Point of the bottom charcoal ash pan?

[ChristopherC]

Is there any real point to the bottom charcoal ash pan underneath the Weber Smokey Mountain?

So far it is just bothering me coming off the legs when I move it, etc...

Will it ever catch any ash? Does it serve any other purpose?

Can it be used as a frisbee? Has anyone tried? How does it fly?

 

[Erik Tracy]

My understanding is that it is a type of heat shield so that the surface the WSM sits on doesn't get overheated.

 

[MikeS in Alaska]

heat shield so you don't set the shanty on fire.
I tweaked the tabs on the legs to hold mine in place when I dump the ashes.

 

[BFletcher]

Chris says it also reflects heat back into the cooker: https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/component-parts-2009-2013-wsm-18/#shield

Welcome here, and congrats on your WSM. In case you're not already familiar with this, you might enjoy much of the info found here: https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/

 

[Chris Allingham]

Chris says it also reflects heat back into the cooker:

At least that's what the design engineer at Weber told me.

 

[ChristopherC]

Ha...or a frisbee?

 

[ChristopherC]

Ya been reading anything and everything about it on this site and others. Thanks!

Chris says it also reflects heat back into the cooker: https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/component-parts-2009-2013-wsm-18/#shield

Welcome here, and congrats on your WSM. In case you're not already familiar with this, you might enjoy much of the info found here: https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/

 

[Chris Allingham]

Some have wrapped it with foil and used it as an alternate heat diffuser in the WSM.