I've been a long time kettle user and recently bought and pimped out a WSM 18.5 as I needed more space to smoke meat rather than tying up the kettle for extended periods. Upgrades include a Cajun Bandit (wheel & cylinder lock kit, two folding side tables and extended rack supports), Arbor Fab (charcoal basket), and Island Outdoors (quick coal lavalock door, lid hinge, firedial heat diffuser and lid gasket).
When installing the lavalock door, the cylinder of the WSM stock access door hole was widened 1 1/2" wider on each side and 1 1/2" taller on the top. The lavalock door was also raised so the bottom ledge was about 1/4" lower than the horizontal area of the stock access door hole. A bead of slicone around the inside and outside edges provides a positive seal.
For the ATC, I went with Thermoworks (signals and billows). After an initial test run, I decided to modify the standard connection so as to eliminate the chances of ash blowing around inside and also to ensure an even burn of the coals in the basket. The modification includes attaching the fan to a custom built manifold that evenly distributes air to three separate ports where hoses are used and connected to barb fittings attached to one port on each of the three stock air dials on the bottom (the other two holes on each of the three dials were sealed with flue tape). Each of the three barb fittings has a tee fitting on the inside to serve as a base for the charcoal basket and also to reorient the air from the ATC to enter the chamber horizontally rather than having air blown directly at the coals. That configuration proved to be a winner as absolutely no ash wad blown around. It also reduces the fresh air entering to 1/6 of the flow as compared to using the standard connection. I understand that many connect their ATC to a bowl on one dial, but this configuration evenly distributes air better for an even burn and no ash blowing around.
Even burn.
When installing the lavalock door, the cylinder of the WSM stock access door hole was widened 1 1/2" wider on each side and 1 1/2" taller on the top. The lavalock door was also raised so the bottom ledge was about 1/4" lower than the horizontal area of the stock access door hole. A bead of slicone around the inside and outside edges provides a positive seal.
For the ATC, I went with Thermoworks (signals and billows). After an initial test run, I decided to modify the standard connection so as to eliminate the chances of ash blowing around inside and also to ensure an even burn of the coals in the basket. The modification includes attaching the fan to a custom built manifold that evenly distributes air to three separate ports where hoses are used and connected to barb fittings attached to one port on each of the three stock air dials on the bottom (the other two holes on each of the three dials were sealed with flue tape). Each of the three barb fittings has a tee fitting on the inside to serve as a base for the charcoal basket and also to reorient the air from the ATC to enter the chamber horizontally rather than having air blown directly at the coals. That configuration proved to be a winner as absolutely no ash wad blown around. It also reduces the fresh air entering to 1/6 of the flow as compared to using the standard connection. I understand that many connect their ATC to a bowl on one dial, but this configuration evenly distributes air better for an even burn and no ash blowing around.
Even burn.
