UDS build start to finish with Maiden Q View (pic Heavy)

[dauntless]

I want to start this thread off by saying thank each and everyone of you on here. This build would have never happened without the support and threads posted on here. We took alot of great ideas from alot of great people and went from there.  My buddy ozman0104 (member here also) and I bult these together and as I type this our maiden smoke is on them.

We started off with typical 55 gal drum and cut our lids and started burning them out.

 

[dauntless]

Then we decided to go straight forward style of three inlets w/ one being a ball valve. We also got weber grates that hinge for eay wood adding access.

 

[dauntless]

 

[dauntless]

We were not sure how to make our baskets without a welder so we took a cheap tailgate grill bottom and bolted legs to it. Then we took two hanging flower pot holders, offset them, and then sucked them together tight with hose clamps. We used a long bolt at first for a grab handle and then added a handle from a 5 gal bucket.

 

[dauntless]

We added some handles, temp gauge, and some paint and called it good. They seem to be working great we seasoned them with cooking spray, brought them up to 300-330 using lump, hickory, and mesquite. We then brought them down to smoking temp and through a small pork loing on each rubbed down and spritzed with Capt Morgans.

 

[dauntless]

Final Q View to follow

 

[ecto1]

Best part about a UDS is there is no wrong way to make them as long as they cook good.

 

[dauntless]

well I would say they cooke great!!

 

[meateater]

Nice job, both of you are gonna be happy with them smokers.

 

[mballi3011]

 Now thats a great tutorial on the making of a UDS. You guys will really happy and specially if they can produce smokes like that one you just did too. 

 

[chefrob]

nice job!

now this just says it all!!!

 

[tom37]

Nice work,

Since you are officially in the drum zone, whats cookin today?

I think I am gonna throw a little chicken in mine today.

 

[chainsaw]

Nice job looks like a lot of space to smoke with

 

[que-ball]

I'm STILL looking for a drum for my UDS, so thanks for the great qview on your build.  I'll add your ideas to the pile that's already spinning around in my head!

I see a potential problem with your basket design, though.  You show legs under your ash pan (?), then your basket is raised above that, and with a rounded bottom.  By the time you fill up with charcoal and wood, isn't your food grate pretty close to the fire?  It looks like you went with a single food grate in each drum.  Did you put it higher than usual in the drum to compensate?  If so, how much height did it leave you before your flat lids?

 

[lugnutz]

I had a hard time coming up with a coal basket as well.  I used a 13.5" weber grate for the bottom and the middle section of a donor barrel for the sides. Drilled holes all around it and it works good.  I like your creativity on the basket you made.  If you find it doesn't work out so well you can always goback and try something different

.

 

[dauntless]

The bottom of that fire basket is only 4" off the ground, our food grate is 22" from the bottom or 7" from the top. She maintained a very steady 230 at grate level yester with everything closed except the ball valve. This was after we had them over 300 for burn off/seasoning. I was actually amazed at how well it held temp, and one basket of coal lasted over 7 hours and that was with it going hard for the first three or so.

As far as what is on them today I m doing two BB's and a pizza fatty!  It is our Fantasy Football Draft day so it should be good eats

 

[ozman0104]

I have to agree with Eric by saying thank you to everyone for all of the great insight and advice on these smokers. We had been sitting around trying to figure out how to make a horizontal smokers and we were getting no where fast. So I am greatful that everyone convinced us to go this direction. They were a breeze to make and they work awesome. We are already looking into making another set so we can each have 2. Thanks again and for anyone out there thinking about making a smoker, build a UDS. You wont be disappointed.

Brian