# Starting UDS build



## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

I'm just at the beginning stage of building a UDS and I was wondering if anyone had any pointers. I've found most of my parts, but I dont know where to find a good drum. Anyone know where I can find a new unlined drum in the Lake Jackson area? Also I'm wanting to use a regular domed lid off a weber or kingsford grill if anyone has one they're willing to sell. Thanks!


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## RedHooker (Jan 13, 2012)

I have built both, flat and dome top. From my experience, the weber dome lid will not fit on a removable lid drum. The diameter is a bit bigger than a sealed drum. I used a sealed drum, and then had to " tweak" the edge of the weber dome to get it to fit.


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## daniel7930 (Jun 16, 2011)

What parts. Do u need to build one. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Coach Jordan (Nov 19, 2009)

This website helped me a lot when I made mine. They are extremely easy to make and cook on. I use mine about every weekend.

http://www.texasbbqforum.com/viewforum.php?f=73&sid=e195e63517a7af301685b575def5e56a


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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

I put my fire basket together the other day. I used two sheets of 12"x24" expanded metal and a replacement 13.5" charcoal grate. I used 1/4 bolts and washers to hold it together and 1/4 u-bolts to mount it to the grate. Its not pretty, but I'm sure it'll get the job done. I found a new unlined drum for $45 and I'm going to start drilling my air intake holes later this weekend. After that I'm planning on still doing a good burn on the inside, mostly to go ahead and get the outside paint to come off so I can put some high-temp on it. If all goes as planned I may be able to cook some pork butts next week. I'll keep posting pictures of my progress. Thanks for the tips thus far, and anymore will be appreciated.


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## Big Guns 1971 (Nov 7, 2013)

Season the inside of the drum with lard the first burn. It will make the drum last longer. Put another pan down to catch the ashes. This will also help it last longer. Use 3 bolts to hold the gratings up. If you use 4 bolts it's hard to remove the lower grating and they will not sit flat. Hope this helps some.


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## GWMERCER (Jun 30, 2010)

There are hundreds of different ways to build a UDS. I have made several of them and each time I made one I made more improvements. Here is the latest one that I built for a guy. If you have any questions feel free to send me a pm and I will give you my #. Here are some of the items that I used for the pit. 
Food Grade 55gal drum fired twice and sanded inside. It came with a lid and which was sanded down to remove galvanizing.
Intake 
1)1 Â½ black pipe 16â€ long
1)1 Â½ 90
2)1 Â½ x 1â€ nipple
1)1 Â½ Ball Valve
2) 1 Â½ caps
1)1 Â½ x 4â€ black pipe
Exhaust
3â€ exhaust pipe
Cooking Grate 
22â€ Webber replacement Grill
Legs
4) Â½ â€œsquare tubing 
Fire Basket
3/4 expanded metal cut 8â€ in height
12â€ Webber Replacement Grill for Fire Basket 
4) Â½â€™ x 5 or 6â€ square tubing for the legs 

Let me know if this helps in anyway and I do not mind you giving me a call and I can go into more detail on some things that were done and changes I will do for the next one. Good Luck and post some picks for us.


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

Looks like a good one, very nice.


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## John Redcorn (Sep 8, 2009)

Can you explain the purpose of the pipes?


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## Angle Away (May 2, 2013)

John Redcorn said:


> Can you explain the purpose of the pipes?


This is just my semi-educated guess since I dont know the poster: One would be an air inlet (with ball valve as adjuster to aid in temp control) and the other would be a drain for drippings/during cleaning.


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## RedHooker (Jan 13, 2012)

John Redcorn said:


> Can you explain the purpose of the pipes?


A typical UDS has 3 air inlets, with one of the three adjustable. When first lit, all three are wide open. When the coals are burning good, the two non-adjustable inlets are closed leaving the adjustable to regulate temps. All or most of the drippings fall into the fire and are burned or soak up in the ashes in ash pan.


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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

Well I finally found some time today to get back to working on the UDS. I drilled the holes for the air intakes and assembled the intakes. I'm following the plan from Popular Mechanics that has four 24" 3/4" screw pipe intakes with a ball valve on the end. After a lot of reading I'm coming to the fact that four intakes may be a little overkill, but I've already committed when I bought the pipe and had it threaded haha. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the rest of the holes drilled and get it assembled. The drum I bought was a new steel drum but I'm still going to hit it with my weed burner real good and season it with lard for my first coal burn as Big Guns 1971 suggested. I also found a cheap table top grill at buccees that will be a perfect fit for my ash pan (thanks again Big Guns). I'm gonna get some pics posted tomorrow for y'all. GWMercer I will be hitting you up if I catch any snags! By the way any relation to Roy D. Mercer?


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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

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Apologies for the poor photo quality, I'll post another of the final product tomorrow. For the exhaust I drilled 8 1" holes around the inner circumference of the lid and threaded 3/4" plugs in each hole. I haven't seen many do this but the plan I'm following calls for it. We'll see how they work out.


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## John Redcorn (Sep 8, 2009)

Did your build require any welding? Thinking of making one but no access to welder.


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## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Check out Harbor Freight flux wire welder currently on sale for $99. Great user ratings on it.


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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

No welding at all, here's the link to the website

http://www.popularmechanics.com/_mo...your-own-smoker-from-a-55-gallon-drum#slide-1


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## DQW (May 26, 2006)

*UDS*

here is a picture of my UDS 85 GAL Ilove this thing.


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## DQW (May 26, 2006)

*uds*

sorry wrong picture


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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

I finally got around to firing the smoker up. I gave the inside a good coat of lard and loaded the basket up with about 10lbs of lump and some hickory. I then lit some kingsford and spread it on top. I let all the vents open at first to see how hot I could get it and it reached 400F. Then I closed back all but one and let it go for about 20 hours. It held temps from 210 to 240 the whole time, I'm guessing it got pretty windy over night. Next day I still had a few lumps left unburned so I'm thinking it may have went longer. The inside has the beginning of a good season layer. Lord willing I will get some time in the next couple of weeks to do some actual cooking. I've got a good size pork shoulder I've been needing to cook just sitting in the freezer. I'll post some pics when I do. Thanks again to all who have contributed advice!


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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

Smoked a couple of chickens and a small pork shoulder yesterday. They turned out pretty good.


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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

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## JCrow (May 31, 2013)

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## txsmokeater (Jun 10, 2013)

I built an UDSs a couple years ago and love it. One basket of lump coal and a few sticks of seasoning wood and I get at least 15 hours of cook time, every time. I have 3 air inlets and only use 2. Fire that boy up, get to temp, put the meat on and go to bed.
On the dome lid part, I highly recommend one. I added a second rack at the top lip of the drum and doubled my cooking capacity. I had some 'tabs' welded on the edge of the dome lid to keep in place, because yes, it doesn't fit properly. Defiantly worth it though.


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## peelin' drag (Oct 21, 2005)

That's some good looking grub.


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## Part Timer (Jul 2, 2012)

Were are yall finding yalls drums?


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