my 22 1/2 in wsm project


 
I'm a newbe to the forum but not to weber or cooking. I love my wsm but I'm planning on entering comp. next spring & need either a new wsm or more surface area. With that in mind I've started a 22 1/2 " wsm. If you look @ the wsm the base & top look identical. This is realy a simple idea, take the bases of 2 kettles, strip them down,removing the legs & leg sockets, vents, etc. invert one for a top & make short legs for the base of the other one ( details to follow later). A food grade barrell forms the center section cut down to appx. 24" high, I'm trying to do all this w/o welding, I have a welder but I'm trying to keep this simple. It has a brinkman charlcaol pan for water, 3 webber 22 1/2" grates for about 1200 sq. in. of cooking surface. So far I figure about 110.00 worth of parts, using old kettles.This is starting to look like it might work. With luck I might be able to break it in next weekend. I'll post pictures of smoker & food if I can figure out how. Wish me luck.
 
Sort of but it sits about 4" from the ground. I used 3 pieces of 16" long 3/4" dia. conduit bolted to the sides of the base with 3/4" wide alum. as bracing back to bottom of base, so it sits low. Legs will need to be strong to suppor the weight of the amount of meat this should hold. I'm thinking 4-6 briskets & 4 butts.
 
Not really, mine looks like a wsm just taller & larger in diameter than the original. 52" tall appx. 4" above ground, 12" kettle base,23"center, 12 top (another base turned upside down). I could just use the existing kettle top but part of what I was wanting was the look of the wsm, hence the "need" for another base. It is the answer for those of us wishing for a 22 1/2 wsm but don"t want to wait to see if weber will add one. Mine will have a hinged door. I used an old weber kettle that has 3 vents on the bottom. I closed those off and moved them up to look like the original.
 
Looking forward to some pics.

The magnum is basically the same idea though it has a kettle top on it instead of a second bottom.
 
Have you considered cooking direct in a 55 gallon drum? Have you checked out the Big Drum Smokers?
http://bigdrumsmokers.com/index.htm
These things ROCK! Very easy to use, temps hold steady for hours, and if you are handy and have the parts assembled, can build one in a couple hours-No welding.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Mem%20WEEKNd/100_1716.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Alki/100_1962.jpg
Just remember to keep the lids on at a comp!
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Alki/100_2022.jpg

I love my WSM's but these are just some more guns in the arsenal.
 

 

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