My first UDS build.

[Baz Senior]

I thought I would share my UDS build with you, which is only fair considering the information I have found on the forum.
I have made good progress with the drum part of the build, and having read about wind problems affecting the fire's performance, decided to combine an idea and get the valves raised to a comfortable level. This is so I don't have to keep bending down. (prolapsed disc problem.)
Here's the drum so far.



I found that the price of expanded mesh is a lot, considering it's mostly fresh air, and I could only buy full sheets (8' x 4').
So I decided to use some stock I have had knocking about for years, and made a fire basket from scratch.



Here's a tool I made to get the gap spacing's correct and even.



And in use.







Here it is finished, that's just an old wok on it to show where the water pan will sit. I have been down Ikea and bought a stainless steel 12" serving bowl which will do beautifully.



I will strip it down next week, burn it out and paint it, so hopefully by the time we get our two day's of summer over here, it will be ready for some proper fire.
I have a neighbour, who works at a saw mill, and is able to get his hands on Oak, and already has some Cherry.
I only hope it performs as good as it will look. This should get the family's attention.
Thanks for all the info guy's an gel's.

[Gizmo]

Nice Work! Looks like you got 'er on the ropes and ready to start throwing smoke - Thanks for the pictures and keep us posted as you finish it up...

[Frank_Cox]

That is a very nice touch on the basket! looks killer! could you tell us some dimensions? The drum looks great!

[DUAYNE B]

pretty darn cool, the basket awesome and the finished look is down right cool, have never seen a uds in person, just pics on here,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,, what do the tubes running up the side do,,,, i guess i havent really read much on uds smokers

[The Czar]

...that is not ugly......





have you cooked on it yet?

[shipyardbecue]

nice! basket looks great!

[alleyrat58]

Nice work!

[Baz Senior]

Thanks for the comments guy's.
When I got home tonight, everything got stripped off it, and I went round my friends and blagged some Oak off him.
It then got as much hot charcoal as I could throw in it, and all the wood.
It stunk for a short time as the paint burnt off, after a good clean up it will be ready for paint, which should arrive this week.

[Frank_Cox]

looks like it was burnin perty good!

[Smokeone]

Looks like burnt lid is on the menu for tonight!
Looks to be a good start!

[The Czar]

Burnt lid.......

[Baz Senior]

I had to spray the Holly tree with water, it was getting a bit hot, if them things catch they go up like a firework.
Wife would have been even less happy!
The paint arrived today, so it's all just a matter of time, a lot of noise and dust.

[Baz Senior]

I got home early today, and the weather is Sunny and warm, so out came the grinder with a wire brush stuck on it.
Two hours later, and no feeling in my fingers, it's ready for some paint.



I would think that's the hard bit done, just the paint and rebuild now. Then it's time for a fire!

[Gizmo]

Boy! - that came out nice... any way to just high-temp clear coat it?

[shipyardbecue]

Boy! - that came out nice... any way to just high-temp clear coat it?

yeah really! that looks great!

[Frank_Cox]

Auto parts stores have 500°F rated clear coat in rattle cans with the header paint.needs to be wet sanded with 2000 grit and buffed to give it the sheen it needs tho.

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[Baz Senior]

Fantastic, with the help of a tarp strung between two sheds, I have got it finished, and in smoke.
Here's the stand, the legs came off an upright mixer, I have been keeping them thinking they may come in handy, and they did.



After that it got rebuilt, and even though the drum had an hour with a heat gun pointed into it, Iam not happy with the paint.
Where I brushed oil into the inside of the drum, some of the oil has leaked out onto the paint. So I coated the entire drum and lid, which turned it glossy, and hopefully like my other homebrew smoker, should dry OK.

Her's the chimney and rear view.



The grill in place.



The fire ready to go, using the Minion method, with a few nice bits of Oak on for the smoke.



And here she is, all done and now in her first smoke.



Here's the temp after two hours, so Iam now messing around with the airflow to get the temp down a bit. Maybe next weekend I might get to put something through it and see how it performs.

[Baz Senior]

I have just wiped all the paint off.
With the oil it all went soggy and just wiped off. It's ruined two tea towels though.
Whoops, Iam sure she will understand.

So back to the drawing board on the paint front. I think I'll just use Plasticote BBQ paint, I have used it before and had no issues with it.
In the mean time the temperature has not moved and I think it will be going all night, which will season it lovely.
My neighbour has just given me some Cherry and there's some Apple wood on it's way, all three years old. That should give me a good start at this smoking malarkey.

[PvilleComp]

Looks good - My Son is in England now so I'll send him over for a taste test! He'll give you a real critique! That boy loves him some Q!

[Baz Senior]

Sounds good to me, I need all the help I can get.
Still going strong and wide open after eight hours @ 350 degree's F.
Mrs Baz has Bought me the Maverick ET732 thermometer for my Birthday, what a girl!.......Result.

[The Czar]

was that a cut up 2 by 4 in that charcoal?

[Baz Senior]

Not far off, 1 x 4 in fact. My friend works at a sawmill, and those are the end cuts off wood for coffins.
They glue a load together, edge on, then plane them up to look like one solid bit of wood.

Mrs Baz said I shouldn't aim that high when I go, I'll have to make do with bin liners!
So in the meantime, I'll make the best of the off cuts.

[The Czar]

[SoloQue]

If you are looking to pre-clean the metal before you paint the exterior you might try some rubbing alcohol on a shop towel. You should be able to pull off any grease and the stuff will evaporate quickly. If you want to get literally everything off that metal go buy a quart of MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone)from Lowes or Ace hardware. DO NOT SMOKE if you are going to clean with either of these and work outside away from any ignition source. The MEK starts evaporating around 42F so it will ignite very easily, again the good part is that it will penetrate just about anything and will evaporate immediately. Wear rubber gloves to so it wont take all the oil out of your skin. We use MEK daily in the lab to clean anything metal. It is dangerous on the flammable side but a very efficient cleaner.

[Baz Senior]

Thanks for the advice.
MEK is a bit harder to get your hands on over here, maybe they think we will sniff it or something.
I have been using a cellulose thinners, this is something I have cleaned metalwork with prior to paint in the past. Again it's pleasantly dangerous, and does a good job.
It doesn't look like it will get painted this weekend, there's a weather warning out for Friday/Saturday that we might get a months rain in two day's.
A usual summer then!