I recently had a post about a craigslist ad for a UDS, and got pretty good feedback from everyone. Well I bought it and did a test run yesterday afternoon, wanted to get yalls feedback.
First off, the guys still selling them, so here's the pic from his craigslist ad. (not the one i recieved, although I thought it would be identical... thats honest right? expect the one pictured?)
For the most part it was as advertised, except he "sold that one" and had to build me another one... mine looks very similar, except no ball valve pipe dampener.
The not/bolt locking mechanism for the access door broke and is open so i'll have to fix that permanently shut, which I didnt think would be a problem as the basket can hold enough to go the distance... and boy did it. It held around 225-250 as i've heard they should (i'm a reverse flow boy traditionally), then (even with both cheaply done dampeners on both sides) completely shut, it went to over 380 for the next 5+hours... I havent measured it yet either, but i'm pretty sure there is only about 14 inches from the basket to the cooking grate, a distance I thought was supposed to be 24 inches.
To solve the temp problem should I add another grate to use as a water tray? or do you think the therm. he installed could just be out of wack? Another thing i've seen is to use the bottom section of another barrell and use it as a lid... making the smoker much higher by puting a grate right at the top of the smoker.
Did I get it handed to me? Feedback appreciated.
Thanks.
First off, the guys still selling them, so here's the pic from his craigslist ad. (not the one i recieved, although I thought it would be identical... thats honest right? expect the one pictured?)
For the most part it was as advertised, except he "sold that one" and had to build me another one... mine looks very similar, except no ball valve pipe dampener.
The not/bolt locking mechanism for the access door broke and is open so i'll have to fix that permanently shut, which I didnt think would be a problem as the basket can hold enough to go the distance... and boy did it. It held around 225-250 as i've heard they should (i'm a reverse flow boy traditionally), then (even with both cheaply done dampeners on both sides) completely shut, it went to over 380 for the next 5+hours... I havent measured it yet either, but i'm pretty sure there is only about 14 inches from the basket to the cooking grate, a distance I thought was supposed to be 24 inches.
To solve the temp problem should I add another grate to use as a water tray? or do you think the therm. he installed could just be out of wack? Another thing i've seen is to use the bottom section of another barrell and use it as a lid... making the smoker much higher by puting a grate right at the top of the smoker.
Did I get it handed to me? Feedback appreciated.
Thanks.