Just bought a 14" WSM


 

John Neuser

TVWBB Fan
I thought I posted this thread the other night but for the life of me I can't find it. In the event I'm having a senior moment I apologize up front.

So about 15 years ago I bought a cheapie Brinkman smoker. Eight years later I happened upon this great website (Thanks Chris). After much reading I purchased the mother of all WSM's the 22". In hind sight, maybe a mistake. I considered the 18 but, "bigger being better" I went all in. Don't get me wrong it's a great unit and I'm very fond of it especially when the family comes over. Problem is that it is just my wife and I at home now and it's to big for one chicken or a single rack of ribs not too mention heavy.

Enter the 14. Just bought a used on the other day and smoked a spatchcocked chicken on it the other night. Came out great, cleanup was easy and I love it.

I'd like to know from other 14 owners what mods you think I might consider? I already put the nomex gasket on the door and expect to do the body this weekend. Will probably add a handle to the body for easy of carrying. Lastly, it already has the silicone probe grommet so no need to notch the top. I thought I read somewhere about relocating the heat shield to the outside. Any thoughts on that.

Also I would really like to hear from the 14" owners about what quantities of food you've smoked at one time.

Thank you to all who have helped me in the repast. It is really appreciated.

Can you believe Labor Day is this weekend? Oh well, on to Autumn smoking.
 
John, I have the Weber charcoal portable table which locks the legs to the table. It also brings it up off the ground. I recently got an 18WSM and am really enjoying it right now but the 14 is an awesome little smoker.
 
Here is one of the threads pertaining to relocating the heat shield: https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?63948-More-room-for-ash-14-5&highlight=raise+charcoal+grate+14.5

There's at least one other thread but I'm not finding it right now. I use my 14" on a concrete slab and simply omit the shield altogether, but to repeat myself from your other thread I have not experimented enough with my 14" to be able to get long smokes from it. With all due respect I don't get the idea of adding a transport handle on this 'lil fella and I store my WSM's in our basement between use.
 
I like my 14" WSM.
I haven't actually changed anything on it.
The heat shield is inside and doesn't seem to take up much space. I leave it in as I find it helps a bit with cleaning if I cook without the waterpan.

Just remembered: I did change someting:
I put an extra charcoal grid perpendicular to the one that came with the WSM.
That's all :)
 
John, I made 3 mods to mine and moved the heat shield outside. I did do the notch because it gives me more flexibility, wired the charcoal grate to the charcoal ring, and I added handles to the charcoal grate. I made an 18" high table to cook on and I have a piece of sheet metal that the WSM sits on. It's so tight that gaskets would be overkill.

Like you it's only me and the wife and I haven't done. My longest cook was 8 hours on one load of fuel and that was a pork butt.
 
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I added a hinge & clip, handles to the outside, added another charcoal grate, wired them to the ring and put the heat shield outside. I usually use the 14" for appetizers. ABT's, goose, deer or the like on top and fill the bottom rack with potatoes.
 
Enjoy your new WSM 14.5! I have had mine since shortly after they were released, and have not felt the need for any mods yet.
Getting tired of bending down low now, so I would like to find the "perfect" table to use with it.
 
I place the heat shield on top of a mason jar ring underneath the smoker.

It helps to reflect heat back into the cooker, and creates more ash room in the bowl.
 
Fortunately I have a stone seating wall at the end of my patio that it is the perfect height for the little buy. I put a piece of concrete board under it to stabilize the unit.
 
Thanks for all the input folks. Definitely gonna relocate the heat shield. Re: the handle, I'm going to add one if for no other reason than for a place to hang my Maverick.
 
...wired the charcoal grate to the charcoal ring, and I added handles to the charcoal grate.

That is a very handy modification, and I plan to do it myself. The 14" WSM bowl is so small, it doesn't take much ash to choke a fire, and this modification makes it east to dump excess ash without disturbing the fire too much.
 
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Hey thanks folks for all of your comments. Ultimately I added the nomex gasket to the door and between the lid and the body. Also relocated the heat shield to the underside of the main body. Thanks again for all of your comments and suggestions.
 
I've considered completely doing away with the water bowl and using something like this as a diffuser plate. I don't see why it wouldn't be just as effective. Put some foil on that, and I'd be good to go. On top of that, it would allow more charcoal to be stacked up.
 

 

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