Hammer out the water pan?

[Kyle Fisher]

I normally use the ECB charcoal pan for water, but I'm going to try the 14" clay pot base in the original water pan.

My issue is that the original water pan in my used WSM is bent and deformed. The bottom is bent in so if you look at it upside down, it looks kind of like a jellow mold or donut shape.

Can I hammer out this bubble to reshape it back to more of a half-circle or will this be a futile effort that simply damages it more?

I saw a new pan for $39 and that seems too high for me simply to play with a clay pot (clay pot doesn't fit in the ECB pan unless I get a smaller one).

Thanks.

 

[Kyle Fisher]

The answer is, you can't hammer it really. I don't know how it got inverted before, but hammering it fixed it some but put creases in it. Good enough for putting a clay pot base in it, I think

 

[Tony C.]

the brinkman charcoal pan is bigger than the stock WSM water bowl. why can't you put the clay saucer in it?

 

[Kyle Fisher]

The 14" saucer doesn't fit in the brinkmann pan because the lip of the brinkmann pan is actually smaller. The opening of the weber water pan is about a full inch wider.

I could put it in if I didn't use the bottom grate. The other option, which I may do, is go buy a 12" saucer for in the brinkmann pan.

 

[Jerry N.]

The pan is already trash from what you describe, so I don't understand what you have to lose. Hammer it, step on it, do whatever to get it in good enough shape so it sits level on the brackets and the clay saucer sits in it.

I certainly agree that I wouldn't kick out more money for a new water pan. I also agree with you that if you don't already have the 14" saucer, just get a smaller one to fit the Brinkman. That way, you don't even have to go to the trouble of fixing the pan.

 

[Jon Merka]

wouldnt a couple of bricks do the same function as a heat sink??

 

[Kyle Fisher]

As long as they don't crack or have odd particles in them that burn, then sure.

As an update, I hammered it out and enamel chipped off, but it cooked just great. Obscenely easy to control the heat with this mod. Also, it was very easy to clean up by simply removing the foil.

Fun side note about my $7 Frankenstein WSM: Due to all the deformations (out of round, rusted out leg holes, bent access door, bent vents, etc), for me to really control the heat I close all the bottom vents completely and then I have to adjust only the top vent between 100% open to 50% open. Too much air gets in elsewhere.