UDS build... Finally time for an upgrade...

[BeeRich]

Mind if I ask where you bought the vent? I'd like to get one for my WSM. Any idea how I could hook it up to a bottom vent on the WSM?

 

[bigwheel]

Well thought the underlying premise of all the folks urging other folks to buy WSM's was their miraculous air control mechanisms. If the premise be true how come it would need extry intake vents? Are you saying it has an air control problemo as it comes from the box? Or is the prospective hybrid going to a be a super hot chicken blaster perhaps? Thanks.

bigwheel

 

[BeeRich]

Yes, but I'm a tinkerer and a perfectionist. My WSM can go a bit warm on me, and futzing about with the bottom front vent can make it go up and down and up and down...for 8 hours. I'd rather just invest in some kind of control so I can aim for a much more precise temperature.

 

[Jester1]

Mind if I ask where you bought the vent? I'd like to get one for my WSM. Any idea how I could hook it up to a bottom vent on the WSM?

I bought the vent from a local BGE dealer... They have something on there website about not providing the BGE products to Internet companies, but you can search for a local dealer on there website. I made a few calls from the list and found a stove&fireplace shop 5 miles away that always has them in stock. Good luck...!!!

 

[BeeRich]

Thanks for the reply. I found some fans I can use. Went out today and grabbed some. Hopefully this will be a great project!

 

[Jester1]

Here's an update.... After the burnout I got a little distracted and cleaned out the garage. It was getting frustrating since I was having a hard time finding my tools..!! Hahahaa...

Here's a picture after the two burnouts I did...

Tonight I took the drum up to a car dealer my buddy works for and used there wash bay to pressure wash out the drum.... I forgot my scrub bush and can still feel a little soot on the inside. Kinda freaks me out, so I may just scrub it again and see if that gets more of the gunk out. I'm a worrisome person...

Here's a pic of the "cleaned" drum...

 

[bigwheel]

Gotcha on the air control problemo on the WSM Rich. Fine barrell burning orgy looks like somebody had there Jester.

bigwheel

 

[BeeRich]

Today's smoke is/was a bit low, but I like that. Mucho meat in the smoker, but I'd like to have that control. Also, if I can get some kind of wireless feedback, that would be great too. My fuel ran out today, had to add some more.

 

[Jester1]

Fine barrell burning orgy looks like somebody had there Jester.

Definitely was a great time...!!! A good reason to have some people over and have a few beers... hahahaa

Tonight I took the angle grinder around the rim and got the lid to fit a little better. Its still a tight fit, but I'd rather have that for now, then have it be too loose. I have a few more holes to drill and then I'm going to get to painting... My drill bits don't really like the metal, so I need to find a better bit to use. Hopefully a few more days and it'll be done...

 

[Tri Tip]

Burning it out was the best part. Nothing like burning paint to make the neighbors happy.

 

[Jester1]

Burning it out was the best part. Nothing like burning paint to make the neighbors happy.

That funky smell lingered around for a while... Hahahaa... Ddnt know if it was the paint or leftovers from what was inside. No one wanted to hang out by the drum for the first 35 minutes.

 

[Jester1]

Tonight I borrowed the right size drill bits and finished up getting the vent mounting holes drilled and the hole for my BGE thermometer. The vent holes worked out great and now all I need to do is paint then add some high temp RTV behind the vent assembly. Bad news is the BGE thermometer that I had doesn't mount with a nut and uses a clip thing... Well it has been working out great for my weber, but doesn't sit right in the UDS. So I have been looking around to get a Tel-Tru black face thermometer. This will set me back a little bit on my timeline (and more money), but I may go ahead and season with the BGE thermometer and then just drill a larger hole once the Tel-Tru gets here... If its not one thing, its 10 others... hahaha

 

[Jester1]

Tonight I got a decent amount of work done on the UDS. Finally got home before it was dark and was able to focus... I scrubbed the inside out again with a scrub brush and then prepped for paint.

Here's a pic with the hardware mounted to the inside...

I used the black grill paint and it came out looking like this..

I ended up not really liking the flat black paint and I ran out of the first can after 2 coats.... So I decided to pick up the high heat grill paint that was semigloss... After 4 more coats of paint the UDS is looking not so ugly. hahahaa....

I also was able to get my expanded metal bend into a somewhat circle... I was going to mount the charcoal grate to the pizza pan, but the bolts I bought are too small for the washers to span the grate. So for now I have a circle of expanded metal, pizza pan, and charcoal grate....

Tomorrow I'm going to use the RTV and mount the BGE vent and then finish the charcoal basket. Then it will finally be time for seasoning on Saturday...

 

[BeeRich]

Lookin good. Handy with the metal.

 

[Jester1]

Almost forgot.... I also ordered a Tel-Tru black face gauge since the BGE didn't quite work out...

 

[Jester1]

I got a little work done on the drum this afternoon... Here are some more pictures...

Here's the charcoal pan...

Here's the finished charcoal basket. I used the rectangle plates that cam with the U-bolts to attach the expanded metal to the grate...

A few other pictures showing the grates in both positions and the lid ontop...

 

[Jester1]

Another weird question... I need to seal up the BGE vent when I install it on the drum. People have said to use High Temp silicone... Well I have the RTV Red High Temp Silicone that comes from the Auto parts store. Is this stuff safe to use..?? It says that you can use it oven doors and works to 700 degrees... Thanks again for everyone's advice and help...

 

[BeeRich]

Sounds like it's safe. I would give it time to cure then a good test run.

 

[BeeRich]

OK, this is probably the best thread to ask this in. I have a stainless steel dog bowl to put on my fan. I have the hardware for the fan, etc. I have to cut through the bottom of the bowl without wrenching the crap out of it. How do I cut a square into the bottom of the bowl? It's like a normal stainless steel food bowl/mixing bowl, but flat bottomed. I have a Dremel, which is what I will be resorting to, but thought there might be an easier way. I don't have any specialized tools outside of that.

I thought you guys might know.

Cheers

 

[Nick Prochilo]

OK, this is probably the best thread to ask this in. I have a stainless steel dog bowl to put on my fan. I have the hardware for the fan, etc. I have to cut through the bottom of the bowl without wrenching the crap out of it. How do I cut a square into the bottom of the bowl? It's like a normal stainless steel food bowl/mixing bowl, but flat bottomed. I have a Dremel, which is what I will be resorting to, but thought there might be an easier way. I don't have any specialized tools outside of that.

I thought you guys might know.

Cheers

Drill holes in the 4 corners of the cut and use a saber saw to cut the square.