UDS Kits now available

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dataz722

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Ok, after multiple delays I finally have everything together for these kits.

A UDS or ugly/upright drum smoker is a popular, inexpensive, great beginner smoker. They can hold temperature without messing with them for hours upon hours. If you search google or any bbq forums you will find tons of different examples and designs but they all come down to pretty much the same principle. The kit that I have put together will include almost everything needed to make a basic UDS. The only things that you will need aside from the kit are a 55 gallon steel open head drum with lid, a 22.5" round grill grate and a thermometer of some sort.

For the drum it is best to get a "like-new" refurbished unlined open-head drum. If you have the option a non ported lid is best as well. If you are not able to get a refurbished one it will probably have a liner. You will need to burn/grind the liner out. For most of the liners a big fire will get the majority of it then a little scraping will get the rest.


The reason I am putting these kits together is to make the process much easier and cheaper for people. Most of these parts can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes but are far from inexpensive. By purchasing everything in bulk I am able to sell everything much cheaper. It is also very important to not use anything that has been galvanized or coated in zinc and not all HDs or Lowes carry what is needed in stainless steel. In addition all the expanded steel will come precut where as if it was purchased at Home Depot a person would have to have a grinder or some other way of cutting the steel.

I am giving an option of the style of charcoal basket that comes with the kit. There is a round and a square one available. The round holds less charcoal (still will hold more than a full bag) and does also require the separate purchase of a 16" round charcoal grate. The benefit with the round one though is that it will be easier to attach an ash pan to if that is what you would like. Also, some people just prefer a round one. The round basket will be ~15" diameter and 12" tall. The square one will be 12"x12" and 9" tall.


Both kits will include:
3- 3/4" 2" Nipples
2- 3/4" Caps
1- 3/4" Ball Valve
6- 3/4" Conduit Nuts
4- Magnet to cover vent holes in the lid
3- 1/4-20 stainless steel 2" bolts
6- 1/4-20 stainless steel nuts

The round basket will also include:
4- 1/4-20 stainless steel 1" bolts
14- 1/4-20 stainless steel nuts
14- 1/4" x 1.5"stainless steel fender washers
3- 1/4-20 stainless steel 3" bolts
4- Stainless steel zip ties
4 square feet of expanded steel

The square basket will include:
24- Stainless steel zip ties
5 square feet of expanded steel


The price for either kit is $47.50 + actual shipping. The shipping will be no more than $14.95.


Just to give a comparison, if you were to purchase all of these pieces at home depot the cost would be $101.75 for the square and $77.53 for the round one. These prices are what were listed today at my local store on Home Depot's website. The only exception to that are the fender washers and the zip ties. Neither home depot nor Lowes carries either of those so I priced them according to what I was able to find online (not including shipping).

If you have any questions or would like a kit let me know. Thanks



I do not have any pictures yet but I should be able to get them up tonight.
 
Pm me when you get pics up.

No problem. It really is dependant on the weather though. I can get up pictures of all the parts but not completed sooner but I hope to get some build/completed pictures up this weekend.
 
I grew up in MD, Cecil County actually. I am an all around MD fan; Ravens, O's, and Terps.
 
Mo county my friend. I have a barrel smoker and am entering a friendly contest this spring.
 
Nice job, seems like a great price point as well. Lots of these over on the smoking meat forums. I really want to build one someday and this will help. Get those pics up also, I would like to see the basket design.:mug:
 
I am getting the pic up as soon as possible Only problem is I need to get outside to build another one and get the pictures and the weather just doesn't want to let me. Hell, last night we weren't even supposed to get any snow at all yet I woke up to more. I am detrmined to get them done this weekend though, even if it means I take a torch out back to try and melt the snow. :D
 
Yeah you guys on the East Coast have been getting slammed this winter, its been fairly mild here in Idaho. Im in no hurry for the pics, get them up when you have a chance brother.:mug:
 
Actually I just talked to a friend a minute ago and looks like I will have photos and videos too. Weather says 42 on Saturday so as long as that holds up we should get it done then.
 
Do you still have these kits available? May be a few weeks/month before I could purchase one tho. Starting a new job.
 
Yeah, I still have some left.

I am still trying to get that video shot. The weather just refuses to cooperate. It is either raining or snowing or so windy that it would mess up the audio.
 
I am subscribing to this thread so I can keep updated, I will probably be ready to pull the trigger on one of these as well as soon as the new brew system is completes (hard to focus on one project at a time!). Looking forward to some footage!
 
Sorry, don't know how I didn't see this until now. The video never happened. Between the weather not allowing it or the guy that was going to do the video not being able to make time it just didn't happen. I would still like to do it in the near future but instead I just took pictures of a build. I will get them up.
 
Sorry for never getting pictures up sooner but finally, here they are.


Charcoal Basket (note- it will come with stainless steel zip ties, I just used the colored plastic ones when I was doing the one for the instructions)


DSC_0053.jpg by Michael Dibert Photography, on Flickr

Coal Basket with just under a full bag of charcoal in it.


DSC_0056.jpg by Michael Dibert Photography, on Flickr

Lid - magnets are used to cover holes when not in use


DSC_0058.jpg by Michael Dibert Photography, on Flickr

Bottom - one more nipple with a cap is on the other side too


DSC_0060.jpg by Michael Dibert Photography, on Flickr

Very bad picture of the inside


DSC_0062.jpg by Michael Dibert Photography, on Flickr

What it looks like with a generic cover (not included)


DSC_0065.jpg by Michael Dibert Photography, on Flickr
 
I am but need to cut down some more steel and it has been raining here it seems for the past month so I haven't been able to. I was planning on this weekend up now they are saying it is supposed to rain until Wednesday again. I can PM you when I am finally able to get outside to get it done.
 
I am but need to cut down some more steel and it has been raining here it seems for the past month so I haven't been able to. I was planning on this weekend up now they are saying it is supposed to rain until Wednesday again. I can PM you when I am finally able to get outside to get it done.

Please PM me when you have the kits again. As I dont get on here to much but want one of the kits.
 
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