External 14.5 heat shield?

[Paul Pearson]

I just got my 14.5 WSM on a Walmart clearance sale over the weekend and did the first cook on it Saturday night. I set it right on the ground in the back yard and it scorched the grass all the way to the ground. Has anyone made a heat shield to mimic the ones on the new 18.5 and the 22.5?

I'm thinking I could cut a triangle out of sheetmetal with square tabs on the ends and then bend the tabs up and bolt/screw/rivet the shield to the legs to create an air gap.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I've only used the internal heat shield.

 

[timothy]

Put it on anything with an air gap. A metal pan turned over will do the same thing.
I like to set up on stable grounds like concrete. Grass can be unstable, better IMO to set it on a large paver or metal pan.

Tim

 

[Paul Pearson]

I should have used pavers, I usually do with my 18.5 but I guess I was too jacked up about using the new 14.5 and forgot to get them out lol.

 

[Bob H.]

What was the clearance sale price Paul?

 

[Paul Pearson]

I got mine for $160 plus tax. Oddly the store in the next town over was still full price.

 

[Chris Allingham]

Yeah, last time I checked they are red-tagged at Walmart here in San Jose but not yet price reduced.

 

[Michael Werner]

My 18" doesn't have the shield and I had the same experience on my first burn. I put it on my wood deck and the air gap took care of the problem. The wood barely gets warm.

 

[Paul Pearson]

I was a bit hesitant to use it on my deck without the deflector underneath so that's good to know.

 

[Mike Cout]

If you're concerned you can do what my buddy did and throw a few tiles down on the wood. Of course, he had leftovers from doing his kitchen/bathroom.