# UDS 2.0 on her maiden voyage



## bbq enthusiast (Jun 3, 2008)

Well I bought a new drum the other day,($72 dollars and some change. ouch
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 ) and made a few changes on her. here's a few pics. the air regulation on this new one is way better than my last one.the last one I did had a 1 1/4" air intake running up the side of the drum. this one I installed a 1/2" ball valve. and used a 2" pipe for the exhust.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 smoked a 5lb round eye roast, it came out dry but thats a diffrent thread, for some other time.


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## waysideranch (Jun 3, 2008)

Nice looking rig.  Killer pipe.  Yep, go 24.


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## geek with fire (Jun 3, 2008)

OK, I dig the smoke stack, but $72 for the drum?  Ouch, indeed!  I guess in the long term, the cost will wash, but I'm getting used drums around here for $12.

Nice lookin' UDS!


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## forcedsquint (Jun 3, 2008)

Looks really nice. How many intakes do you have at the bottom and did you only use a ball valve on one of them? Looks like you have caps on some of them which I would think are either totally open or totally closed.

I'm going to be building mine soon and see so many different configurations. I see quite a few with two intakes and they use a ball valve on both.


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## bbq bubba (Jun 3, 2008)

Use at least 3 intakes and 1 ball valve is plenty for air adjustment!


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 3, 2008)

Geek with Fire;201094 said:
			
		

> OK, I dig the smoke stack, but $72 for the drum? Ouch, indeed!
> 
> 
> 
> I tried the whole fire in the drum thing on the UDS1.0 but just about caught the house on fire. scared the begees out of me sooo, I'll pay the high price for the drum with no liner. Besides its only 3/4 of a tank of diesel for $72.00 ($5.15 a gallon)


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 3, 2008)

I installed four 1/2 inch nipples near the bottom and one of them has a 1/2 inch ball valve on it. when she was going full throttle I had 3 of the caps on and the ball valve fully open


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 3, 2008)

I've learned most of what I know about UDS's, from BBQ BUBBA's postings here on this site.


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## pineywoods (Jun 3, 2008)

Nice looking UDS like the chrome stack


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## erain (Jun 3, 2008)

nice lookin uds, mount an air horn on top with stack and call her the big rig. looks good!!!


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## seboke (Jun 3, 2008)

And some orange runnin lights around the top!  The smokestack makes that an instant classic!!!


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## domn8_ion (Jun 3, 2008)

Man that's pretty. But why did you have to steal my coffee table to put next to it?


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 3, 2008)

I was trying to go for the red neck look
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I do like how people integrate a table or a shelf on the side but I got in a hurry to try this one out and didn't take the time to engineer a trick looking table/shelf. there's always the next one!!


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## bb53chevpro (Jun 4, 2008)

Looks great.


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## pigcicles (Jun 4, 2008)

Nice UDS BBQ Enthusiast. Shoot you can always add a shelf. Think about maybe some diamond plate to go with the awesome stack.


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 4, 2008)

OH YA
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  thats a freakin great idea. I would have never thought of that.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  I will get right on that _Thank you!!!!_


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## ncdodave (Jun 4, 2008)

hey Gordon!
since youre in antelope come up to carson city on fathers day weekend and join us for a little smoke off! ill bee smoking as well as a couple of other people and crankin up out Dutch ovens while we're at it!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





great stack! put a box for a table on the front with a couple of head lights and a steering wheel and set the whole thing on a go cart frame! then you can buy one of steves mini lane smokers and have everyone wondering how you  made that!
LOL


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## lagogarda (Jun 4, 2008)

gotta get me one of those stacks for my SS UDS.!!!!!


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## ddave (Jun 4, 2008)

That chrome stack is a nice touch.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Looks cool!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Dave


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## erain (Jun 4, 2008)

yano when they do that to the big rigs they callem chicken trucks, u cud call it the chicken smoker!!!


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 5, 2008)

thank you for the invite but I will be camping at suger pine with the old man and family this fathers day weekend, maybe next time.


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## forcedsquint (Jun 5, 2008)

It looks like you have a total of 3 intakes (1 ball valve, 2 w/ caps), is that correct? Any reason you went with 1/2" instead of 3/4"? Doesn't look like you welded them in, what are you using to keep them in position w/o leaks?

What did you use for your charcoal ring/basket and what size did you make it? Would love to see a pic of the inside.

Thanks for any insight and help, I hope to pick up my barrel tomorrow.


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## geob (Jun 5, 2008)

Nice UDS.  I remember when you use to get one full of gas for less than $72.00.

geob


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 6, 2008)

Ok ...I am no expert (BBQ BUBBA is.) What I did was use four 1/2" nipples. three have caps, one of the nipples has a 1/2" ball valve on it , and reason I used 1/2 is because I found that for some reason my drums take almost no air to run at 225*. might be the climent I'm not sure. I used 1/2" lock rings to hold the nipples in place. one on the inside and one on the outside. I used a unibit to size the holes for a nice tight fit. a 7/8 hole saw gets the hole a little sloppy. my basket is 8" high and 14" round. I used 1/2 bbq grating at home depot and shaped it over a tire to make it round, then I used the same stuff to make the bottomI then welded the 2 pieces together. I cut the bottom smaller around the edges so i could pull the Basket out with out hiting the bolts that hold the food grate in. I welded a ten inch eye bolt to the center of the basket and made a hook so i can pull the basket out with ease. I'll take pics for you tomorrow.


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## forcedsquint (Jun 6, 2008)

Thanks. I should have my drum today and am looking forward to getting started. Hope to be cooking on it Sunday. I'll take pics and post.


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 7, 2008)

the old lady took the diggi cam with her on vacation, I'll try to post pics on sunday afternoon.


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## forcedsquint (Jun 10, 2008)

Hey BBQ Enthusiast, it looks like I ended up with the same barrel you have. I bought mine new too. I got everything done except for mounting the food grate. I can't verify right now, but I think my barrel was ~ 38" tall. 

Is yours the same and how far from the top did you mount the food grate? I know the recommendation is 24" above the "fire", but if I have a 6" tall charcoal basket with a 3" clearance for ashes that's 9". If I add the 24" to the 9" then I'm at 33" up the barrel and only 5" from the top. I don't think that's enough room for some larger cuts or even ribs if I use a rack.

Thanks. Any help appreciated.


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## bbq bubba (Jun 10, 2008)

Go 24" off the grate, you'll be fine! May even have room for a second grate!
That's a tall barrel.


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## forcedsquint (Jun 10, 2008)

So 27" from the bottom? Thanks so much for the quick reply. I'll be posting pics and a full parts list with prices in the next few days. It's seasoned and my first cook will be on fathers day. :)


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 11, 2008)

My 2nd barrel is 34 inches so that puts my rack at 5 inches below the top of the barrel, this gives me about 20 inches to the top of my basket. My 1st barrel is 38 inches and I put the rack at 6 inches from the top and that gave me about 24 inches to the top of the basket.


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## vlap (Jun 20, 2008)

Im sure this has been answered somewhere but I am missing it. Where is a good spot to look for used drums?
I am thinking of building a uds but not exactly sure where to find a drum...


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## bbq enthusiast (Jun 21, 2008)

I checked the good ol yellow pages (phone book) under storage containers. Then if you find a drum company, ask them if they have any trash barrels. these types of barrels may have dents or dings but should still work for a uds, and will cost alot less then a new barrel. Or see if there is a food factory that might have food grade drums laying around. I know this is not much help but It might get you started.


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