British BBQ Society Forums

in the process of making my first uds but a bit unsure the best way to make the charcoal basket and the size to make it. Have looked on the internet and expanded metal seems to be the thing but don't have a welder, if anyone knowS a simple way or can you buy a basket ready made?

You don't need a welder you can use wire or bolts and washers to hold the ends together to form the sides of the basket. Then use wire to attach that to the grate for the bottom. Have a look around and you should be able to pick up a cheap BBQ at the moment which you can use for the bottom grate and ash collector and use bolts and washers to hold the grate about 3" off the bottom of the ash collector. You can make your basket any shape(square, round...) I made mine in a hexagon as I used the grates from an old BBQ which was being chucked out and it was easier to form that shape and keep the volume higher that a square would be. Some people also use the drums from old washing machines. Just use what you can get hold off, as long as you can get enough air to it and the ash can fall away you will be fine, I would say that bigger (with in reason) the better as you can load it up for long cooks and if doing something that takes less time put less in or just shut it down and use the left over coal for your next cook.

My one is about 43cm from corner to corner and is 30cm high.

Buy a washing machine drum, drill 1" holes in the bottom to let the ash fall out, add bolts as legs. Done.

SmokeyJoe wrote:You don't need a welder you can use wire or bolts and washers to hold the ends together to form the sides of the basket. Then use wire to attach that to the grate for the bottom.

That's what I did at first, I did weld it later on, but not for a while, there is a link to my build in my signature, have a look.

Google 'Steel Stockholders [your location]' to find local places

thanks for all the advice the washing machine is a new one on me, thanks again