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

[day_trippr]

Back to one of your earlier questions I missed regarding piping the intake air to the middle of the cooker: it's not necessary, judging from others' builds and performance thereof, and I don't think it would provide any advantage given how open your charcoal basket is.

As for getting your fire going, it sounds like you're doing pretty much what everyone else does. I arrange the unlit fuel load in the charcoal pan (your basket) to get a nice flat bed with even distribution of air gaps. Then I place the lit charcoal in the middle of the bed and smush the hot chunks into a dinner plate size footprint. This has worked nicely for my little ECB, giving it a consistent launch.

I'd try to get consistent in setting up your burn, it has such a big effect on the cook that that's a good place to focus. Then make "gentle" adjustments via the air intakes to sneak up to your desired cooking temperature measured at your cooking grate, until you learn your cookers responsiveness to the controls.

Cheers
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FrankennBrinkmann ECB
Char-Broil Commercial Gasser