imusa - any way to test the fit?

imusa - close, but not quite

Hi,

picked up a 32qt imusa steamer pot today at w-mart. made in china.

i've read a lot of contradictory posts on these imusa pots. "They fit," and "they don't fit," and so on.

the one i got ($21.97) seems like a nice, snug fit on the bottom of my SJS but the SJS lid is just a bit too small. It's close but it doesn't "seal" all the way around.

I can slide the top around so it seals about 3/4 of the way around but that last 1/4 of the lid just barely curls over the top of the pot.

the store had several of these pots. Should I bring the SJS lid to the store and try the others? Do they vary much?

If i can't find a good fit among the others, would someone describe in detail the best way to crimp the pot?

I've read about draping a towel or other cloth over the edge of the pot and using channel locks or other tools but I can't picture how to crimp it.

Should that rolled edge just be squeezed together or bent back or what?

also, has anyone just cut out the bottom of the pot (leaving an inch or so from the edge) and just used the steamer insert which comes with the imusa that has pre-drilled holes? If not, why not?

thanks

I've made a couple now, and I'm pretty sure that's the pot I've bought and didn't have any issues with the lid fitting. If your lid doesn't fit snuggly, then I don't recommend going forward with what you have until you find a good fitting pot, both top & bottom

There are dozens of different ways people have done the bottom of their pots, I would suggest looking at the various threads, there's some great info and some fantastic mini's made here

There are some threads about rolling the edges, I'm not sure why it's needed / done. You'll see them, and don't have to go back too far to find the discussions

Good luck with your project

My bad, I'm using these pots for my mini's I've made / making. Take your Imusa pot back and get this. I got mine at Walmart, so you shouldn't have any problems exchanging

Chuck the vasconia has been virtually sold out everywhere! Walmart has not had them online for months.

When I built mine I bought an imusa and the bottom fit great and the top did not fit. I returned it to walmart and went to academy sporting goods and bought an outdoor gourmet pot. Its was more expensive but did not require any extra work. I literally carried my smokey joe in the store and opened up 4-5 different size pot boxes to check the fit. Yes I looked a little weird and the employees were prob not happy I opened up several boxes but I figured it out! Good luck

If you can find the Hoffritz brand they fit perfectly.