Chief's 30 and 55 gal UDS builds

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chiefusn

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Feb 22, 2013
123
16
Chesapeake, VA
Hello all. I have been researching UDS builds for about a 4 days now and have acquired a 30g and a 55g drum for two separate builds. The 30g is going to be my portable one as well as the one I use for smaller smokes and the 55g will stay in my backyard and be for larger smokes of course. So let me start by posting a couple of pics of the drums I got and we'll go from there. I want to do the thread this way and update it as I go so if I have questions I will ask and if anyone has suggestions, you can post them. These are my first builds so it is a learning experience for me. I am still rounding up materials so that might delay my progress. At the bottom of each post I will have a running cost total for other folks looking to do a UDS build. So here is what I got for drums:



The 30 Gallon. The ID is 18 3/16" and OD is 19 3/16" at the opening with an Outside Height (OH) of 28 9/16 and inside (IH) is 27 11/16".


The 55 Gallon. ID just shy of 22 1/2" and OD just shy of 32 1/2". OH is 34 1/8" and IH is 33 5/16".

I don't have welding capabilities and I really don't want to outsource any of the work. So I'm going to try and do all the work myself with what tools I have. If I have to buy a tool, that's no big deal as long as they aren't an arm and a leg. I already know I need a step drill and a weed torch and I'm currently working on getting those. I have also been searching for Weber lids and currently have a lead out for a 22 1/2" Weber grill to part out. Just not sure if it will fit or what I will need to do to make it work. So any suggestions on that would be nice. I don't think that the drums have any type of liner in them but I'm going to hit them up with the torch to be safe. I can't fill them with wood and burn them due to neighborhood regulations. Eventually, I would like to get them stripped down and painted but that's later on after I get all the materials. I am currently on vacation for the next 30 days so this will be my main project to get done amongst the good ole honey do list and other household projects that I've been putting off.

My plans are to have 3 intakes on each. I like the ball valve idea and will probably go that route. As far the charcoal baskets, is the expanded metal that Lowes carries good enough, or should I try and find something heavier? I'm afraid if I go heavier, I will need to outsource to get the baskets built. The stuff Lowes has seems like I will be able to bend it with some force and is safe for grill use according to the packaging it comes in. Cooking grates are going on the back burner until I'm sure what kind of grills I can acquire and take the grates out of those. Trying to keep this as cheap as possible.

Total cost so far: $0.00. Both drums were given to me.

Chad.
 
Looing good, I've built two fire baskets using the expanded steel fromt the big box stores.  I was able to wrap it around a propane tank to get the general shape.  Once I got em close I bolted the ends togther until I welded it to a 18.5" weber charcoal grate.  You could just leave the bolts in and use some thic wire to join the expanded steel to the charcoal grate.  Since the build I found a steel place that sells remnants for dirt cheap, just a thought.

Good luck to you, and welcome to the UDS club.

 
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Thanks Mattyj.

Well, quick update on how the material round up is going. I just got back from buying a 22.5" Weber donor grill for the 55g. I paid $35 for it and it is in pretty good shape. It's going to be a shame to chop and hack it up...lol. The lid is a tad bit out of round but that should be an easy fix with a little persuasion. Still in search for an 18.5" for the 30g.

I think I have found a local Amish gentleman that has the heavier expanded metal so I'm going to hold off buying anything from local hardware stores for now until I can get with him and see what he has.

I'll keep up with the updates as I get them.

Total Cost: $35

Chad
 
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You will save by getting a piece of scrap from a welding shop or steel fab shop.

Big box hardware stores charge top dollar for metal. A metal scrap yard may have a piece of

expanded metal you could buy cheap. I know a lot of guys who deal in scrap

metal and they know what I am looking for so when they have something they

bring it by. You may need to find a few of these friends because once bitten by

the UDS bug you will be in constant need of metal
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SoMD doesn't have a lot of these places but I am researching. I'm going to take a drive up to the Amish gentleman today and see what he has. Heard he was real good with his prices and I'm going to ask him how much he would charge to build the charcoal baskets. If he is reasonable, then I will probably outsource those even though I don't want to. But I want to make sure they are built right and built to last.

Chad
 
 
So, check it out. I haven't been lucky on getting anymore materials. Still searching for scrap expanded metal and found a couple of places but just need to call them up and see what they got. I haven't had a chance to get to the Amish guy yet as the weather was pretty crappy and I didn't feel like driving up there. I have had some options open up though with welding. I told my wife about building the charcoal basket and getting it weld somewhere and she said, why don't you buy a welder with our tax refund.
nana2.gif


So I know it's cheap but I have never welded before and since this would be a good learning experience in building something out of metal, why not get the cheapo 90A flux core from Harbor Freight. It's not a real expensive model but from the reviews I've been reading and videos on YT, it should be good enough to learn with and, since nothing on this UDS is load bearing, it should be good to practice on.

I've been doing a lot of research on lids as well. If the welding thing goes good, I've been thinking about attaching the 22.5" Weber lid to the flat 55g drum lid and cutting out the center of the drum lid leaving the rim attached to the Weber lid. Make sense? This should give me a good seal around the top of the drum. Anybody else tried this and how did it work out for you? If that doesn't seem to be an option, then I'll probably just do the band method around the inside of the drum with a rope gasket.

Chad
 
 
OH......the UDS bug.......how fun that bite is.....  The barrel I got was the same diameter as my Weber lid so I took a piece of 1 1/2" steel strap and ran it around the top of the barrel leaving it stand about 5/8" proud. Now the groove in the lid fits like it was meant to be. I also use the grate from the Weber for the food to sit on. That way I can use those two pieces for either Q'n machine without having to cut them up.

Brad
 
Well got the weed torch and welder yesterday at HF. I started doing the burn today on the drums. Man what a long process. Took about 1-1/2 - 2 hrs for the 55g and about 1-1/2 for the 30g and still got a ways to go. My propane tank started to freeze and I was losing pressure. Anyways, here are some pics of my progress so far.


Here's the 55g on the burn "burn rack"


The torch. It worked pretty good until my tank started freezing up and losing pressure. Had a nice frost line around the bottom of the tank.


The lid for the 55g. I used this as a test subject before attacking the drum


Bout half way done on the 55g. It took longer than I thought it would.


It was chilly outside so that might have hindered the process as well. Not sure though.


It was also windy so I tried hitting it from the inside as well to see if that would help. It did until I got toward the bottom fo the drum. For some reason my torch wanted to keep blowing itself out but wouldn't do that outside the tank.


Here's the 30g. It seems to be a thicker metal than the 55g. The metal didn't want to heat up as quick and the paint didn't burn off as easy.


Last one for now until I can get to it again tomorrow. Gonna bring the propane tank inside so it can warm up and see if that makes a difference. Will probably have to get it replaced once I'm done. Oh well. Had a lot of fun today. Plan tomorrow is to finish burn and do a final sanding on the drums. Then drill holes and put pipe nipples in. Still trying to locate some scrap expando and an 18.5 lid. I was thinking I might be able to use my ECB lid tack welded to the 30g drum lid if i can't find a Weber lid. We'll see though.

Chad
 
I forgot to upload these. Last week I went out to the garage to do some measuring and pre-planning. I noticed that there was a rubber type gasket under the lip of the drum lid. Since heat a rubber doesn't mix, I tried pulling it out only to have it pull apart from itself. I grabbed my trusty Benzomatic and started heating up the top of the lip to get the adhesive to let lose. It worked like a charm.


Here is the rubber seal/gasket.


Using the Benzomatic to heat up the top of the lip.


The adhesive broke loose like a charm.

I'm thinking about using this as a base for the Weber lid so I can get it to sit and seal just right. We'll see how it goes though.

Chad
 
Couple of questions.

1. Are the pipe nipples everybody using galvanized? I went to Lowes today to get them but all I could find was galvanized. I thought galvanized was dangerous when heated up.

2. Should I go with 3/4" or 1"? I've seen both in all the threads I've read but not sure being this is my first build. I am thinking 1" then that way the air flow is there if I need it but I can close off if I don't.

3. I am just about done stripping down the drums, what does everyone wipe the drums down with before painting the outside?

4. What kind of oil should I use to season it? I read an article about using flaxseed oil for cast iron but does that apply for steel? I used extra virgin olive oil on my ECB and didn't have a problem but I want to make sure.

I guess that's more than a couple. Thanks in advanced everyone.

Chad
 
I have found in making smokers and grills there is no specific but a general way of personalizing your cooker. Your second build will incorporate items that you missed on the first one or new innovations. I opted to use a one inch ball valve and I am glad that I did. Fully opened with the other two caps in place the barrel stabilizes at 275, I can fine turn my temperature between 250 and 275, the range that I like to cook. Each person has his own heat range so it is subjective.

Most Lowes are on the same floor plan so you should have been able to find a 3/4" or 1" black pipe in whatever length you desired in the bin near the galvanized pipe.

As clean as your barrel is all I would used is a clean cloth. You can get a good paint without a lot of effort.

I used just a little different process when seasoning my barrel. I follow the process my Granddad used, I used a mixture of hickory and maple wood and burn that then I wipe the inside with bacon grease and burn with pecan - my choice wood. Again this is subjective and not the only way; it is just the process that I use.
 
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Thanks John. I think I might go with 3/4" then. I like to smoke around 200-250°F. If need be later, I can always drill bigger and go 1". I saw the black pipe there but didn't think about using it. I guess if I want to weld it, then I can just scuff the black off to clean metal. Then paint from there. From what I'm gathering, I should season with the wood I normally cook with. Which is usually hickory and apple. This is what I have experimented with on the ECB and have had great results. Thanks again.

Chad
 
Chad, morning...   I think most folks go with 3/4" pipe....  1 ball valve is usually all that is needed....  Low temps, 2 nipples capped and 1 ball valve regulated.... higher temps, 1 or no nipples capped and 1 regulated with the ball valve...  that is the beauty of the UDS....  Galvanized will be fine because it is on the air inlet and the zinc will not get warm...  

For raising the height of the drum, some folks use a strip of metal 8-12" wide.... seal and fasten to the inside of the drum, and place the standard lid on the extension....  Lowes should have some flashing in the roofing section that will fill the bill on that extension... 

Dave
 
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Well, got all my piping and ball valves for both drums. I ended up spending approx $38 for:

2 - 3/4" Brass Ball Valves (1/drum)

4 - 3/4" Cap (2/drum)

6 - 3/4" CL Nipples (3/drum)

12 - 3/4" Conduit Lock Nuts (6/drum)

2 - 3/4" 90° Elbows (1/drum)

So I'm looking ready to go as far as the drums are concerned. Still looking for expando for both charcoal baskets and a lid for the 30g. I am also waiting on a response from FreeCycle. Somebody was giving away an electric Char-Broil Patio Caddie but I don't know what diameter it is and if it's still available. Really like the way some of the lids look on those from the images I have seen. Tomorrow I'm going to finish prepping the drums for paint, drill holes for intakes, and maybe get them painted to the point of keeping them from rusting. I haven't looked at the flashing yet but that's might be an option for the 30g. Thanks Dave.

Total cost so far:

55g = $54

30g = $19

Chad
 
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Finally made some good progress today. Oh, wait, let me back up. I didn't get any painting done or the holes drilled yet due to a real busy weekend with family and friends. However, I did get some expando on Friday from the Amish gentlemen. Not sure if I got a good deal on it or not but I got enough to do both drum's charcoal baskets and actually have some left. I basically got two 12"x48" peices and a shorter 12"x9" piece. The shorter piece was for the gap left to fill in the 55g basket. 48" just wasn't enough to go around the 22.5" charcoal grate which is actually 16.5". But to keep him from having to cut a separate 4x8 sheet, he just gave me the small piece. Total for expando was $28. Not sure exactly what gauge it is, but it is quite a bit heavy than the stuff at Lowe's. So I decided today to try my hand at welding and make the 55g basket. Here are some pics.


Since I didn't have anything to shape the expando, I just tack welded it all the way around on each point the diamonds. Took me a bit to get used to it, but after I got the hang of it, I just cruised right along.



Once completely around, I had to check the fit.


Here it is before legs and lifting bar. That was next but required a trip to Lowe's.


Completed basket with legs and lift bar.


Washer welded to center of lift bar. I plan on using my deep fryer hook to raise and lower the basket. This worked perfect.



Works great.



Couple of close ups of the legs I made.


90% completed basket in the drum. I say 90% because I'm still looking for a steel pizza pan or something for an ash tray under the basket.

I don't think I did to bad for my first time ever welding. I feel like my DIY capabilities just went through the roof now that I have one and learning how to use it. Hence why I went with the legs I did. I was going to use bolts but it was cheaper to buy the square stock and cut it. Let me know what you think or any suggestions. Got to take the kid to hockey so I'm done for the night. I can't wait till tomorrow...lol

Total cost so far:

55g = $68

30g = $33

Chad
 
I have a lead on some 30 gallon drums I might be able to get next week, so keep us updated on your build.  Hopefully I will be joining the UDS crowd soon.

Thanks for sharing your project with us.
 
Thanks Bruno. It's been a slow process with family and other things. Only things I've gotten done so far are, I got the 30g charcoal basket complete and I got the piping on the 55g done. My next thing to tackle is the lid for the 55g. I think what I'm going to do is weld the Weber lid to the flat drum lid and then cut out the center. This, in theory will have a good seal on it and make for a real good fit. I've been trying to figure out a way to strip the porcelain coating of the Weber lid so I can weld to it. I got most of it off with an angle grinder but it's not quite down to bare metal yet. I plan on tackling that tomorrow some more. After that the 55g will only need a coat of paint and it should be done. I am having a real hard time finding an 18.5" lid for the 30g. Think I'm just going to call Weber and see how much they want for one. Here are some updated pics of what I got done.


Both charcoal baskets. The 55g is 12" deep and welded to the 22.5" Weber charcoal grate.

the 30g is 12" deep and welded to the 18.5" charcoal grate. The 55g looks way bigger than pictures I have seen in the forums. Probably going to be able to go 24 hours on that sucker...lol. Oh, the 55g has 2.5" legs and the 30g is 2" legs.



Standard piping like all the others on the 55g.

The 30g is going to be the same design. Only difference will be the ext pipe for the ball joint. The 55g is 24" where the 30g is going to be an 18". Both drums are using 3/4" piping.

More updates to come as I get them. I am also shooting a video as I go so that's been slowing things down as well. Will post that once all is done.

Chad
 
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Chad, evening.....  Using a piece of sheet metal, run a 6" strip around the inside of the drum.... bolt or rivet it in place and the Weber lid should fit on it... or use the drum lid as the drum will be about 4" taller and give you more room.....    

Dave
 
 Using a piece of sheet metal, run a 6" strip around the inside of the drum.... bolt or rivet it in place and the Weber lid should fit on it... or use the drum lid as the drum will be about 4" taller and give you more room.....
Thanks Dave for the idea. I have so many options I can go with as far as the lid is concerned, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Every time I get on here I see something different. Decisions, decisions...
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Chad
 
 
Well, I am about 75% happy with the lid. If my welding skills would have been better, then it probably would have went better. But that's why I said this would be a good practice project. Anyway, here are a few pics from today's work.



Close up of some of the spot welds. They held really good so I thought let's go for a longer weld...


Yeah...not so much. Some spots went really bad. I think I ground down the thickness of the Weber lid trying to get the porcelain coating off. I was getting real inconsistent welds which some turned into...


Blow through. So now I need to figure out how to fix this. Any ideas? I tried filling it with more weld but it kept getting worse. A professional could probably do it but...you know...lol.


One thing I do like is the lip is now going to be on the inside. So drips on the outside should be a minimum if any at all. This is exactly what I was going for.


I also found some 3/8" fiberglass rope gasket by the foot at TrueValue. I ended up getting 12' for $.79/ft. It fits in the lip perfectly and should give me a nice air tight seal. Was thinking about using red high temp RTV to attach this but wanted to get some opinions first.

Chad
 
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