OTS to WSM Conversion? Pot Choices?


 

Pat W

New member
Does anyone have a simple tutorial of this? I just scored a 18" OTS for cheap and wanted to convert it to a smoker. Looks like the information is sparsed and not a definitive go to pot?
 
Just order a middle section from Weber. It will fit and look right. Well, “right” is relative. The diameter is going to be right.
Does that help or, am I missing something?
 
Does anyone have a simple tutorial of this? I just scored a 18" OTS for cheap and wanted to convert it to a smoker. Looks like the information is sparsed and not a definitive go to pot?

I have a used mid section, no door, that you can have for free, you would just need to pay for shipping.

I was doing what you are attempting to do. The mid section will fit in the bowl without a problem. Your issue will be the lid. Kettle lids are designed to fit over the outside lip of a kettle bowl. The WSM lid fits inside the lip of the middle section. So a kettle lid just sits on top of the middle section, doesn’t really seal it up.

I ended up finding a WSM lid for it, and the same guy who had the lid had a bowl, so i bought both from him for $40, and another smoker had a brand new mid section, so I ended up building my own true WSM from donated, cheap parts for about $80, I had to buy the legs. Be patient and you will find a part here or there on these board, the Weber Kettle Club, and the WSM page on Facebook.

Good luck
 
Thanks for the information, it also looks like a 30g drum would work from my internet searches. But then i might as well just make an UDS...
 
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Pat, here is the one you want it's a Vasconia. Go to the reviews and the second or third one the guy states he bought it to make a Weber smoker and it fit perfectly. It's also the one I have for my mini.
I think the pot is a little over priced, maybe you can find it cheaper somewhere else.

Pat, check out CaseTs thread in this section.

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?76606-Anyone-want-a-Mini-WSM

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00194DVJI/tvwb-20

Rich, Pat wants to convert an 18" kettle into a WSM. The pot you're referencing is for a 14" mini WSM.
 
Had a wild hair about interchanging 18" WSM & 18" kettle parts myself, but was concerned about the spindly legs on the kettle.

Occasionally, I see used 18" kettles for sale at low cost, and I had thought about doing some modifications to make this work. Having an ash sweep on the bottom of a smoker might prove useful. I sometimes wish the 14" WSM had an ash sweep.
 
Had a wild hair about interchanging 18" WSM & 18" kettle parts myself, but was concerned about the spindly legs on the kettle.

Occasionally, I see used 18" kettles for sale at low cost, and I had thought about doing some modifications to make this work. Having an ash sweep on the bottom of a smoker might prove useful. I sometimes wish the 14" WSM had an ash sweep.

It's been done...this one with gas conversion.

conversion1.jpg
 
No charcoal to deal with reduces the weight, but I wonder if the legs could support three to four butts.

Is that gas burner a Weber product?
 

 

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