Weber Chimney Safety


 
J

Jay Yurine

TVWBB Member
I'm new regarding the use of a chimney. I recently purchased a Weber Chimney from Amazon for an Old Smokey Grill that I bought. The instructions that came w/ the chimney mentioned to not use it on a wood deck. However, if I use a metal oil pan on the deck and put the chimney on top of it, is this safe to do? I also don't want to scorch the wood. Also, for those w/ portable grills, is it also safe to use this on a deck w/ a metal oil pan. I did consider buying a Smokey Joe, but the Old Smokey has a taller lid that will allow me to do a beer can chicken.
 
Need to be careful where you place the hot chimney after you dump the coals. I've got a second degree burn scar on my left calf to remind me, now.

Paul
 
Steve is right. I think the chimney might still scorch the deck even on an oil pan.

I use an empty grill, or a square of bricks that are close by. The grill is the safest by far.
 
I agree the chimney gets very hot. I have a dutch oven table that I use for my chimney and it works great and I also have 2 or 3 small burn scares myself. The bricks stacked on the wood deck sounds like a good idea also and the grille rack it good too, I have used it before.
 
I top my plastic side work table (Costco) with the same oil drip pan I use under my WSM to protect it. I always have a few bricks handy, 3 to set my lid on when I need to work on the food and a couple to set my chimney on to keep it above my work table.

Bricks rule around here although they magically disappear because of the community property rule (not mine). I have now labeled my 5 bricks with 'BBQ,' so if it ever comes to court, I have justification.

Rita
 
was grilling at a park... i had the chimney burning on concrete... picked it up... tossed the charcoal onto the grill... BAMM... the concrete on the ground exploded...

guess the heat expanded the concrete and then coudlnt handle the cool down... crazy... a good layer of concrete went flying everywhere... good thing no one got hurt
 
Originally posted by Alan H:
was grilling at a park... i had the chimney burning on concrete... picked it up... tossed the charcoal onto the grill... BAMM... the concrete on the ground exploded...

guess the heat expanded the concrete and then coudlnt handle the cool down... crazy... a good layer of concrete went flying everywhere... good thing no one got hurt
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Yeah buddie. That was one of the first things my welding instructor taught us. Never ever weld or use a torch ontop of concrete. Hey did a demonstration on what happens when concrete becomes overheated. Good thing it didn't explode when you were reaching down to pick up the chimney.
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Originally posted by Randy P.:
I agree the chimney gets very hot. I have a dutch oven table that I use for my chimney and it works great and I also have 2 or 3 small burn scares myself. The bricks stacked on the wood deck sounds like a good idea also and the grille rack it good too, I have used it before.
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I also use a dutch oven table. If you are NOT into cast iron cooking, you can make a much smaller version. get a commercial baking tray and bolt water pipe fixtures onto the table get threaded pipe the length you want the table and attach a flange on the bottom the the tray with bolts and a flange on the other end of the pipe as a nice foot. this will also make a nice place to store your your lid while dealing with your food etc.
 
I usually use an old 18.5 silver for the chimney but if I'm using that grill I just use some fire bricks on the ground to put the chimney on.
 
I'm a little confused here. If the chimney has lighted charcoal in it why would you set it down on anything other than the charcoal grate?
 
Originally posted by LDThornton:
I'm a little confused here. If the chimney has lighted charcoal in it why would you set it down on anything other than the charcoal grate?
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Here's one scenario. I place the chimney on the charcoal grate, fill it with charcoal, and light it. When the charcoal is good and hot, I need to set it aside somewhere so I can pour unlit charcoal onto the charcoal grate, then I will pour the hot coals from the chimney on top of the unlit charcoal. I set the chimney down on my concrete patio...and the concrete explodes! Next time, I set the chimney on some fire bricks, or I light the chimney on the grate of my kettle grill or my gas grill instead.

Regards,
Chris
 
Thanks for the response Chris. I just wasn't thinking about what I do with the chimney for that minute when I'm ready to pour the charcoal into the charcoal grate. Gives a person a reason to plan on what he is going to do with the chimney when the time comes. I think the easy thing would be to set the chimney on the top cooking grate of the middle section. Thanks again.....Lonnie
 
And now, in the July/August 2010 issue of Cook's Illustrated, they have printed a reader's solution for firing up the chimney to add hot briquettes while the grill is occupied: "Place the chimney in an unglazed terra-cotta flower-pot saucer with no drain hole".

I wonder how that is going to work out? I don't think I'll be trying it!
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In the same issue, they did have an equipment testing sidebar in which they rated the WSM the "Top O'The Heap" over the BGE (Good Control) and the ECB ("Up In Smoke").
 
I often put my hot but empty chimney on it's side in the wire rack underneath my kettle. It's far enough off my deck to not burn anything, and that's actually where I store it anyway.
 
Deck usage is dangerous regardless of what surface your lighting off of.

I use a couple cinder blocks as a stand for my chimney. But I'm on a brick patio. I've also used a tree stump with a round landscape paving stone on it for my chimney stand. You know those circular ones that you put out as stepping stones?

But regardless of what you use as a stand, if you're cooking on a deck it's still dangerous. Often times I've lit my coals and when I pick up the chimney to make the transfer form lighting stand to grill I've experienced a small half burnt briquette fall out of the bottom of the chimney. If this lands on your wooden deck, or your flip flop equipped foot... then... ouch!!

Best to light it on your grill.
 
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