Recent content by Mike Durso

I should clarify, my comment regarding a "novelty" is about the question about the sweepers, not the 26. It's a nice partial convenience/feature. It works.... mostly. It keeps the appearance nice and tidy and a wind, the ashes contained. But fire it fire and it cooks the same.

I think if I told Weber I was going to suggest they use expanded metal for a product they wouldn't have cared for that idea.. even back then, lol!

At least the first go around of the reintroduced 26 was based on the dimensions of the original. However there was a change over since the original in general -steel legs and the aluminum tubing. Perhaps that aluminum tubing became thinner over time. So much of what I was working on was...

Bigger is better.

No. This was when I worked at Weber R&D and used an ACTUAL Summit gas grill cook box with charcoal. It was not damaged and it can be done. Then again, I did engineer it.

Well without actually looking at it, I'm sure it's fine as far as heat goes. Late 06 into 07 I designed and prototyped a gigantic charcoal grill that was in a Summit cook box and frame. From a few feet away it looked like a gas grill with one control -dual gas assist taken from the Performer...

Here are a couple of pics of a large indirect basket that's really meant for the 26. But you know.. that would have involved a whole second line of inventory. The option went to the existing smaller stamped indirect baskets. And the old rusty adjustable charcoal grate. It hooks on...

Very cool -about 225 cool. Meanwhile.. you know this one goes to 11. I dig it!

I have a bowl with stubby legs for an 18 that I now use as a fire pit. The amount of ash from an average overnightcook will fill the ash catcher a couple times. Add the fact that you'd have to wiggle that thing out when the grill was hot, operate the sweepers and stir up ash, etc.. It was a...

Living around Chicago, we have a few actual butchers, the Jewel food stores, Mariano's (the old Dominick's Chain) a few IGAs. I haven't noticed any difference except price. With Illinois being broke as a joke and taxed to the extreme (Chicago is the top city in the country that people leave) I...

Take it to a local welder. They should be able to weld and grind it back on. Easy peasy.

Looking good as always!

I think it's the lighting. I could be wrong though -I often am!

Also.. I found this old picture of me hard at work at Weber with an early form of the 22 WSM printed out on my desk. Looks like there was a one touch on the bottom –alas, it can’t hold all the ash of a long smoke. Photo by my friend Bill who worked in the test lab. There was another one of me...

I ended up getting a tip roast of about 3 pounds. Cherry chips and basic kingsford. Salt/pepper/garlic/sugar rub. - - - Updated - - - Oh.. and some Miller Lite and some jam bands on a Pandora station...