Questions about new 18.5 WSM

Hi everyone!

I'm excited to be here. I just bought my first smoker: a 18.5 WSM. Ahead of this purchase, I've spent a lot of time on this site and on this forum. They have both been super-helpful.

I have a couple of quick questions about the unit having now put it together here in my living room (I'll have to wait a little bit to try it for real, snowy and rainy right now in the NE).

First of all, my lower grill grate seems to be out of round. I'm talking to customer service about this, and seems like they'll exchange either the grate or the grill straps. I need to do some measurements. So that's all good.

The other thing is that the middle unit is minimally out of round -- some 4 mm. I expect that to be within tolerance. But what really really annoys me is that the lid does not lay flat. Whether that is because of the middle section or the lid, I cannot say (my guess is a combination). I made a short video that demonstrates here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdU7XIEwHls]. It also tilts the other way (and the angle of the tilt remains more or less the same when I rotate the lid).

Is this normal? My OCD tendencies are kicking in hard-core about this... And obviously I can't speak to leakage yet since I haven't used the unit, and because my understanding is you need some time to build up some gunk anyway. But it seems not very air tight at all. Should I get the gasket kit?

Hmmm, I've never seen a lid wobble like that. I suspect it will be OK with use and gunk. I would hold off on the gasket kit until you use the cooker several times and find that you're having difficulty controlling pit temperature.

Good luck!
Chris

I agree with Chris. My lids didn't wobble like that but they certainly sealed up after a few smokes. You've got a great smoker. Let the OCD's go and have fun with it - been there, done that kind of thing.

Todd

Ah, yes. Letting go of my OCD-tendencies would be good for me. And with time, I usually do. But you know. New toy. Can't help myself. I had kind of hoped to hear that this is how all WSM lids are... So part of it is temperature control, which I obviously can't speak to yet. The other part is just sheer annoyance at the feel of it when I place the lid down. Thanks for your responses!

I am, at any rate, excited to start experimenting with smoking in a week or two. Just need to get some meat (and wait for slightly better weather!).

Just a thought on the lid...have you tried placing it on a solid, known-to-be-perfectly-flat surface to see if it wobbles there? That'll at least tell you where the problem lies (warped lid or middle section). Also, I've never seen a grate that's out-of-round (although, to be fair, I haven't seen as many grates as some other folks here), so I'd suspect it's the middle section that's out. I assume you arrived at that determination by measuring the diameter at different points around the circumference of each?

ChadVKealey said:

Just a thought on the lid...have you tried placing it on a solid, known-to-be-perfectly-flat surface to see if it wobbles there? That'll at least tell you where the problem lies (warped lid or middle section). Also, I've never seen a grate that's out-of-round (although, to be fair, I haven't seen as many grates as some other folks here), so I'd suspect it's the middle section that's out. I assume you arrived at that determination by measuring the diameter at different points around the circumference of each?

Click to expand...

The lid wobbles a bit on a flat surface. Although when it is on the cooker, the wobble does not "turn" with the lid as one would expect if that had been the only cause. I measured the main section and it is only out of round by a couple of millimeters, so that seems good (I tried measuring the lid too, which seems slightly more out of round). And the lower grate does definitely not lay flat on a flat surface (getting that replaced). So my feeling is that a new grate will solve that particular issue.

I'm just going to have to try to live with it, which I will once the "new shiny toy" feeling subsides a bit. Maybe I'll get the gasket later just to eliminate the clank if not for actual sealing. The only other option as I can see it would be to initiate a return with Amazon which seems like a lot of work... And probably a disproportionate response.

Have you measured the lid to see if it is out of round? I accidentally bumped mine once pretty hard and it stopped fitting right, so i gave it another bump 90 degrees from the first and it fit good again.

Paul Pearson said:

Have you measured the lid to see if it is out of round? I accidentally bumped mine once pretty hard and it stopped fitting right, so i gave it another bump 90 degrees from the first and it fit good again.

Click to expand...

Well, it's surprisingly easy to shape! It's not perfect, but it's much better. I tried to make it as best as I could in a specific position (themometer and door lining up). I'll might fiddle a bit more later, but it's so much better than before. Some other angles aren't that great... but it doesn't really matter, I'll just keep it lined up the way I want it anyway. They're kind of shaped to fit now even though neither is "perfect" by itself.

Now to stop obsessing about stupid things like this! My first cook will probably happen around next Tuesday; I'm planning to a whole chicken, and soon after that I have a pair of ribs that I've kept in my freezer for a long time now... Bought them after my initial attempt at making ribs over indirect heat in an ordinary grill last summer (turned out great!), but ended up not using them before it got too cold.

T Pearson said:

And the lower grate does definitely not lay flat on a flat surface (getting that replaced). So my feeling is that a new grate will solve that particular issue.

Click to expand...

Ah, "warped" not "out-of-round". That, I can imagine.

Here's my first smoke!



Whole chicken with Memphis Dust and smoked potatoes. Turned out great! Need to add more salt to the dry brine next time, and maybe something a little spicier to the rub. But a great first try! Potatoes turned out amazing.

Once I got it up to 325 F it stayed there pretty consistently for the 2 hours or so it took to smoke the bird. I had all vents maybe 20% open or so, for most of the time. Definitely leaking smoke through the lid but I imagine that's to be expected. Didn't seem excessive, I don't think.