I borrowed some trestles off a buddy of mine, stuck a couple of planks across them and layed the drum on its side between the planks to stop it from rolling. That made climbing in head first up to my waist a whole lot easier If you decide to do the same, you may wish to consider some ear plugs, a dust mask and some protective glasses. At the very least, the ear plugs because it can get awfully loud in there with the sandpaper.
keith157 wrote:I would think the burn out would clean out the barrel, but might not impress your neighbour. Have a go with detergent and maybe a pressure washer to get rid of any excess before getting the marshmellows out. Others may have different views.
As above. Tip it up and spray the hell out of it to get as much of the oil out as you can and leave it upside down overnight, then burn it out, once I'd done the initial burn I went all around the outside and inside with an angle grinder and a metal knot disc and a flap disk.
Then when everything else was made, vents, coal basket, food grills thermometer installed, studs for the food grill to sit on, I covered the inside of the drum and everything that would be inside the drum when cooking in veg oil and did my first burn to season it
I gave it a good power hosing last night and cleaned it with detergent. Can't see any oil in it now at all so after the burn she should be good to go. There's no paint on the inside and it now looks lovely and clean so I'm a bit mad about having to destroy that with fire! But I suppose there's no point risking health by not burning it out!?
Don't think I'll be able to get a lend of trestle's but there is a trampoline in our back garden that I could possibly use lol.
I'll post up a picture tomorrow after the burn and clean out.
Got up this morning and power hosed it down inside and out. Then scrubbed the inside with brillo pads and gave the inside another power hose. Then I spent a good hour and a half buffing down the outside. So she is basically ready to paint!
I have planned to drill the holes for my food grate 4.5" down from the lip. Do you think this will suffice? Remember I'm using a kettle lid so that will give me even more room.
All I need now if for my mate to hurry up and get back from holidays so he can (hopefully) get my charcoal basket made. I also need to pick up some handles for it. Haven't found any as of yet.
I wish my thermometer would hurry up and arrive from Hong Kong! Almost 2 weeks from I ordered it.
Stuarty84 wrote:I have planned to drill the holes for my food grate 4.5" down from the lip. Do you think this will suffice? Remember I'm using a kettle lid so that will give me even more room.
I used the measurements on this page as a guide http://mancavemeals.net/the-uds/. I have three grates in mine, the bottom one being for the heat deflector, the top two for cooking. My top one is two inches down from the lip (I also use a kettle lid) second grate is 8 inches below that, third one is six inches below that. I am no guru at this, but I really liked this setup when I saw it, so I went for it. I dont always use all three, but they are there if I need them.
Stuarty84 wrote:I have planned to drill the holes for my food grate 4.5" down from the lip. Do you think this will suffice? Remember I'm using a kettle lid so that will give me even more room.
I used the measurements on this page as a guide http://mancavemeals.net/the-uds/. I have three grates in mine, the bottom one being for the heat deflector, the top two for cooking. My top one is two inches down from the lip (I also use a kettle lid) second grate is 8 inches below that, third one is six inches below that. I am no guru at this, but I really liked this setup when I saw it, so I went for it. I dont always use all three, but they are there if I need them.
I seen a few different UDS versions where the person went 2" from the top lip. I thought it looked just a bit close to the top! Do you reckon that is the way to go then mate? I have a spare (smaller) grill that came with my donor bbq, I could use that as a secondary grill I suppose. Not that I can ever see me using more than one rack!
I really couldn't tell you which is the best way to go buddy, I was just sharing an option which works for me. If you think 4.5" would work for you and you're only going to ever need one cooking grate, then I reckon you should go for it. Whats the worst that could happen?
Decent idea that Keith! I think I'm going to go 3" now anyway.
While I wait on my mate coming home from holidays to make my proper charcoal basket, I had a go at making one myself out of one of those camping bbq's - complete with ash catcher! It will do me as a secondary basket. The wire mesh isn't that strong, infact I bent with with my hands. But surely it will do the job? It's hardly going to melt away is it!?
It stands quite tall in the drum though, 14" to be precise. I could probably do without the legs on it, that would give me an extra inch or two. But the legs are part of that little bbq, hmmmm. Not sure what to do, i'll have a play with it!
Others may have different views.
