HELLO!


 

OliverLeveritt

TVWBB Member
Hi!
I'm Oliver Leveritt. We live in Spring, TX.
A few weeks ago, I bought a used WSM 18 on Facebook Marketplace, so I'm getting it ready to go. The holidays have slowed me down a bit, but I'm making progress.
I took it all apart, removed the legs, and cleaned it inside and out using various grades of steel wool as required (mostly #0000 on the exterior) and Dawn liquid. A bit of BKF liquid on the exterior, and it looks purty danged good. New stainless steel screws and nuts, etc. for the legs.
The WSM got a few Christmas presents -- a new ArborFab stainless steel basket with Minion and a set of stainless steel KillaGrilla cooking grates. I'll be adding a 14" diameter 1/4" A36 steel deflector on added brackets about three inches above where the bottom of the water pan currently is, with the ability to drop it 3" lower if needed. Stainless steel pizza pan drip catcher on top of that.
Gotta get the Fireblack gasket installed around the OEM door and under the lid, then install the lid hinge.
I'm not worried about the OEM thermometer at present, since I already have a ThermoWorks Signals.
I probably won't get it fired up till I get past Christmas -- too much stuff going on to take the time to take my time with it. LOL!
Last night, my wife went to the grocery store to get 4 - 5 lbs of chuck roast so that I could make barbacoa for an upcoming event at the house. She came back and said that they didn't have any chuck roast, but she found something else instead. I looked and saw that it was a 4 1/2 lb tri-tip. I immediately put that in the freezer and told her it was on hold for the smoker. She's going back out today to find chuck roast. :cool:
I'm excited about getting my smoker going. I'll probably do chicken a couple of times, and then get a small chuck roast in there to get a feel for it (before I throw that lovely tri-tip in there).
I have been a Weber guy for decades, now, using various grills. I currently have a little 2 burner propane grill that does OK for the two of us, but since my cooking style has expanded and I'm feeding guests more often, I need a 3 or 4 burner with a sear zone. Here I come, Fb Marketplace. I do as much of my searing (chuck roast for the slow cooker, etc.) and steaks as I can on the grill in cast iron or carbon steel pans. Cleaning all the spatter off my 6 burner gas cooktop is a chore. I like steaks in a cast iron pan. I like that total sear much better than a grill grate sear, and I get to baste them with compound butter.

So, I'll be hanging out here and reading a lot. I'm looking forward to the journey. Current tools are my WSM 18, Weber Spirit 2-Burner, and Victory 36" porcelain enameled steel griddle.
 

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Last edited:
Hi!
I'm Oliver Leveritt. We live in Spring, TX.
A few weeks ago, I bought a used WSM 18 on Facebook Marketplace, so I'm getting it ready to go. The holidays have slowed me down a bit, but I'm making progress.
I took it all apart, removed the legs, and cleaned it inside and out using various grades of steel wool as required (mostly #0000 on the exterior) and Dawn liquid. A bit of BKF liquid on the exterior, and it looks purty danged good. New stainless steel screws and nuts, etc. for the legs.
The WSM got a few Christmas presents -- a new ArborFab stainless steel basket with Minion and a set of stainless steel KillaGrilla cooking grates. I'll be adding a 14" diameter 1/4" A36 steel deflector on added brackets about three inches above where the bottom of the water pan currently is, with the ability to drop it 3" lower if needed. Stainless steel pizza pan drip catcher on top of that.
Gotta get the Fireblack gasket installed around the OEM door and under the lid, then install the lid hinge.
I'm not worried about the OEM thermometer at present, since I already have a ThermoWorks Signals.
I probably won't get it fired up till I get past Christmas -- too much stuff going on to take the time to take my time with it. LOL!
Last night, my wife went to the grocery store to get 4 - 5 lbs of chuck roast so that I could make barbacoa for an upcoming event at the house. She came back and said that they didn't have any chuck roast, but she found something else instead. I looked and saw that it was a 4 1/2 lb tri-tip. I immediately put that in the freezer and told her it was on hold for the smoker. She's going back out today to find chuck roast. :cool:
I'm excited about getting my smoker going. I'll probably do chicken a couple of times, and then get a small chuck roast in there to get a feel for it (before I throw that lovely tri-tip in there).
I have been a Weber guy for decades, now, using various grills. I currently have a little 2 burner propane grill that does OK for the two of us, but since my cooking style has expanded and I'm feeding guests more often, I need a 3 or 4 burner with a sear zone. Here I come, Fb Marketplace. I do as much of my searing (chuck roast for the slow cooker, etc.) and steaks as I can on the grill in cast iron or carbon steel pans. Cleaning all the spatter off my 6 burner gas cooktop is a chore. I like steaks in a cast iron pan. I like that total sear much better than a grill grate sear, and I get to baste them with compound butter.

So, I'll be hanging out here and reading a lot. I'm looking forward to the journey. Current tools are my WSM 18, Weber Spirit 2-Burner, and Victory 36" porcelain enameled steel griddle.
Welcome Oliver!

Looks like you've done great job on the WSM. Looking forward to pics of that tri-tip and other cooks on it.
 
Welcome from Kalona, IA. Sounds like you are well on your way. Enjoy!
I have family in Colona, Il, Geneseo, IL, Grand Mound, IA & Maquoketa, IA. We lived in Davenport for a few years. I really enjoyed it up there, but I gotta say that I do not miss the winters. LOL! We were there for the -30 / wind chill -50 winter 3 or 4 years ago.
 
Welcome to the forum from Kansas City! Hope you enjoy it here like I do. Great job cleaning the wsm. Post pictures on your cooks when you can.
 

 

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