Am I just paranoid?


 
C

ChadB

TVWBB Member
Just wondering if anybody out there has seen wind blow over any size wsm. I have 22.5 and live in a wind tunnel, aka Oklahoma City. Do I need to secure my smoker somehow to keep it from blowing over. I store it covered sitting right up against the house with the performer right next to it. Both sit on concrete patio.
 
Good case for sand in the pan? No seriously, I guess you COULD store it with some mass in the pan of some sort, but does your house protect the cooker from most storm related winds? If so, I wouldn't worry.
 
The wind has been horrible in Oklahoma lately. My 18.5 WSM has not been blown over by the wind and I have had gust of 50 mph,It has blown over my elcheapo brinkman grill though.
 
I have never read of a WSM being blown over by the wind. I'm sure in a very bad storm it would, but I don't think anything you'd be outside cooking in is going to blow the WSM over. In storage mode, I would find a way to tuck that into a corner of the house to block the wind or in a shed or garage. Also, if you have a cover on it, that would change the wind dynamics and I think make it more likely to blow over.
 
Mass in the pan was one my my first thoughts as well. You can keep sand in the pan while storing with no ill effect, right? Like Bear mentioned the wind is always working against me here in OKC. Can make cooks difficult. The house will probably protect it from wind but I too have had cheaper grills in the past blow over. It would hurt my heart to see my new pride and joy sprawled out all over the patio.
 
I was just kidding with the sand. It might hold moisture. If it's not TOO heavy, I might put a tractor weight in the pan. If it still blows over, I'm afraid to say the wsm might be the least of your worries.
 
That's great :) Make room in the storm shelter for the WSM!!!!!!!!!! But seriously, what then do you do with the sand in between cooks? Empty and refill with each cooking session?
 
ChadB said:
That's great :) Make room in the storm shelter for the WSM!!!!!!!!!! But seriously, what then do you do with the sand in between cooks? Empty and refill with each cooking session?
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Forget the sand. Why not just a couple of weightlifting weights?
 
Dave Russell said:
Forget the sand. Why not just a couple of weightlifting weights?
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Well, I mean if using sand for heat sink, forgetting about the wind and storms. I am interested in trying sand versus empty pan. Do most empty sand after cooks and replace before starting a new cook? Some sort of weight in the pan would work great for keeping the WSM in place with weather though. Thanks for the replies Dave

Chad
 
ChadB said:
Well, I mean if using sand for heat sink, forgetting about the wind and storms. I am interested in trying sand versus empty pan. Do most empty sand after cooks and replace before starting a new cook? Some sort of weight in the pan would work great for keeping the WSM in place with weather though. Thanks for the replies Dave

Chad
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Gotcha. I've never tried the sand, but have read that bad things can happen to bottom grate meat. Control can be tough too.
 
ChadB said:
What do you do with your pan Dave?
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For butts or briskets, two layers of foil above the bottom of the pan to keep the drippings from smoking. Exterior fat renders better and I get better bark. Less chance of having to refuel as well. Water in the pan for chicken or ribs. It helps even out the cook and slows evaporation of surface moisture. Makes the cook more forgiving and things get done more at the same time.
 
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geewhiz, up here in Wisconsin, we have smaller buildings than our homes.
We call them garages. Lots of folk up here store stuff in these garages.
They're kinda cool that way, ya know? ;)

Maybe you could get a garage and store your WSM in it.
Wind don't blow garages away.



well, not all the time. :D
 
Thanks Tim. Great idea! I want to be able to leave the WSM out (especially during the good weather for cooking), and it would be a pain to move the cooker with each use back and forth from garage with the arrangement of my home. Unfortunately I don't own a shed. Spring time in Oklahoma is prime time for high wind gusts though. Just making sure there is not some magic mod someone had for keeping potential spills from happening. A simple sand-bag works for me. Magic :)
 
Chris Allingham said:
No, you're not paranoid. The wind will blow over a WSM. Here are examples:

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?28915-WARNING-SOME-OF-THESE-IMAGES-MAY-BE-DISTRUBING-TO-ALL-MEMBERS
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?17517-Mother-*-Nature
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That's exactly what I was afraid of. Thanks for sharing those threads and solidifying my fears Chris :) I will definitely have to come up with something to help secure my 22.5 down. Sand bags, the hold downs Jerry shared (thanks Jerry) something.
 
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