Probe Grommet


 
K

KCrews

New member
So I’ve got what Weber has confirmed with me as a pre production 18” WSM. On this I’ve upgraded hardware to stainless steel, new aluminum door and legs.

I’m considering putting a probe grommet in. What are your thoughts in this? Would I be ruining the “historical” significance?
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I think I would pass on that. I'm not a collector, but if what you has is indeed pre-production someone out there would be salivating over it especially if it has yet to be molested in any way.
 
I can't speak to the "value" but I'd imagine that 1) it depends on what they mean by pre-production like pre 1981 or just a pre production random year. 2) to my knowledge these cookers don't have as much value as the kettles do since they didn't really experiment with colors or designs like they did on kettles, its kind of pre 2009 or post 2009. You could try and see if theres any value and potentially sell and just get one with a grommet based on your profit. However my hunch is that the value just wont be there, and if it isn't i'd probably be tempted to just do the grommet and call it a day since it's not like WSMs on a whole are rare.

Another option is the probe kits from BBQ guru or cajun bandit. to my knowledge those systems do not require drilling and would give you spots for probes without damaging the actual body of this smoker but someone can correct me if i'm wrong. I haven't seen much about the systems since they put the grommet on the WSM by default now.
 
timothy said:
Depends on if it's a looker or a cooker. If your planning on selling it, then no. If your gonna use it, then mod away, but some prefer cutting a notch in the lip on the mid section, compared to snaking a probe thru a grommet.
https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cutting-probe-thermometer-slot/

Tim
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Thanks for this link! I opted for this method! Easy and turned out fine.

While it is a looker, it’s also my main smoker. The historical significance means something to me, (Weber believes by the vents not being machined and the lack of a date code that it is a pre 1981, this also matches with the story from the guy I bought it from) I also want it to be more functional. This was a better option than a 1 1/4” size hole in the side of the smoker, and of drilling a whole in the lid for a thermometer.

I don’t ever plan to sell it so a small slit won’t bother me, and won’t take away from the story or historical significance.
 
I did the notch mod and to be candid... it doesn't work well for me. My fault. I put it at the back edge and the cords on my temp transmitter aren't long enough to reach the closest table. Short of either adding another notch, adding a side table or adding some kind of holder for the transmitter, the notch won't likely get used. I have been thinking of a way to add an arm like a cell phone holder.. just haven't come up with a solution.... yet.
 
RyanS_MN said:
2) to my knowledge these cookers don't have as much value as the kettles do since they didn't really experiment with colors or designs like they did on kettles, its kind of pre 2009 or post 2009.
Click to expand...

As I recall a Post by Chris A. that the only difference between these early year WSMs and my WSM 18" Classic" that I bought new in the year 2008 is the plastic Lid handle on my WSM.
 

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MichaelM said:
I did the notch mod and to be candid... it doesn't work well for me. My fault. I put it at the back edge and the cords on my temp transmitter aren't long enough to reach the closest table. Short of either adding another notch, adding a side table or adding some kind of holder for the transmitter, the notch won't likely get used. I have been thinking of a way to add an arm like a cell phone holder.. just haven't come up with a solution.... yet.
Click to expand...

It is a cylinder, so you can rotate that notch wherever you want, or am I missing something?
 
timothy said:
It is a cylinder, so you can rotate that notch wherever you want, or am I missing something?
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LOL... it's a cylinder with a front and back. it has a door on the front (and mine has a hinge on the back). So.. no you can't rotate the notch wherever you want it.
 
MichaelM said:
LOL... it's a cylinder with a front and back. it has a door on the front (and mine has a hinge on the back). So.. no you can't rotate the notch wherever you want it.
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Why Not? I can access mine 360 deg and if the table is on the left or right side, just spin it.
 
You can certainly rotate the cylinder 360 degrees.

But if you rotate it so the notch is where MM wants it, then the door or hinge winds up in a spot that MM's OCD doesn't like.

Lesson -- measure twice, cut once...
 
Jim C in Denver said:
You can certainly rotate the cylinder 360 degrees.

But if you rotate it so the notch is where MM wants it, then the door or hinge winds up in a spot that MM's OCD doesn't like.

Lesson -- measure twice, cut once...
Click to expand...


Well, not really OCD.. The notch is in the back, opposite side of the door. My smoker is situated in a spot that I can only get to from the front, with a gasser to the left and a kettle to the right.

True on the measure twice cut once.. but I hadn't decided to add a hinge when I did the wire notch. Once I added the hinge my options for adjusting the position of the WSM were limited.

Adding another notch isn't a big project. I haven't made time to do it..
 
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