I like your ideas. Especially the vent on the bottom and the shelf racks. Going to have to borrow them on my build if you don’t mind. Thanks for thinking out of the box and sharing with us.
For a charcoal basket, I was thinking of getting an old brake drum to a big truck. It would last almost forever. I also cut in a door at the bottom of the barrel to access the fire box. The door also serves as my air intake depending on how much I leave it open.
Hi Keith. Thanks for sharing your experience and insights on air flow and your creative solutions air flow, accessories, and for low & slow cooking on the UDS. Great job!
George Bennett The valves he used were standard type ball valves. There are "full port" valves that have the same ID as the pipe. This would let in much more air.
This is the best UDS improvement I've seen so far. Really gave me a bunch of ideas. Thanks! Otherwise I'm living in Hungary :) and I'm preparing to build such a useful UDS too. My first step is to see the already built ones here on TH-cam.
Wow- you hung a ton of stuff off that uds. Man needs to know when enough is enough. I guess if you are happy with it, that's all that matters. Happy smoking.
Hi, Why did you not buy full bore ball valves at the get go? Yours are reduced bore requiring more valves, you could have go away with max two 3/4" full bore valves with one 3/4" nipple at the rear which would have required capping once at temperature. I was under the impression that the amount of inlet air determined the rate of burn, irrespective of the quantity of charcoal? Less oxygen the slower the coals ignite and burn. So you have increased your inlet air significantly, requiring that you reduce the amount of coals. Are you not treating the symptom rather than the cause.
like your drum. I'm about to build my first one. Is there a reason you didn't put 3 removable rods across the top to hang meats from hooks? I like the idea of hanging a turkey or a rack of ribs so I'll probably be adding that feature.
I like my ribs to be fall of the bone. I know there should tug but I like them the other way so hanging them some would fall down in the drum. Turkeys I just set on a grate.
Skeetszoid Zoid but the ash pan is still over it so it can’t be getting that much more air...look at every good offset smoker the damper is rite next to the coals so you can control your temp idk seems like an unnecessary upgrade to me.
18 inches across by2 inches tall aluminum cake pan. I had to fasten it to the grate in a number of places because it want to warp from the heat. Got it from the internet
Stainless screws and nuts on the adjustable shelf brackets inside the drum and the same for the outside permanent shelf bracket. Lined them up so the inside bracket covered the nut from the out side bracket.
@Skeetszoid ZoidUh well sir!!! I'm from a different country. Kindly help me understand it better. It costed only 80 dollars for all that upgrades excluding the drum? I would like to know the total cost of everything including all accessories, grates,etc
Ive been pretty busy Ill try to get one done soon. I made a new UDS with out the air pipes looks the same just with out the pipes works just fine. This is my recipe for Baby Backs in my gas smoker but I adapt it to my UDS with large chunks of wood and I don't need to refill the water pan in the UDS. Sam’s Club Baby back ribs three in a pack .These Ribs seem to have a lot of meat on them for Baby Backs. Trim fat pull back side membrane. Trim all dingle berries. Wash under running water and pat dry lightly cover with Kosher salt, Cover with Stubb's BBQ dry rub and then cover with yellow mustard. Rap in foil let set over night. I use EXTRA HEAVY DUTY aluminum foil from the restaurant- paper- party supply store not from the grocery. It's pricey and comes in a 500 foot roll lasts a long time but It doesn't tare or get a hole poked in it. Fill water pan and one heaping wood tray or basket (UDS) with small wood chips. ( large chips) in UDS. Smoke 1-1/2 hour with mostly hickory can add some apple or maple - cherry 225 deg After 1-1/2 hour refill water tray if necessary. Place ribs in foil canoe aka ( Texas Crutch ). Add ½ can 3 fl oz of pineapple juice rap tightly raise temp to 250 - 260 At 4 hours and 10 minutes. (Optional) remove foil and mop with Stubb's mopping sauce (favorite) or with Swineapple rib glaze) Check water pan cook for 10 minutes. They seem to dry out when not in the foil be careful. Serve fall off the bone ribs I know that's a no no but that's the way I like them. Good Luck. 1. Revision on 9-18-16 cut off ½ hour of cooking time if you don’t want fall off the bone.
I want to add the adjustable shelves to mine but someone on a UDS facebook was saying you have to remove the zinc from these shelves and hooks first. Did you do that? If so, how did you do it....thanks
My shelf brackets were painted white I just burnt the paint off. As far as the adjustable shelf standers I think they were steel can't say for sure. I'll take a look at them next time I go to Lowe's.
Where there are problems and you have solutions!!!! Love your Ideas!!!!
I like your ideas. Especially the vent on the bottom and the shelf racks. Going to have to borrow them on my build if you don’t mind. Thanks for thinking out of the box and sharing with us.
For a charcoal basket, I was thinking of getting an old brake drum to a big truck. It would last almost forever.
I also cut in a door at the bottom of the barrel to access the fire box. The door also serves as my air intake depending on how much I leave it open.
Very informative! I haven't built mine yet, still in the education process, your video provided me a lot of do's and don't.
You sir are a genius. Really like the mods you've done to your uds. I'm definitely trying this on my yes. Thank you
Excellent video! By far best DIY smoker vid on here!
The paint can in the center of your charcoal basket is a good idea. I’m gonna have to copy that. :-)
Hi Keith. Thanks for sharing your experience and insights on air flow and your creative solutions air flow, accessories, and for low & slow cooking on the UDS. Great job!
George Bennett
The valves he used were standard type ball valves. There are "full port" valves that have the same ID as the pipe. This would let in much more air.
Thank you for posting this. Some great info here like the adjustable shelves. Smoke on.
This is the best UDS improvement I've seen so far. Really gave me a bunch of ideas. Thanks! Otherwise I'm living in Hungary :) and I'm preparing to build such a useful UDS too. My first step is to see the already built ones here on TH-cam.
Hey man, love the modifications, you gave me lots of ideas for the one I am going to build, thanks man, Keep on Smokin, Rico
Nice build. I know this is an old video but where may i ask did get your lid hinge?
Love the grill idea! Where did you find the 22" round grill?
Хорошая идея с банкой в центре корзины!
Superb ingenuity!! Do the brackets have to be stainless steel?
I learnt more in this single video than any other :)
Wow- you hung a ton of stuff off that uds. Man needs to know when enough is enough. I guess if you are happy with it, that's all that matters. Happy smoking.
Lots of great ideas. Would love to see a video of your second gen UDS !
Thanks for a great bunch of ideas
Next time ask for full port ball valves
Get rid of that basket and make a bcf . Needs more room for ash . Pretty cool mods though.
That's an awesome upgrade
Excellent video and improvements. What about a lid handle? Thanks
Hi,
Why did you not buy full bore ball valves at the get go? Yours are reduced bore requiring more valves, you could have go away with max two 3/4" full bore valves with one 3/4" nipple at the rear which would have required capping once at temperature.
I was under the impression that the amount of inlet air determined the rate of burn, irrespective of the quantity of charcoal? Less oxygen the slower the coals ignite and burn. So you have increased your inlet air significantly, requiring that you reduce the amount of coals. Are you not treating the symptom rather than the cause.
Wasn't aware of full bore valves thanks for the info. Built new one without the pipes just the vent in the bottom works fine.
like your drum. I'm about to build my first one. Is there a reason you didn't put 3 removable rods across the top to hang meats from hooks? I like the idea of hanging a turkey or a rack of ribs so I'll probably be adding that feature.
I like my ribs to be fall of the bone. I know there should tug but I like them the other way so hanging them some would fall down in the drum. Turkeys I just set on a grate.
That's the main reason I am building my first UDS. I want to hang briskets or rib racks.
Hi everyone, does anybody can suggested me the distance from the bottom to top where is the best distance to place the water pan? Thank you!
If you have an ash can on top of the damper you added tk the bottom how is extra air able to come in??? Doesn’t make sense...
Skeetszoid Zoid but the ash pan is still over it so it can’t be getting that much more air...look at every good offset smoker the damper is rite next to the coals so you can control your temp idk seems like an unnecessary upgrade to me.
Great ideas - thanks for sharing
nice video thank you for the ideas
Thanks @Skeetszoid !!! you gave me some good ideas to use on my UDS WELL DONE !!!
awesome video! thanks
awesome idea
Great ideas. Thanks
Where's the beef?
Never smoked for 12 hours? That's like all I ever do...
Hey, where I can order such a bowls for grilling. Where did you get the grillsoste?
Excellent build. what size ash pan are you using. Where did you get it.
18 inches across by2 inches tall aluminum cake pan. I had to fasten it to the grate in a number of places because it want to warp from the heat. Got it from the internet
very nice....!
How did you fasten your closet brackets to the barrel? Like that idea
Stainless screws and nuts on the adjustable shelf brackets inside the drum and the same for the outside permanent shelf bracket. Lined them up so the inside bracket covered the nut from the out side bracket.
This one is a premium .
May I know how much it costed for you ?
@Skeetszoid ZoidUh well sir!!!
I'm from a different country. Kindly help me understand it better.
It costed only 80 dollars for all that upgrades excluding the drum?
I would like to know the total cost of everything including all accessories, grates,etc
Are you going to upload a video of you actually cooking on it?
Ive been pretty busy Ill try to get one done soon. I made a new UDS with out the air pipes looks the same just with out the pipes works just fine. This is my recipe for Baby Backs in my gas smoker but I adapt it to my UDS with large chunks of wood and I don't need to refill the water pan in the UDS. Sam’s Club Baby back ribs three in a pack .These Ribs seem to have a lot of meat on them for Baby Backs. Trim fat pull back side membrane. Trim all dingle berries. Wash under running water and pat dry lightly cover with Kosher salt, Cover with Stubb's BBQ dry rub and then cover with yellow mustard. Rap in foil let set over night. I use EXTRA HEAVY DUTY aluminum foil from the restaurant- paper- party supply store not from the grocery. It's pricey and comes in a 500 foot roll lasts a long time but It doesn't tare or get a hole poked in it. Fill water pan and one heaping wood tray or basket (UDS) with small wood chips. ( large chips) in UDS. Smoke 1-1/2 hour with mostly hickory can add some apple or maple - cherry 225 deg After 1-1/2 hour refill water tray if necessary. Place ribs in foil canoe aka ( Texas Crutch ). Add ½ can 3 fl oz of pineapple juice rap tightly raise temp to 250 - 260 At 4 hours and 10 minutes. (Optional) remove foil and mop with Stubb's mopping sauce (favorite) or with Swineapple rib glaze) Check water pan cook for 10 minutes. They seem to dry out when not in the foil be careful. Serve fall off the bone ribs I know that's a no no but that's the way I like them. Good Luck.
1. Revision on 9-18-16 cut off ½ hour of cooking time if you don’t want fall off the bone.
I want to add the adjustable shelves to mine but someone on a UDS facebook was saying you have to remove the zinc from these shelves and hooks first. Did you do that? If so, how did you do it....thanks
My shelf brackets were painted white I just burnt the paint off. As far as the adjustable shelf standers I think they were steel can't say for sure. I'll take a look at them next time I go to Lowe's.
www.lowes.com/pd/Style-Selections-0-65-in-W-x-48-03-in-H-x-0-39-in-D-Steel-Wall-Mounted-Shelving/1001971
What did you use As your water pan? Thanks!
It's a good size wok. It's round on the bottom and sits nicely in the center of the grate when you remove the center portion of the weber grate.
X1.5
Great video. Where did you get the copper inserts for the thermometer?
Hardware store. Brass compression fittings 1/4 inch I think. You may need to drill them out a little larger to get the probe through.