDave]

Made some more progress today.

Got the dolly made. Pretty simple. Just some 2 x 4s with some plywood on the corners with deck screws.



And some wheels of course.



Hole for the temp probes to go through.



It's a little bigger than normal because the alligator clips on the thermocouple that came with the Auber controller are bigger than a normal probe.

Got the handles on.



It's starting to look like a UDS now.



And a group shot.



Still a ways to go but making progress.

Dave

[DDave]

Weber Lid Mod -- The EASY Way

Got the Weber lid mod done today. MUCH easier this way than it was the first time around.

The lip on the Weber lid is about 1/2" deep.



And with the lip on the edge of the drum, I figured an inch and a half would do. So I got a piece of 1-1/2" x 1/8" flat bar to go around the inside of the drum.



I started with a piece 71 inches long and proceeded to make it round.









After leaving it on the outside of the drum for awhile, I put it on the inside and reclamped it to see how much overlap there would be.



I eyeballed and marked the overlap and cut off the excess.



Nice saw, eh? It got the job done though.



I then proceeded to clamp, drill and screw the band working my way from the center of the band out until it was all bolted in.



I darned near missed the flat bar on a couple of the holes.



And I overestimated the overlap a bit. Oh well, not anything some wood stove gasket won't fix.

I went ahead and put the top grate bolts in. This drum has a lot of bolts in it.



I put the second grate on.



And test fit the lid.





This mod will work with a rotisserie built for a Weber even though it comes out a little larger in diameter than the actual kettle.



Although there are some sizable gaps.



If one was doing chicken it would not be a problem. But if you were trying to keep the temp down in the 250s, a little aluminum foil pushed into the gaps would be helpful.

I think doing the mod this way is WAY easier than cutting the bottom of a kettle up and bolting it in. And this drum has been built completely with no welding and no power tools other than a drill.

Dave

[Adiochiro3]

Nice instructional, Dave! I have 2 drums waiting in the wings; however, I have a number of other projects that take priority before starting.

I plan on using my weber bottom for the bottom & the top as the top so it will look something like this:



You can find the build tutorial for this rig here:

http://www.randyq.addr.com/friends/m...abrication.htm

Looking forward to your progress! I'll have to stop by and meet you & check out your rigs on one of my trips to Oregon!

Cheers!

[DDave]

I'll have to stop by and meet you & check out your rigs on one of my trips to Oregon!

Sounds like a plan.

I'm only 10 minutes from I-5.

Dave

[ThunderDome]

That's an awesome no-weld mod for your weber lid. On my last one, I just shaved the lip back till it fit.

In the pic where they're side by side, i think the natural weathered texture actually looks really cool on that drum. Once you got the hardware on there, it made it stand out in a good way

[DDave]

That's an awesome no-weld mod for your weber lid.

Dang it. I forgot to give credit where credit is due.

That mod was not my idea. I need to give credit to Travcoman45 (Tip). He showed it on Trident 1 in this thread. I saw it AFTER I did the first one. Tip's way is WAY easier. I'm sure he didn't invent it but he was the first one that I saw do it so I give him the credit. Just like I credit grothe as the inventer of the bacon weave.

Again, I'm trying to keep this one completely no weld. I was tempted to take it to my BIL's muffler shop let him tack it in but I really wanted to show non-welders who may be intimidated about building a UDS that it's not necessary to have access to a welder or someone that welds. That seems to come up from time to time and seems to scare some folks away.

Hell, if I can build one, anyone can.

Dave

[ThunderDome]

Are you gonna paint, or leave it textured like that? I like the weathered look on that one