New guy here from GA... UDS build questions

Hello All!!

I discovered the Forum through Country Girls blog. i have my drum and have done a couple of paper and wood burns in it(to clean the old gunk out of it) Now i am lookinf for ideas for my coal basket(limited finances, ya know) I know the typical is expanded metal, but I am seeking a less expensive route. Any ideas? I know the "magic number" is 24 inches from the fire, but I have a large family of big eaters so 1 grate may not cook enough food at one time to feed all of us. So, I am gonna need more than one grate. All suggestions welcome!!

Welcome to the forum gk. I don't know what your budget is for your drum smoker, but have you taken a look at BP's drum kit? Everything's included, you just supply the barrel. Just click on the Big Poppa's Smokers link at the top of the page. With this kit you can be cooking in 2 hrs.

I found the price of the BPS kit a big selling feature. I was originally only looking for a basket, done I don't weld and didn't want to pay someone to do it for me. I know bolts and expanded metal was an option but I figured someone has got to sell a basket. The basket is sold in the bps site individually, but between the basket and picking up the step bit at a hardware store you might as well just buy the kit.

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If you're making your own, expanded metal is probably your only option. There are all kinds of designs on youtube and the internet. Here is a picture of mine. You don't need to spend a lot of money on a lot of expanded metal. I bought a 24"x12" piece of expanded metal at Lowes for $19.95. I cut it in half with my angle grinder, making two 24"x6" pieces. I connected it all together with nuts and bolts and attached it to a grate from an old smoker I had with stainless steel wire ties. The whole thing cost me less than $30. For me it wasn't about the money, I just wanted to build it my self. I have another drum and I plan on getting the kit when I'm ready to build it.

I bought the BPS kit mainly because of the coal basket