Newbie UDS build.
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- Pilgrim
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 11:31 am
- Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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Newbie UDS build.
Finished building my first UDS yesterday, and it is ugly for sure.
I got just about every idea off of this great forum, now all I need to do is try it!
> Quaker State closed head drum; top sliced off
> 500 °F engine paint [I thought it was metallic grey, I guess I didn't read the label very well. turned out to be textured imitation cast iron]
> 3/4" brass ball valve, with 3 old bearing races to shim it up.
> 13/16" x 1-3/4" oval start up draft hole
> 14" aluminum "comal" cooking pan for ashes
> Heavy expanded steel basket in form of a doughnut
> Conduit fitting and Wild Turkey cork for temperature probe
> #12 expanded steel grates welded to hoops made of square stock
> Bar stock and old serpentine belt along with 650 °F Ultra Copper form the gasket
> Bung fittings removed because they were plated with cadmium
> Small trowel used to regulate exhaust
> 1" dowel handle
At the moment I am waiting for a new thermocouple for my automotive multimeter to arrive so I can do the seasoning run. I plan to use half a basket at 350 °F.
Somehow I forgot that silicone can't be painted, hence the peeling under the bar stock revealing the orange silicone.
I got just about every idea off of this great forum, now all I need to do is try it!
> Quaker State closed head drum; top sliced off
> 500 °F engine paint [I thought it was metallic grey, I guess I didn't read the label very well. turned out to be textured imitation cast iron]
> 3/4" brass ball valve, with 3 old bearing races to shim it up.
> 13/16" x 1-3/4" oval start up draft hole
> 14" aluminum "comal" cooking pan for ashes
> Heavy expanded steel basket in form of a doughnut
> Conduit fitting and Wild Turkey cork for temperature probe
> #12 expanded steel grates welded to hoops made of square stock
> Bar stock and old serpentine belt along with 650 °F Ultra Copper form the gasket
> Bung fittings removed because they were plated with cadmium
> Small trowel used to regulate exhaust
> 1" dowel handle
At the moment I am waiting for a new thermocouple for my automotive multimeter to arrive so I can do the seasoning run. I plan to use half a basket at 350 °F.
Somehow I forgot that silicone can't be painted, hence the peeling under the bar stock revealing the orange silicone.
- jlh
- Pilgrim
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:13 pm
- Location: Boyd, Tx
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Looks like a meat cooking machine! I think you'll be pleased with the way it cooks...
- BluDawg
- Chuck Wagon
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Looks like a Hickerbilly hotrod, Redneck Steampunk Meat cookin moechine. word> Keep the Exhaust WFO
Never met a cow I didn't like with a little salt and pepper.
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- Boots
- Wordsmith
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
I particularly like the masonry trowel top vent valve.
THIS IS A MAJOR AWARD. HARRUMMPPPHHH.
THIS IS A MAJOR AWARD. HARRUMMPPPHHH.
BE WELL, BUT NOT DONE
Hank: "Do you know how to jumpstart a man's heart with a downed power line?"
Bobby: "No."
Hank: "Well, there's really no wrong way to do it."
Hank: "Do you know how to jumpstart a man's heart with a downed power line?"
Bobby: "No."
Hank: "Well, there's really no wrong way to do it."
- ChileFarmer
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Workmanship looks good, nice job. Top grate may be a little to high. Maybe more room between lid and grate might be needed. I am thinking at least 7" from-lid to grate. CF
OK, get over it, you lost. God bless America
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Lots of Sub folders to.
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- Big Ed
- Outlaw
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Nice build. now its time to get er dirty!!!
Can't Beat A Drum!!!
Big Ed BBQ
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Custom elf Pit (UDS on Steriods)
Water Tower pit
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22'' weber kettle
Big Ed BBQ
https://www.facebook.com/BigEdBbq
Custom elf Pit (UDS on Steriods)
Water Tower pit
PK Grill
22'' weber kettle
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- Pilgrim
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 11:31 am
- Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
- Contact:
Re: Newbie UDS build.
Thank you everyone for the compliments!
You're right, I may need to adjust the height of the top rack. I didn't account for the thickness of the rack when I drilled. As it is now there is 1-1/2" clearance between the top of the lid and the top of the upper rack. The racks are spaced 7" apart. I'll probably only be using the lower rack, I don't anticipate needing full capacity often.
I had a couple of new thermocouples ordered from Urrea [Proto of Mexico], but they called and told me they're discontinued. I visited 4 electronics shops today, but no luck. I suspect an oven thermometer would be just about as difficult to source here. For the seasoning run I guess I'll use my 15 year old antifreeze stained thermocouple, and order a new one off of the local version of eBay for cooking with.
ChileFarmer wrote:Workmanship looks good, nice job. Top grate may be a little to high. Maybe more room between lid and grate might be needed. I am thinking at least 7" from-lid to grate. CF
You're right, I may need to adjust the height of the top rack. I didn't account for the thickness of the rack when I drilled. As it is now there is 1-1/2" clearance between the top of the lid and the top of the upper rack. The racks are spaced 7" apart. I'll probably only be using the lower rack, I don't anticipate needing full capacity often.
I had a couple of new thermocouples ordered from Urrea [Proto of Mexico], but they called and told me they're discontinued. I visited 4 electronics shops today, but no luck. I suspect an oven thermometer would be just about as difficult to source here. For the seasoning run I guess I'll use my 15 year old antifreeze stained thermocouple, and order a new one off of the local version of eBay for cooking with.
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- Bandolero
- Posts: 551
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Hey cool Oaxaca!!
We have some Gonzales' here from Oaxaca
The parents went back, but all the kids stayed here...
If I ever go to Mexico I am flying to Oaxaca City....
Sweet drum build.....
We have some Gonzales' here from Oaxaca
The parents went back, but all the kids stayed here...
If I ever go to Mexico I am flying to Oaxaca City....
Sweet drum build.....
Pit Barrel Cooker Fanatic
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- Pilgrim
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 11:31 am
- Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
- Contact:
Re: Newbie UDS build.
I finally got around to doing the dry run today on the UDS today. Ran it up to 350 °F on half a basket. I ended up ordering a Taylor candy thermometer from Grainger, between work and waiting for the thermometer I took my sweet time getting around to it. I'm thinking about trying a brisket next weekend. I just spoke to my butcher, he said he can get me a brisket for the day after I order it for $2.30/lb.
- ChileFarmer
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Nice price on the brisket, will be looking forward to some photos soon. CF
OK, get over it, you lost. God bless America
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee175/ChileFarmer" target="_blank
Lots of Sub folders to.
http://curingandsmoking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee175/ChileFarmer" target="_blank
Lots of Sub folders to.
http://curingandsmoking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank
- Grillatarian
- Rustler
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- Location: North Central Texas
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Awesome job! Those are some killer grates! If ya don't like the color you can always consider that first coat a primer and just hit it again. But the real beauty of a UDS is what's cookin' on the inside!
"I don't always smoke meat, but when I do...I use a drum. Stay hungry my friends!"
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- Pilgrim
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 11:31 am
- Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
- Contact:
Re: Newbie UDS build.
Well, I finally got around to cooking meat for the first time on the UDS, smoked a 6-1/2 lb. brisket yesterday. I had quite a time comunicating with the butcher what a brisket is, had to use pictures and diagrams, but he got the idea and delivered a picture perfect cut. I did a dry rub with salt, fresh ground pepper and a spice mix the night before. Fat side up 2 hours, then 2 hours down, then 1-1/2 hour wrapped in parchment paper. I tried to keep the drum between 230-250 degrees, used Kingsford mesquite briquettes [I know, sacrilage, they were on sale at Sam's Club, impulse buy]. The brisket tasted a little like ham, and I don't like ham, but it had a tolerable flavor. I ended up eating half of the points end yesterday afternoon by myself. It was a little tough, in retrospect I probably should have allowed one hour per pound. Next time I'm thinking of oak charcoal and just salt and pepper, to keep it from tasting like ham.
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- Pilgrim
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 11:31 am
- Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Here's a picture of the brisket when I pulled it.
- ChileFarmer
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- Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:18 pm
- Location: Jacksonville,Texas
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Re: Newbie UDS build.
Looks pretty good, how was the taste? CF
OK, get over it, you lost. God bless America
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee175/ChileFarmer" target="_blank
Lots of Sub folders to.
http://curingandsmoking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee175/ChileFarmer" target="_blank
Lots of Sub folders to.
http://curingandsmoking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank
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- Pilgrim
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 11:31 am
- Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
- Contact:
Re: Newbie UDS build.
ChileFarmer wrote:Looks pretty good, how was the taste? CF
It was just okay. It tasted like ham to me, and I don't care much for ham. It was just a little tough too, could've stood to be in there another hour. That said, I couldn't stop eating it after it rested.
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