Finished my first UDS build (pics)

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billdawg

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Aug 12, 2011
309
78
Coastal Georgia
I have been wanting to build a UDS for a while. I wanted it not only to be able to cook larger pieces of meat that wont fit in my Master Forge gasser, but also just because it looked like a fun project. I used to work for an oil company, so I called them up and got a new drum with a lid and locking ring from them for $35.00. I took it straight to a local body shop and had them sand blast it for me (I know, that is kinda the lazy way to do it). Went to Home Depot and started buying parts and finished it up last weekend. In all, it took me about a month and a couple hundred bucks to get it done. I am pleased with it so far. I got it seasoned last Sunday and will give it it's maiden voyage this weekend. Here is the build.

New Drum

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After sandblasting

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Got the basket built using an old grill grate from a brinkman smoke and grill, some expanded metal, wire, and a few nuts, bolts and washers. Also had a little help from the dogs. Especially the old lady Pug that has to be in the middle of everything.

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Got all of the intakes installed along with the mounts for all of the grates. I found out that if you drip sweat in the drum while working on it, it will rust almost instantly..lol

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Time for some paint. Put 4 coats of engine paint on it.

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Once the paint had dried and everything was cleaned up, it was time for the seasoning. I rubbed down the entire inside of the drum with a rag soaked in peanut oil and then started loading up the basket.

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Filled the basket with 16 lbs of charcoal and a few chunks of hickory. and then added 10 pieces of charcoal that I had started in a chimney

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I am using a 16" clay pot tray filled with sand and covered with HD foil as a heat diffuser.

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put in the other two racks and closed it up and got it up to temp. Once it got to about 215* I closed off the two open nipples with the caps and used the ball valve to control the temp. It held from between 225-250* from 11:00 am on Sunday until 6:30 AM Monday morning when I shut it off before I went to work.

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I used my remote thermometer to monitor the temps and I have two 2" thermometers ordered that should be in today or tomorrow to mount at grate level.

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I think I will add a shelf as well to hold the remotes. Thanks for looking and thanks to all of the people for posting all of their builds so the rest of us can learn from you. I will be making the maiden voyage this weekend. Not sure yet what I am going to cook, but I will probably do a thread on it.
 
Last edited:
Looks like it came out real nice. Now it is time to get some food on there
 
Looks great Thumbs Up
For the paint did you use spray cans ?
If so how many cans did it take to paint it ?
 
Looks like it came out real nice. Now it is time to get some food on there
     Thanks! I will have something on there Friday.
 


Looks great
icon14.gif

For the paint did you use spray cans ?
If so how many cans did it take to paint it ?
     I did use spray paint. I bought the little handle and trigger that mounts on top of the spray can for easier use, and I used 4 cans of paint. Basically 1 can was enough for 1 coat.
 
 
Looks like it came out real nice. Now it is time to get some food on there
     Thanks! I will have something on there Friday.

 



Looks great Thumbs Up

For the paint did you use spray cans ?

If so how many cans did it take to paint it ?
     I did use spray paint. I bought the little handle and trigger that mounts on top of the spray can for easier use, and I used 4 cans of paint. Basically 1 can was enough for 1 coat.

 
Thanks. I'm painting mine sunday. (I hope)
 
Good luck! I painted mine over a couple of weekends. I should have said 1 can did 1 light coat, but I was worried about dripping, so I probably wasted some from being  far enough away from the drum to avoid a run.
 
I hope you enjoy your UDS
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 ; it looks really good . The SandBlasting was easy , right? Did you pay for , or do the work?

Sadly , I have not finished mine (so close , but...) -

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And I appogize for the 
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.  

Have a good time with your UDS and ......
 
Thanks Oldschool, I took it to a bodyshop and let them sandblast it. They charged me $75.00. I figured it was worth not having to burn it and then clean it. Came back home spotless.
 
Looking Good Billdawg! Your gonna wear that out this year!
      Thanks jalan, that is the plan!
 


That is so so cool!!! Very  impressive!!!

Smokin Vegas (Ivie)
     Thanks Ivie!
 


That's too pretty to be called a "U"DS!

Great job!
     Thanks S2K9K, I am sure it will have a little wear and tear by fall.
 


That looks very nice, you did a great job
     Thanks RdKnB!
 
 
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