How many smokers does a guy need? A question posed to me often by friends and especially by dear wife. The answer is simple. It’s not about need.
I am getting ready to build a UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker) soon. (I’ve been planning this for a month now and soon never gets here) And even though I have not started the UDS yet I think I have already found my next project.
I came across plans, if you can call them that, on ebay in the form of a magazine article from 1957. As you can see from the pictures it’s an offset UDS. This will be a nice addition to the BBQ World in my backyard.
The New Braunfels Silver Smoker and New Braunfels Bandera I owned have been modified (mods) with other people’s designs. The Great Outdoors Smoking Mountain I have is out of the box with no mods. It’s someone else’s design on the UDS. This new offset UDS will be all mine. Yes, I will start with a picture, but I’m going see what I can come up with on my own.
It will be a challenge. I’ve never worked with metal before and I don’t have welding equipment but I’m sure I can come up with the resources from friends to help me accomplish this mission. More on the “off-set UDS” in the months to come. Since it’s probably going to be summer before I get to this.
HI,
My Dad is out town right now, but I’ll ask him details in a few weeks.
Believe it or not, I have one of these! My Dad built it in, probably, 1957 and we used it a few times when I was a kid (I was born in ’65). I just started doing low and slow and did my first smoke a few days ago on my Weber Spirit (turned out great) and my goal is to be using the Popular Mechanics Smoker by the end of the summer. Yes, ours has the asbestos lining, but that’s not a problem unless you are breathing the dust, so I’m told
I’ll post photos soon and also on the Smoke Ring.
I would LOVE to have a high res scan of the entire original article!
Thanks,
John