My UDS Build -w/updated pics 11-16 first cook

[mtrammel]

Nice job on those. That plasma work is top notch. Great looking UDSs well thought out. Look forward to seeing some smoke in them!
_________________
Chargriller Offset
Bass Pro XPS propane 60k BTU Grill
Stainless Fish Fryer
UDS

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

[Teleking]

Nice job on the charcoal basket. Up the diameter on that plasma cut and you got a cooking grate.
_________________
“Franken Smoker”

“The Bride of Franken Smoker”

[dbleyepatches]

That plasma cut grate looks awesome! Any time I can make something myself instead of buying a premade one, I feel more proud of the build.

I agree with the post above. You can make a cooking grate or two with the same design and slightly larger holes.

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

Near ready now.... I gotta do this quick I need to leave for a 2 hour drive to south side of Chi-Town.

here's the charcoal basket. Real happy how this turned out


a look inside


Not bad... not so ugly now


painter thought 1 quart of paint would do 2 units but he was wrong. I'll paint the lid later tonight


I'll have more. Hope to give it a teat run later today. Hopefully I'll have enough time. Maybe some chickens tomorrow....
_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[BluzQue]

12TH AV SMOKERS Man your charcoal basket is fine !


_________________
" A Touch of Hickory and a Taste of the Blues "

GOOD MUSIC GOOD FOOD GOOD BEER GREAT FRIENDS

OLE BOY OFFSET SMOKER
WEBER PERFORMER GRILL
WHISKEY BARREL SMOKER

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

Ok I got home and mounted the thermometer... after I dropped it and broke the face!!! I needed to buy a another one & better one so I guess I better soon..
but anyways I loaded the basket with 8.8 lbs of Schnucks Lump for the test.. it's been a couple hours and I have the mounted therm at 225-230 and the oven therm on the grate iniside at 250. The inside therm is more centrally located so that might be correct. My side mount therm only has a 3" probe. Valve fully open and all nipples closed.
So far so good.. can't wait to add meat. This site is awesome. Thank you all!
_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[dbleyepatches]

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

So if you're using a long probe on your thermometer then it must be removed every time you need the charcoal basket removed.... is that correct?

Had a little difficulty keep the temp up... too hot with the caps off the other nipples but not hot enough with just the ball valve all the way open. Is this exhausting enough? I see others with just the standard Weber exhaust holes on their lids so I assumed I'd be allright.
Trying it again right now. I'll try chicken today. Nothing special with it I just need some test meat.
_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

So if you're using a long probe on your thermometer then it must be removed every time you need the charcoal basket removed.... is that correct?

Had a little difficulty keep the temp up... too hot with the caps off the other nipples but not hot enough with just the ball valve all the way open. Is this exhausting enough? I see others with just the standard Weber exhaust holes on their lids so I assumed I'd be allright.
Trying it again right now. I'll try chicken today. Nothing special with it I just need some test meat.
_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[day_trippr]

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

Thanks!
I didn't explain too well. I do have a therm mounted on the side with a 3/4" hole. My pics didn't show it because I hadn't installed it yet. OK, it was at 250 but after a 5 hours it was 200 and below with the valve open and nipples plugged. Removing a plug made the temp rise too much.
I started another burn already today with a modification. I turned the ball valve so that it's parallel to the ground rather than vertical. Seems to be helping. Might be easier for the air to draw through??? I wouldn't think so because so many have tall pipes on the sides. Maybe I just did a better job of startiing the coals???
3.5 hours into the burn and it's at 250 on both therms !!!

Here chicky chicky .....
_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

Update: 5 hours into this run. Temp was low so removed 1 pipe plug. Came up to 250 real fast. Added chicken an hour ago. Still at 250 with 4 chickens loaded up....
_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[dbleyepatches]

[dbleyepatches]

[Skidder]

Well ain't that a sweet looking UDS. Nice job on everything.

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

Thanks everyone for the comments and answers.... you've put me on the track to a sweet smoker. I love it already. Well here's a pic of the first cook on the UDS. I've got to make some mods to a couple of things.
But all in all I'm very happy with the first real run yesterday.
1) need more thermometers and they need longer probes. At first they were reading the same then later on I was getting different readings from the side mounted one (1" under the grate) and the one sitting on the grate. I think the side mount needs a longer probe so I'll move that to the cover and buy a new one for the side.
Maybe better quality??

2) I know earlier I said it got too hot with plugs removed but on yesterdays burn I needed all three air inlets 100% open to keep it near or at 250. When loaded with food.
I originally had a pipe on the inside of the valved inlet leading to the center of the barrel. I removed it but I might put it back in to see if it'll feed the center of the coals better. Think it'll help??

3) Exhaust ?? I asked earlier and tended to agree that I didn't need it but now I'm wondering.

Well that's enough here's the pic... turned out to be good eats too

_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[12TH AV SMOKERS]

Thanks everyone for the comments and answers.... you've put me on the track to a sweet smoker. I love it already. Well here's a pic of the first cook on the UDS. I've got to make some mods to a couple of things.
But all in all I'm very happy with the first real run yesterday.
1) need more thermometers and they need longer probes. At first they were reading the same then later on I was getting different readings from the side mounted one (1" under the grate) and the one sitting on the grate. I think the side mount needs a longer probe so I'll move that to the cover and buy a new one for the side.
Maybe better quality??

2) I know earlier on Sat. I said it got too hot on my test burn with plugs removed but on yesterdays burn I needed all three air inlets 100% open to keep it near or at 250. When loaded with food.
So Iwas thinking, that can be dangerous, I originally had a pipe on the inside of the valved inlet leading to the center of the barrel. I removed it but I was thinking of putting it back in to see if it'll feed the center of the coals better. Think it'll help??

3) Exhaust ?? I asked earlier and tended to agree that I didn't need it larger but now I'm wondering.

Well that's enough here's the pic... turned out to be good eats too

_________________
FATTIE THROWDOWN CHAMP
(2) WBS- Wine Barrel Smokers
(2) BDS - Brick Drum Smokers
(1) UDS - Ugly Drum smoker
SMS - Vertical - wood / gasser

http://www.youngbergindustries.com/

[day_trippr]

Those are some photogenic birds you cooked there, 12TH AV SMOKERS! They look super!

On your cook, here's what I'm thinking: first cooks are almost always total learning experiences. There are little knacks that you quickly learn with respect to the kind of fuel you use, how much you load, how much lit coals you use to get the cook started and how you place them, how to set your intakes at first light and then learning how to sneak up to your goal temp, accounting for overshoots, and learning to close the intakes before opening the lid, and loading food quickly and so on.

Your charcoal basket is stellar, and you have a tight fitting kettle lid with the typical exhaust damper. If you followed the general guidelines on UDS intakes (four 3/4" nipples, three with caps, one with a ball valve) you have followed in a long, virtually unbroken line of success, with respect to design.

The rest is just a learning process, and I expect with each cook you'll be happier with both the cook and the result.

By the way: what kind of charcoal were you using?

Cheers!
_________________
Save the planet: it's the only one with beer!
FrankennBrinkmann ECB
Char-Broil Commercial Gasser

[12TH AV SMOKERS]