Adding a heat sheild to a older 18.5

[Kaz S]

Has anyone added a heat deflector to the bottom of there older wsm?

I cook on a wood deck and really like using the higher heat for roasting chickens and briskets. I currently just have a ash catcher from 18.5 kettle underneath the wsm. But with some heavy wind yesterday it kept blowing out or rocking and banging on the charcoal bowl.

Is the newer wsm heat sheild just a ash catcher from a 22.5 kettle?

How does it attach?

I want to keep my wsm looking factory and if webers research and development team thinks it needs one than I want one.

I already have an extra ash catcher. Thanks.

 

[Noe]

Kaz, just cut out the bottom 1/3 of a 55 gallon drum and sit the wsm in there that is what i do works great, it also protects the bottom vents from the wind.

 

[Jim Lampe]

If you already have an ash catcher that fits decently underneath your 18"WSM, I guess I would try this:
Turn the base of the WSM upside down on a workbench/table...
position the tray where it fits best to the legs...
if the tray fits up against the legs with at least 1 inch clearance from the bottom of the base, that is good.
Then, simply use stainless screws to hold the tray in that place by driving the screws into the legs.
Depending on the type of tray you have, the old version with a "lip" or the newer version with the "rolled" edge, you can use the screw heads to allow the tray to "sit" on them.

Do you understand my theory?

 

[Terry Murphy]

Kaz, yes I have. I bought a 2002 WSM for 75.00

I ordered the newer legs for it, which line up real nice, but I did have to drill a hole in the heat shield exactly an inch over from an exsisting hole. It doesn't matter what hole you pick, but you only need to drill one hole. I then ordered a stock thermometer from Weber that comes with the newer Smokers, mounted it on the 2002, and it looks factory. If it wasn't for the old style access door, you would never know it was a 2002.