UDS-weber lid inside or out?? Build is progressing!!

cityevader · Last edited by cityevader on Oct 22 2009; edited 1 time in total

I'm planning my first uds build with a free barrel and $30 craigslist 22.5" Weber. The Weber lid is same diameter as barrel, so it can neither slip into nor over the barrel lip. Obviously two choices, crimp the lid so it can slip in, or spread it a bit to slip over the outside.

I want the rainproofing of outside mount as it will be fully exposed to weather and I don't want it filling up. I could get a cover for it, but that won't help when cooking in the rain.

But an inside mount will allow grease, grime, soot, etc to drip back down into the barrel and keep the outside of it (as well as the balconey) cleaner.

Any preferences out there? Inney or outey?
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Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Oct 16 2009 Post subject:

I made mine so it sheds water instead of drinking it. Never had a problem with it dripping on the balcony. I think you should try to modify the barrel instead of the weber lid, the piant on webers will spald and chip if you try to bend the steel much. Then youll have a rusty, ugly mess. That and the barrel is cheaper to replace than the weber.

I had a similar problem with my lid not fitting the barrel and removed some of the steel around the top of the barrel with a grinder, untill the lid fit the barrel. I have seen where some folks cut the top couple of inches off the kettle and fit it inside the barrel. Before doing that you need to make sure it will work, by removing the handle and dry fitting the kettle inside the barrel.

k.a.m. · Posted: Oct 16 2009 Post subject:

cityevader, I would go with the out. My reason is while the heat rises it has only one option to escape and that is out the top. If you go in you stand a chance of a gap to let smoke out the side. I like your tutorial for the Deg. sign. A lot of folks don't know that. Wink

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day_trippr · Posted: Oct 16 2009 Post subject:

This comes up quite frequently, and I've just as often wondered whether a non-welding type person could take a 2" or 3" wide strip of relatively thin steel - or maybe even aluminum - and screw it or pop-rivet it to the inside of the barrel with an inch or so protruding above the barrel to form a small enough diameter "lip" for a Weber lid to fit snugly over.

Would that work?

Cheers
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cityevader · Posted: Oct 16 2009 Post subject:

I was kinda planning on repainting the lid to begin with, as it surely won't match whatever paint I use for the barrel. Plus there was an egg-sized area of paint flaked off from a dent I had to pound back out from the inside.

I really want it to be an outey, but I saw a picture of a UDS (not the freshly built and painted variety) that had multiple trails of schmeg running down the outside and I decided I didn't want that at all. But when it comes down to it, I'd rather wipe down the outside on occasion than bailing out the inside.

The point is kinda moot at the moment, as i was just trying to cut the barrel's sealed top off when a chunk of rust at the very bottom flaked off and exposed a pea-sized hole. I had figured i'd have to do some grinding, but not willing to do the work and find more holes/thin metal. Now searching for a new drum on craigslist. This time i'll have the lid with me.
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Skidder · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 1720

Do the outtie and glue a woodstove gasket to the inside lip. Mines an outtie and it doesn't drip. Here's a pic of mine finished and it was a virgin. The drips on the outside were from what was in the barrel that the paint wouldn't cover.

cityevader · Posted: Oct 16 2009 Post subject:

why in the world didn't I think of the gasket...problem solved!
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Smoke Point · Posted: Oct 17 2009 Post subject:

cityevader · Posted: Oct 17 2009 Post subject:

You are spot on with the idea for a ring mounted to the inside of drum. Got a new drum off CL for $22, but the lid is even smaller than on the last barrel. With one edge of lid over the barrel lip, the other is over an inch from being over the other side. I'd have to nearly flatten the weber's perimeter just for full coverage.
But the main reason I picked this particular drum out of their stock was that there were already threaded bungs welded in at the bottom. Perfect! I wasn't planning on ball valve intakes to keep the cost down, but this is just too good to pass up. The threads are nearly 1.25" across, so a single 1"valve at the bottom hole and cap in the upper should be perfect. yay!

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SoEzzy · Posted: Oct 18 2009 Post subject:

If you don't mind loosing the grill, you can cut the top 2 1l2 inches off the top (of the bottom) part of the grill, and add that inside the rim of your barrel, you then pop rivet or bolt it in place, and your grates still fit inside and the lid fits snug and tight.

If you then want to make sure that all is as weather tight as can be, you can silicon or gasket the gap.

Work with the cheaper Charbroil Kettle knockoff as well! Wink

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cityevader · Posted: Oct 18 2009 Post subject:

Actually, I'm now planning on using the bottom half of the Weber for the lid. It will be much taller allowing for more food higher above the coals, i.e. turkeys or a rack of some sort for ribs that will be above the barrel itself.

I just burned out the drum with my weed dragon and am off to the store to get some wire wheels and masks.
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cityevader · Posted: Oct 22 2009 Post subject:

So I've gotten a bit more progress. I did end up going with the bottom part of the Weber for the extra height and exhaust vents. First pic sorta hard to tell, but that the bottom of the weber, upside down, and I'm bending out the rolled edge with a prybar and channellock handles to spread the load. Then I used a brass drift to flatten out the edge. It ended up being virtually the same diameter as the drum without any overhang or lip to keep the "lid" on, so I tacked on four strips of quickly bent up stainless fingers to act as locators to keep the lid from sliding off the drum (ugly but functional). I'll use stove gasket for final seal. Then I welded up some free shelves from Craigslist.
More pics when they come.
I may just make up a metal "umbrella" to go into the former legs' holes to keep rain out of the exhaust vents.

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day_trippr · Posted: Oct 22 2009 Post subject:

Cool beans! You'll be able to fit some huge stuff on your top rack for sure!
Good job!

Cheers
_________________
Save the planet: it's the only one with beer!
FrankennBrinkmann ECB
Char-Broil Commercial Gasser

BluzQue · Posted: Oct 23 2009 Post subject:

Great Idea cityevader Wink

Last pic looks super Very Happy

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Toga · Posted: Oct 23 2009 Post subject:

That is a sweet idea!
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k.a.m. · Posted: Oct 23 2009 Post subject:

cityevader, your cooker is looking fantastic Very Happy

Thats a fine idea right there, now you have some serious head room Very Happy

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cityevader · Posted: Oct 24 2009 Post subject:

I started my charcoal backet today. Had to buy..gulp...some expanded metal since no luck with craigslist. 12" tall length, wrapping it around a propane tank to get the bend started, and tacking it onto bottom grate that came with the Weber, leaving a 3"gap to bottom. Then, wanting to use whatever materials already on hand, and needing to make an ash-pan, I jigsawed the perimeter off the drum's original flat lid, and used the band clamp to make an ash-lip (albeit a very short one). Then I attached a length of 1" black pipe to extend the air inlet to the center of the drum. A bead of weld was laid around the pipe's end and ground flat to mate up to the inlet bung...perfect fit! Then tacked the basket onto the ash-pan.
I still need to add a handle, and want to try (a la stolen idea from someone's thread here) a coffee can in the center for wood chips, and a separater from can to basket like the first slice of a pie, to have the charcoal burn around the circle for a longer, more controlled burn....wish I could find that thread again to see if it actually worked out!!

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k.a.m. · Posted: Oct 24 2009 Post subject:

cityevader, Your cooker is looking fantastic Very Happy

I believe you are looking for Hell Fire Grill's redrum thread for your basket. Here it is.
http://thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=264930&highlight=#264930
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Always remember slow and steady wins the race.

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cityevader · Posted: Oct 24 2009 Post subject:

Yup, REDRUM was the one, thank you!
Too bad, Mr. Hell Fire Grill, you never posted the outcome of burn time/rate of consumption with the last basket mod.
Perhaps I'll just do the can/divider as a separate unit so it can drop in/pull out with ease for comparison.
Then again, since this is my first build (besides ECB mods) maybe I should just K.I.S.S. and learn how to run the thing first before I start experimenting.
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corntortilla · Newbie Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 89

i like your idea for using bottom of webber for uds lid. i'm thinking about doing it. good thinking!