Charlie L
TVWBB Super Fan
Recently scored a good deal on an AA code Craigslist 22" WSM. I really liked my 18" but felt the size of the 22" would be better for me since I cook I end up cooking less frequently but do bigger cooks. I sold my 18 to recoup the cost of the 22 plus pay for a few small mods.
It was in really good shape. Some rust on grates and vents but the porcelain was in good shape and it was pretty clean.
There was a few minor issues and mods I addressed:
The OEM temp gauge and bezel were gone and replaced with a brinkmann gauge from Home Depot. I know some people aren't fans of the weber OEM gauges but the one I had on my 18" WSM was very accurate and the cheapo brinkmann just didn't look right. I bought a new gauge and bezel from weber. The new gauge passed the boiling water test with flying colors. Full disclosure: so did the brinkmann. I'll keep that gauge for a future project.
The 2011 WSM didn't have handles on the lower cooking grate so a pair of eye bolts were added to the Lower cooking grate and the charcoal grate for easy lifting.
The 2011 also had the light gray handles which I don't care for as the always look dirty. Since all my other kettles have the newer dark gray handles I wanted this to match. Finding these handles online isn't eat or cheap once you pay shipping so I bought a pair of weber compact chimneys on Amazon and swapped the handles. My 2011 now looks like the current model.
I added a perpendicular grate for lump charcoal as well but since I'll mostly be using Stubbs Briqs I didn't permanently attach the extra grate. It lays into the current grate around the eye bolts so it can be used or removed as needed.
The next mod I did was casters. Moving the WSM across the patio as needed is now effortless.
The only other mod that NEEDS to be done is a notch for my probe wires. Not sure which side I want to notch yet so I'm going to have to experiment a bit here.
My 18" had nomex gasket on door opening and both top and bottom of the midsection. I was happy with the gasket on my 18 but since the 22 is used I will hold off for a few cooks to see if it's even needed. I did a quick test cook last night and there was some air leak around the door. I have enough nomex
Left from the 18 to do the door on the 22. The lid may need eventually but we'll give it a few cooks.
None of these mods are anything exotic but a few little improvements really help. I'm excited to mount my pitmasterIQ on and do a long cook this weekend provided we don't get hit by a hurricane
The former owner lived right on the water in an area decimated by hurricane sandy in 2012 so this smokers already survived one storm lets hope this isn't the second.
It was in really good shape. Some rust on grates and vents but the porcelain was in good shape and it was pretty clean.
There was a few minor issues and mods I addressed:
The OEM temp gauge and bezel were gone and replaced with a brinkmann gauge from Home Depot. I know some people aren't fans of the weber OEM gauges but the one I had on my 18" WSM was very accurate and the cheapo brinkmann just didn't look right. I bought a new gauge and bezel from weber. The new gauge passed the boiling water test with flying colors. Full disclosure: so did the brinkmann. I'll keep that gauge for a future project.
The 2011 WSM didn't have handles on the lower cooking grate so a pair of eye bolts were added to the Lower cooking grate and the charcoal grate for easy lifting.
The 2011 also had the light gray handles which I don't care for as the always look dirty. Since all my other kettles have the newer dark gray handles I wanted this to match. Finding these handles online isn't eat or cheap once you pay shipping so I bought a pair of weber compact chimneys on Amazon and swapped the handles. My 2011 now looks like the current model.
I added a perpendicular grate for lump charcoal as well but since I'll mostly be using Stubbs Briqs I didn't permanently attach the extra grate. It lays into the current grate around the eye bolts so it can be used or removed as needed.
The next mod I did was casters. Moving the WSM across the patio as needed is now effortless.
The only other mod that NEEDS to be done is a notch for my probe wires. Not sure which side I want to notch yet so I'm going to have to experiment a bit here.
My 18" had nomex gasket on door opening and both top and bottom of the midsection. I was happy with the gasket on my 18 but since the 22 is used I will hold off for a few cooks to see if it's even needed. I did a quick test cook last night and there was some air leak around the door. I have enough nomex
Left from the 18 to do the door on the 22. The lid may need eventually but we'll give it a few cooks.
None of these mods are anything exotic but a few little improvements really help. I'm excited to mount my pitmasterIQ on and do a long cook this weekend provided we don't get hit by a hurricane
The former owner lived right on the water in an area decimated by hurricane sandy in 2012 so this smokers already survived one storm lets hope this isn't the second.
