UDS - capable of a labor free overnight cook?

[kingofcool]

I'm looking at a possible UDS and have a few questions.

1. Is it good for a overnight cook?

2. Could I use it on gravel?

3. Will it be good for long unused storage?

Thanks

[cvann]

1. Absolutely, once you learn your intake settings to maintain temp, it's a breeze. I rarely adjust mine - 9 times out of 10 leave the ball valve 100% open with the rest of the intakes shut.

2. Yep - I set mine up on a few bricks, but I'm sure gravel would be fine.

3. Most definitely. Barrels by design are made for storage. Just need to keep it dry.

[roscoe1960]

kingofcool, yes to your three questions....here's a link to my first cook on the UDS and have done few more overnite cooks since all came out with success. They are truely amazing.

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=406601&highlight=#406601
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[k.a.m.]

kingofcool, I agree with cvann and roscoe. Yes to all your questions. The UDS and our WSM's are my salvation for long cooks.
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[cityevader]

yes.
yes.
yes.

One tip I've found: Temps when I go to bed are higher than when I wake up. It often drops 40°. Likely a combination of ambient temps dropping, humidity rising, and the stucco balcony and walls retaining sunlight heat and giving off radiant heat when I go to bed, yet dropping soon after.

But I'm always afraid to raise the temp too much before bed. I figure it's better to wake up to it at 190° than 350° from fire catching up to intake position.

Gravel? Whole lot better than mud!

Long unused storage? After a couple cooks you'll be using it every weekend! But rain is a killer, so account for that.
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[kingofcool]

Dumb question but what should I search for on craigslist? Havin a hard time.

[DreChar]

[cityevader]

and misspell barrel too. ... barell, barrell in case the ad has it misspelled.

And if you add your general location in your profile, somebody may know a local source.
_________________
Since Christ DIED for us, we should LIVE for Him!

To make the ° temperature symbol, hold the Alt key while typing 248 on keypad.
.

[MONTEGOD7SS]

I am half through with my first UDS build. It does help that I have a basically limitless supply of barrels from a local round track engine builder friend. They pump out 441ci all aluminum small blocks as fast as they can, and really go through the methanol to feed them on the dyno. The one I got had a liner, but man that was fun burning it out! I got rid of probably 300lb of pine limbs, 2x4s, and other scrap around the house, all while drinking beer.

Next time I'm going to get one that had race gas in it and see if it has a liner or not. Reasoning says methanol would need a liner but gasoline wouldn't, but we'll see. Call around to some engine builders and I bet they have a barrel pile somewhere they stack them until they make a dump run. Here is where I get mine.

[Jarhead]

MONTEGOD7SS, good call. We have one local. I never even thought about them. DUH
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[Jonnyrod]

I have 8 open top drums here at the house. You can have one but ya gotta come get it.

[kingofcool]

Would love to make the trip to tejas with a stop in a few spots in between (namely new orleans) but that's quite a hike from Georgia. Thanks though!

[El Cerdito]

I don't know how popular it is in your area to be green, earth friendly, or just a plain 'ol hippy. But if you have a biodiesel shop in your area you can often times get a used food grade barrel for about $20.00. I've purchased two for UDS builds so far and I plan on making a few more.
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[cityevader]

Did you get the barrells from the same bio place i did? The little hole-in-the-wall auto shop on Water and Catalpa st with the cars and barrells stuffed into the back lot?

I also live in SJ and reverse commute to SCZ.
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Since Christ DIED for us, we should LIVE for Him!

To make the ° temperature symbol, hold the Alt key while typing 248 on keypad.
.

[dheidemann]

i just found some on craigslist for $10......