Our UDS Cooker (and How to Build One) - Part 1

[The Big Pig]

Reconditioned, lined drum with a lid. $21. I DO have to burn out the liner......right?

If your drum has a liner you must burn/sand/scrape it out. I think most do a burn followed by taking a wire wheel to the inside of it to remove the liner. If it is at all possible to get a reconditioned drum without a liner I highly recommend it.

[rthensley]

Thanks for the quick reply.

If my choice is a lined drum with a lid, or an unlined, closed-top lid, which way should I go?

How big a pain is it to cut off the top and find a lid?

[jasper]

$21 is a good price for a drum. Add up the time/cost to burn/sand/scrape, you may want to keep looking. I've never taken off a closed drum lid but based on what I am reading online, it looks like a bit of a chore.

If these are your only choices, then the lined drum is likely your best option.

[The Big Pig]

I think there is a special tool that is used to remove the drum head. Depending on the size of your drum, a Weber lid might work.

Here's a video of a manual one in action:


And here's a video of a fancy one:

[rthensley]

I called the drum place back.

I can get an unlined drum, closed top, for $30. They will also use that tool and cut the top off for me.

I'm thinking this is the way to go (as long as I can find a lid to fit).

[The Big Pig]

Bring a Weber dome lid down to the drum place and verify it will fit before they cut off the top.

[rthensley]

Thanks for the advice.

I hate to keep asking questions, but I'll try to sneak one more in.

If I can not find a lid to fit (the drum lady said she thought the drum was 24 inches in diameter), can I just have a metal shop make me a 25" diameter piece of steel, add a handle, and put it on top of the drum?

I'm assuming the 22.5" Weber lid will not fit a 24" drum.

I REALLY want to start with an unlined drum and save myself some work.

[The Big Pig]

If I can not find a lid to fit (the drum lady said she thought the drum was 24 inches in diameter), can I just have a metal shop make me a 25" diameter piece of steel, add a handle, and put it on top of the drum?

I think most 55 gal drums are 23" in diameter and the kettle lids fit those. One of our 4 was 24" though...it's best if you can take a lid over there and check it out for yourself.

I don't see why a metal shop wouldn't be able to fabricate a lid for you. They'd just need stock big enough to do it. Call a metal/weld shop and get a quote. Think about having a lip put on the lid to help keep it in place and also think about how you will secure it for transport (draw hasps or locking rings).

I know swamprb has experience using deheaded drums and making lids for them. Maybe he'll see this and respond or you could PM him and ask him directly. His knowledge and metal working skills far exceed mine.

[cisco]

Ok, I'm not one to mess with a good thing... but... Why wouldn't you put three ball valves in the intake holes in order to manipulate the air flow rather than just the one with two caps? I'm currently building my UDS now and the three ball valves is an option I am seriously considering. I am still in the "burn the liner" stage! Grrr apple juice drums!

[The Big Pig]

Ok, I'm not one to mess with a good thing... but... Why wouldn't you put three ball valves in the intake holes in order to manipulate the air flow rather than just the one with two caps?

Cost - here in KC, the ball valves run about $9 each vs. $1 for a nipple

Space - the ball valve sticks out and makes it more difficult to load them for transport. By only using 1 of them, I can just spin them around for the best possible fit.

Engineering Overkill - 1 ball valve gives you the full range of 0-2.25" of intake. Additional ball valves wouldn't give you any more or better range and would mean you have to adjust up to 3 intakes instead of just 1 or 2.

Whatever you decide, it doesn't have to be permanent. One cool thing about building a UDS is that you can always modify it. I think for my next UDS I would at least experiment with using the refrigerator magnet strips rather than use nipples and ball valves at all.