Mini WSM build details


 

HVanorden

TVWBB Fan
Well, my awesome wife got me a tamale steamer for Christmas, so I finally started my Mini WSM build today. Please let me know if you have questions about my build. Hopefully it will help you with yours!

I picked up a SJS from craigslist a few weeks ago for $8. I had literally been used one, you can see on the grill grate that he put two chickens breasts on for it's only cook. The rest of the grill grate is still shiny chrome. So I'm pretty happy about that.

The tamale steamer is a IMUSA 32 QT pot. It fit the bottom perfectly but the top was a little too big. I made it work, more on that later. Here is a list of supplies I bought:


1/4″, 3″ long stainless steel bolts (3)
1/4″, 3/4″ long stainless steel bolts (6)
1/4″, stainless steel locking nuts (9)
12″ terracotta base
Extra 14.5 inch grill grate

Started by marking all the drill holes for the grates and diffuser. My measurements were taken from the bottom of the lip on the lid.

Here's the hardware i used for the grill grate mounts:
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Measurements:
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Installed with flat side of nut up for the grill grate up:
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Acorn on the outside for a nicer finish:
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All hardware installed:
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I used the steamer insert that came with the pot as a template to drill my holes in the bottom. Not sure if it will be enough or not, but I will find out soon enough.
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Drilled:
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Everything fit very nicely. The bottom of the clay diffuser sits about 3/4" from the bottom of the pot. and There is roughly six inches between the two grill grates and the top grill grate has roughly 6 inches between it and the SJS lid. I felt that these measurements would be pretty versatile for what I want out of this little guy.
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The lid fitment was an issue. The lip on the pot was just too big. I very slowly and carefully grinded it off. I ended up having to grind the rolled lip completely off before it would fit good. I think it will be just fine since it seems to seal very nicely. But it would have been nice if it just fit like it was supposed to. Here's how it turned out:
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I'm buying a Thermometer on Amazon tonight and I'm still deciding on how to paint it. I'm leaning towards keeping it all black with a weber logo on it like I've seen other do here. But I'm open to suggestions. I'm also still trying to come up with how I want the vent handles to be.

I'm not the only one excited to get this project done!
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More to come on this build:
 
I helped my son-in-law to build his Mini-Joe Silver (after I had done a couple of others including my Mini-Joe Gold). We used the knob from the steamer lid on the top vent on the Mini-Joe (we used the Vasconia pot):



I had to get a longer screw from my scrap box. Be sure that the tab is bent enough to clear the lid (the knob is plastic and might melt if it touches the lid).

We used a six inch long bolt on the Mini-Joe Silver's bottom vent. It seems to be long enough to dissipate the heat (YMMV). We just drilled the tab and installed the bolt with a jam nut. It works quite well and you can easily see it and work it without issue. If you feel the need, you can also use touch up paint to put reference marks on the body of the Silver.

FWIW
Dale53
 
The lid fitment was an issue. The lip on the pot was just too big. I very slowly and carefully grinded it off. I ended up having to grind the rolled lip completely off before it would fit good.

Well, I've seen worse... But the amount of time you spent grinding the lip could have been used to clamp the rolled edge and leave a factory smooth finished product behind.
 
I helped my son-in-law to build his Mini-Joe Silver (after I had done a couple of others including my Mini-Joe Gold). We used the knob from the steamer lid on the top vent on the Mini-Joe (we used the Vasconia pot):



I had to get a longer screw from my scrap box. Be sure that the tab is bent enough to clear the lid (the knob is plastic and might melt if it touches the lid).

We used a six inch long bolt on the Mini-Joe Silver's bottom vent. It seems to be long enough to dissipate the heat (YMMV). We just drilled the tab and installed the bolt with a jam nut. It works quite well and you can easily see it and work it without issue. If you feel the need, you can also use touch up paint to put reference marks on the body of the Silver.

FWIW
Dale53

I actually saw your build thread with this knob. It looks really good. My steamer lid didn't come with a removable knob like that unfortunately. But it got me thinking that an old crystal door know could make a cool handle too. I think I have one laying around somewhere that used to be on the gear shift of my '72 f100. I might try and dig it out.
 
Well, I've seen worse... But the amount of time you spent grinding the lip could have been used to clamp the rolled edge and leave a factory smooth finished product behind.

I did spend quite a bit of time grinding too! I thought about trying to clamp the rolled edge as you suggested, but was unsure of how it would have come out. It looked like it needed just a tiny bit of grinding. But it just wouldn't fit right until it came completely off. It should work fine how it is. It was just annoying cause it too so long to get it right.
 
I had my reservations on the terra cotta plate, as lead could have been used in the manufacturing process and you really don't know if you have one with or without lead. Was wondering if you had a chance to try out your smoker. I just did a initial run with st. Louis ribs with mine and was able to maintain 250F-268F (I could have went 225F-250F) for 6 hours, mine just settled and I went with it. Though my pot has the large hole cut out of it and I use the tamale grate as a diffuser. I also had a 9" aluminum frying pan with the handle cut to use as a water pan or deflector.. it worked fine empty. On the high side, initial burn off run, I was able to maintain 450F for 2 hours on half a chimney of lit coals... just kind of curios how your design faired with the cut holes...
 
Your drilled-out pot bottom may restrict the amount of coals you can load and also will most likely not enable you to reach ideal temps.
 
Ok so I have made some good progress on the Mini build. I finally decided what I wanted to paint on it. I decided to go with the original weber logo from the 50's (according to weber.com). Here's some pics of the process:

I'm not very good at drawing so I taped the pot, then taped a print out of the the logo onto top of it so I could cut along the lines:

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All cut out:

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I bought a thermo form Amazon and they were nice enough to send me two! So I used them both and mounted them to the side of the logo:

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Disassembled and prepped for paint. I had to paint in the attic above my garage cause we got 8" of snow today and it was easier to heat the attic than the garage to an acceptable painting temp:

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Painted:

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Peeled the tape off. I'm pretty happy with it overall. Tomorrow I'll do some touch up and spray some clear coat to finish it off. Feel free to critic.

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Great work man! And I think it was more like 4" of snow. Is there going to be a ceremony before your first cook?
 
HVanorden;
I belong to the "bare" school of decoration but I have to say that your paint job looks SUPER!

Now, we need some pictures of a COOK!!:D

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
That looks awesome. What kind of paint did you use? Where did you find that old logo? Sorry for so many questions.
 
I used ace hardware brand bbq paint. It was rated to 1000 degrees.

The logo I got right off the weber website. If you click on the About us link, then part way down there's a link that says something like view the weber time line. It was in there. That was also a cool read about webers history.
 
I came up with some vent handles that I liked. So tonight I installed them. Which pretty much completes my Mini build. I have to say that I really enjoyed doing this. I'm planning on breaking her in on Sunday to get ready for the beating the Broncos are going to lay on the Chargers. Philip Rivers? Never heard of her....

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I also installed a lid holder mod that I saw in another thread.

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Thanks for looking.
 
I did a test burn a couple of days ago and it did an outstanding job! Tonight it's time to officially break her in. I figured that I'd do something easy like wings. Tomorrow I'm doing Baby backs for the Bronco's game. Wish me luck!

Here's the wings just put on the mini.

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Added a little pecan wood. Now all three thermometers are reading the same temp:

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Awesome work! Love the tap handles!

Thanks Tim. Unfortunately I may have to remove the handle on the bottom vent. When the smoker gets hot the metal on the vent is too soft for the additional weight. It ends up bending down, and I'm afraid it's going to ruin the vent. :(

I need to figure out how to reinforce it better.
 
Mid way through this cook a really strong wind came out of nowhere! It made it hard to keep the temp up. So I decided to remove the pot and finish the wings directly over the coals. Once I exposed the charcoal to that wind, the lit up really hot! I ended up burning the wings a little more than normal. However they were still very good.

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Unfortunately I may have to remove the handle on the bottom vent. When the smoker gets hot the metal on the vent is too soft for the additional weight. It ends up bending down, and I'm afraid it's going to ruin the vent. :(

I need to figure out how to reinforce it better.
Insert a threaded rod through both tabs and into the tap handle.

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Last edited:
Mid way through this cook a really strong wind came out of nowhere! It made it hard to keep the temp up. So I decided to remove the pot and finish the wings directly over the coals. Once I exposed the charcoal to that wind, the lit up really hot! I ended up burning the wings a little more than normal. However they were still very good.

That was why we asked about the hole drilled in the Tamale pot vs one big hole cut thru, I have mine on my balcony and even with the wind, the temp stayed above 350F.. some thing to think about.. but nice cook
 

 

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