I recently modified my Smokey Joe Silver to include a hook on the lid to hang it on the bottom bowl. Some larger Weber kettle charcoal grills have such a hook and obviously that helps manage where to put the lid, freeing up a hand. Just wanted to mention a few tidbits in case they end up being helpful to other people.



I got the parts from Ace Hardware. I used a “rope hook” which is a hook with a flat piece with 2 holes. The receipt says .236″x2.56″. It cost $1.29.

The hook was galvanized steel. I removed the zinc coating (which supposedly releases toxic chemicals when heated) by soaking the part in hydrochloric acid (a.k.a. muriatic acid) for about one minute. The zinc dissolved very rapidly, and emitted a lot of hydrogen gas in the process. It looked effervescent, like dropping an Alka-Seltzer into water. After several seconds, the bubbles stopped and the hook came out clean and perfectly free of zinc.

I didn’t want the hook to corrode so I decided to “season” it as if it were a cast iron pan. I coated the metal rope hook in lard and hung it inside my oven, set to 550 F. I let each coat cook for about an hour. After one coat, the hook looked reddish-brown. After several coats, it took on a polished hard smooth black finish. (The white spots in the photo are actually specular reflections of lights in the room; the hook itself has a smooth, continuous black coating.)

I used stainless steel (round philips head) 10-24 hardware (2 bolts, 2 washers, 2 hex nuts, total cost: $1) to attached it to the lid. Although it was all stainless I decided to “season” it anyway to give it a black finish so it would resemble the black Smokey Joe lid I have.



I placed the screw holes under the handle, such that the hook itself is almost directly under one of the “struts” of the handle. I chose this location for 2 reasons: symmetry and the fact that when hanging, the lid was a little higher up. I hoped that the lid might provide some wind-screen effect, like what the Platinum provides (albeit using a different mechanism). In retrospect I should have mounted the hook closer to the rim so that more of the lid would hang below the cooking bowl because the placement I chose ends up making some of the lid lean a little more over the cooking area than I prefer.

I drilled the holes using a cobalt bit. Just like other people used for their mods, I put masking tape on the bowl and used a hole punch to dent the steel so the bit wouldn’t walk.

The round head goes on the outside under the handle so it doesn’t snag on your fingers.



I also used a tiny bolt cutter (actually a combo crimp/bolt cutter tool meant for electronics, which has a special 10-24 threaded “port”) to make both bolts exactly the right length; no excess on the inside of the lid. I figured that would keep the whole thing cleaner. Barely any thread is exposed.

Although these low-quality pictures do not make it look very good, in person the whole thing looks like it belongs there; it doesn’t look like a mod.

I’d recommend this mod to somebody who struggles with their Smokey Joe Silver lid. The only thing I’d change is the hook placement; should be nearer to the lid rim.

Hope this helps.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: M Gourlay,

Impressive first post!
Welcome to the forum!!

i've been thinking of doing a mod similar to the sjg but i think i really like yer simple approach a lot better. bravo on a great job done and a great write up. thanks !

Really nice job! I might try that with two hooks on the 22.5. It might be a little top heavy for just one. Now if you add the metal carrying hinge part you will be set.

great mod! I may give this a shot on mine...I hate having to find a home for the lid.

Kevin H.

Yeah, adding one of those hinge top things would have been even better. Seems like I'd need to fabricate that from steel rod and use a tap-and-die set to thread the rod where it would go through the kettle.

I would need to go have a close look at how they work on the Platinum and Gold.

But I want to add a thermometer to the lid, before I do all that.

I bought a thermometer online but I'm not thrilled with it. The stem is a bit long and it only goes up to 475F. For whatever reason it didn't occur to me to search for higher-temperature thermometers until after I already purchased this one. I'm an idiot.

I found Tel-Tru afterwards and now wish I had gone either with them or with the one on http://bbqstuff4u.com/ that goes up to 750.

Looks like Kevin Hoober's profile image is of the Tel-Tru "black dial" model. Which looks awesome. But at $40 it costs more than my Smokey Joe Silver so I'd feel a little weird about spending that much on the thermometer. Still, I have to admit, its aesthetics are killer.

the holder rod is held in by spring tension. if yer worried then you could put a clip or cotter pin on in the inside.

Great mod! Silly ole me just puts the lid on the ground(we use the SJS for camping). But I like that idea for the lid! The missus thinks I'm crazy for taking perfectly good grills and tinkering!

Where did you get the hydrochloric acid?

Did you have some on hand?

Pat

Pat,

I got the hydrochloric acid at Ace Hardware. They call it "muriatic acid", used to lower the pH of a pool, or to clean driveways.

I added a thermometer.

I added a thermometer:



Notice that the stem is sort of close to the hook so it sort of gets in the way of hanging the lid.

It turns out to help, though, since before the lid dangled a bit freely and now it doesn't wobble so much when hung.