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I read different things about this, but my recent one ended up having the top of throat about 2” underneath the bottom grate. It was a football shape, so only top was that close. Also, my grate was at mid level so I could get the full 24” pipe depth with the grate. And I did position firebox so I go...

Big T wrote: ↑

August 27th, 2018, 4:41 pm

You only do the CC, the FB would burn off and provide no benefit.

Thanks Big T

Do you season the inside of firebox as well as the cook chamber before you start cooking on a new build. I wasn’t sure about this. Might just burn, wanted to check

Not saying it can’t be done but I would find a friend with plasma or I’d change the design. Cutting a radius with a grinder is not something I would do when there are other options out there. I was thinking that the drilled holes on both ends of the notches would take care of the rounded parts of t...

Not sure how it should be done, but if I were doing it without a plasma cutter I'd drill a hole at the peaks and valleys of the saw tooth and use an angle grinder and slimmy disk to cut between. Then maybe tart it up with a file etc. Yes that’s what I’ll do! Don’t know why that didn’t cross my mind...

I’ve seen just a couple pics of a sawtooth intake on fireboxes, and I think that may work best for mine.

What’s the easiest way to cut the notches that are rounded if I don’t have a plasma cutter? Do you guys that do this just use a grinder? Thanks

Something I did different on this build from what little experience i have had in the past. In the past, I've used heat and clamped the flanges to the door and tacked them on and they've worked ok. This time, due to some irregularity with using a tank, after cutting and the door edge not perfect wit...

had some company

I think I may just weld the entire flange to the door

a little more progress. Got my stack on, went with the 6" but cut it down some. Got my door flanges on, both stops, a spinning stainless handle that took forever to get just right. I must've tacked and cut and tacked at least 6 times. Also got my lower grate slides in, and deflector near the firebox...

I'll have to measure everything to be exact but I believe that my 1st rack is 3'' below the top and the lower rack is 6'' below that. My fire basket is 12''x12''x12'' with 3'' legs and I let the uprights on my fire basket run 4'' higher than the basket so that I can set my deflector above the coals...

And I see some pretty flashy paint jobs on some of these UDS smokers. How do you do that when high-temp paint is so limited to black and maybe a few other colors? You guys using engine paint or something and it working ok?

Man thanks Big T, cleared it all up for me. I’m definitely gonna build one.

How tall does the charcoal basket need to be, and at what distance are the first and 2nd cooking grated from top of fire basket?

I've started looking in to these, even though I'm not even done building my offset yet. But, I have a few questions that I can't figure out on the UDS smokers. These may be really stupid questions but I'm asking anyway... Why are guys running air intakes up the side of the barrels +/-24"? with ball ...

Thanks for all the encouragement and help. Maybe I’ll get it finished here in a few weeks, in time for fall and football.

Last major decision - 5” or 6” stack, and up top or out the middle (grate). I cannot decide

Thanks for the help DT, on both my threads

How thick is the gasket and what kind? It is usually easier to put the flanges on the door when it is cut-out and on the bench then just set it back on, line it up and weld the hinges. Since you went hinges first, I figure you need to shim between the door and the flange (as opposed to between the ...

Metal is funny. Hope the supports worked but don’t be surprised if it moves some when you remove them to put in your shelves. It can be easily fixed however so dont panic if it does. Project is looking really great and coming together nicely. I was thinking it still might move, so I may leave the s...

I didn't really want to deal with a sprung door, so I crawled in the cook chamber before I attached firebox and welded 3 gussets inside. I used a grinder to cut out small notches where my door would be to help me line the gussets up in the correct spot. this worked, the door did not spring. all the ...

have to add the bracket for removable steering handle.

Some progress -
front end is pretty much done, and the pit stands on its own now. Got the door cut out and hinges done. Gotta work on flanges/gasket, and getting the stack on so I can move on to grates, tuning plates, and firebox door.