UDS lids

[big deck bb-jr]

Just wondering what others have done in regards to a lid for the UDS. I built mine over a year ago and have been wanting to change the drum lid to a dome style lid instead. I bought a grill today that had a 22.5" diameter, but the lid is a little too small for the UDS. Thoughts or suggestions welcome. Do they sell 23" grills? I haven't seen one. Also, I am wanting to keep the lid as is, an off the shelf item so it can be interchangeable (if buying a grill). Thanks!

 

[big deck bb-jr]

looks like my two options are to cut the rim off of the drum or to weld something to the inside of the drum that extends above the lip.

 

[timberjet]

you can screw a sheet metal strip to the inside of the barrel and seal it up with high temperature RTV but welding is better. I need to do this too.

 

[timberjet]

I have my old semi retired weber kettle and was thinking of cutting the lip off of the kettle and welding it on the barrel. 

 

[coaldust]

When I added my Weber lid I brazed the kettle lid to the drum lid in 8 places around the rim and used silicone caulk to seal the rest of the seam than cut the center out of the drum lid.

smoker pics 008.JPG

• coaldust
• Jan 28, 2014

I also installed 2 meat racks and It will hold 4 15lb briskets.

 

[big deck bb-jr]

Thanks guys. I'm going to have some guys at my company take some scrap and weld it to the inside of my drum to make a lip for the new lid to "catch" on to. I then want to add a second rack a few inches below the lip. That should give me about 6 inches between racks, and >2 inches between the highest grate and the lip. With the space in the lid, I should be able to hold quite a bit.