S J. Gold Mini WSM Smoker


 
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I love this, I have been looking for a project like this for a long time and God said, Joe make a mini WSM in a Nebraska cornhusker theme. So i shall follow. Do you guys think it would be safe to paint the exterior of the pot and SJ with some kind of high temp paint hopefully red(cornhusker colors), and if so how would you go about doing it to get the paint to adhere well. Because if this works out this will be the best fathers day gifts for my dad and father in law...talk about new favorite, ha ha. and great for those "mini" smokes that seem impractical to fire up the 22.5"er for. and also could someone who has done this list out a parts lst as if you were to go grocery shopping for all the stuff needed from begining to end. thanks alot guys.
 
Josef:

No problem to paint, just clean/degrease the surface, mask the handles, then spray away with high heat paint. I found several different colors at Lowes.

To build a Mini, I would you first start with a Smokey Joe Silver. Gold is fine, but I find it works better with a charcoal basket made of expanded sheet metal. Find a 32 qt IMUSA pot, would suggest you measure or put it on the SJS to make sure it fits. Some have ordered from Target, have found other brands that do not fit. Walmart has the IMUSA pot online, order and they ship free to your local store, like $24.95.You will need a thermometer, can use a candy thermometer stuck thru the top vent, or drill a hole in the top and fit one If you are building a two rack model, will need to buy an extra grill rack($8.95). There are several ways to install a grease catcher, but if you want more space, buy a smaller 12" accessory($3.95) at Academy sports, fit it in the very bottom, place a 12" ceramic base on top of bottom rack to catch grease. If you want to get real fancy, find a second SJS donor, cut the rim off the top of the pot, use the bottom of the SJS as the top, attach a genie garage door handle, then you have a mini bullet. Send me a personal email and I can send photos. Suggest you review the posts on this thread from start to finish, and you should have no problems as there are lots of good ideas and different ways to configure the Mini.
LDEAN
Mesquite TX
 
I got some pictures to post of my mini. They are on the mini smoker mod thread.
12fullassembly.jpg
 
I just finished a loin on the mini, and to answer questions on how hot I could get this, I opened it up. I shut it down at 400 degrees.
 
Hello Jay,

I went through the same frustration as you and even bought / returned a few steamers till I came accross the info below. Hope this helps.

Best regards, Mike

Chef Latino
6000 N.W. 97 Avenue, Unit 26
Doral, FL 33178

EMAIL:

Information, suggestions & requests: info@cheflatino.com

For reseller / wholesale pricing information: info@cheflatino.com

PHONE:

(305) 640 3000

Here is the link for the Mexicana-34 (32qt), http://www.cheflatino.com/prod...6_43&products_id=189

and their contact page, http://www.cheflatino.com/contactus.php

And last but not least, IMUSA direct, http://www.imusausa.com/index....out=message&Itemid=8

"We at IMUSA want to hear from you. If you have a question, comment, or a recommendation that will help us help you, please send us a note using the form below. You may also contact us using any of the methods below."

IMUSA USA, LLC
6000 N.W. 97 Avenue
Unit 26 Doral, Florida 33178
(DO NOT send returns to this address)

Write Us At
Email: customerservice@imusausa.com
Sales: sales@imusausa.com


Phone: (305) 640-3000
Toll Free: 1-800-850-2501
Fax: (305) 640-4555


Business Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:30am – 5:30pm EST,
 
Can also check Asian grocery stores.. Seen several sizes that looked like the 32 qt size and even bigger, gonna take a tape measure mext time.

Seen Target had a sale on these about a month ago.. $14.95 I think.

John
 
OK found just about everything I needed.

I found the pot at the second Mexican store I visited. Bought a SJS, some bolts, thermometer and paint.

I have the 13 3/4" x 12 1/2" version. Everything fits perfectly. Pot set me back $29.99 + tax as did the grill. By the time I am done I am going to be in for about $100.

I hope to paint it tomorrow, and get the charcoal basket/difuser. If I could find those 13.5" grill grates I would be done...

I will keep you posted...

Jay
 
Gotta ask...

Why do I see most of the thermometers on the side of the tamale maker instead of on the top lid?

Seems to me if you put it on the top lid, you get the highest temp, and the prob stays out of the way...

Thoughts?
 
Originally posted by John Ford:
Temp prob goes in at the level the meat sits.
Click to expand...

Thanks John. But even weber puts the thermometer on the lid vs mid body. It just seems its more likely to become damaged at mid body.

I figure if my thermometer reads 250 at the top I am at 225 near the meat.

Jay
 
Gang,

Trying to REALLY simplify this build so that I can continue to use the grill and not need to fabricate anything. Thinking of the following:

1. Build a fire and light via the minion method in the base. (this eliminates the need to build a baskets)

2. Set the grill grate on top of the fire in the standard position.

3. Set heat difuser (pottery) on top of Grill.

4. Set the pot on top and use the space above the indentation to add racks. I figure I should be able to get three racks in this way.

Any draw backs to doing it this way, and why is the basket better if it is better?

Thanks.

Jay
4.
 
J , I'm about a week behind you in mine, waiting on pot to ship from target.
You got me to thinking, you're going to need that grill grate.instead why cut a big whole in the bottom of pot? I'm going to drill several 1/2 in holes in the bottom & just sit my planter base in the bottom, as long as surface area of holes greater than area of holes in top vent should be OK. If it doesn't work I'll just cut a hole out.
The idea behind a basket is it confines the charcoal & allows for a more controlled burn using minion method. I'm using a 10 in spring form pan I already had. If I didn't have this I'd just make a ring out of expanded metal, & put on grate.
 
RE: Paint to match the shiny black color of the Smokey Joe. The only high heat black paint I have found is flat, does not look good. I did locate glossy black engine paint at Home Depot, good for up to 500 degrees. It is also likely available at auto parts stores. Matches the SJ shiny black porcelain surface perfectly, looks great.

Mounting thermometers: I have tried both barrel mounted and top mounted thermometers. I prefer the lid mount, as it is out of the way, when pulling out the grates. I use pop rivets on my barrel to support the grates.
 
Originally posted by John Ford:
J , I'm about a week behind you in mine, waiting on pot to ship from target.
You got me to thinking, you're going to need that grill grate.instead why cut a big whole in the bottom of pot? I'm going to drill several 1/2 in holes in the bottom & just sit my planter base in the bottom, as long as surface area of holes greater than area of holes in top vent should be OK. If it doesn't work I'll just cut a hole out.
The idea behind a basket is it confines the charcoal & allows for a more controlled burn using minion method. I'm using a 10 in spring form pan I already had. If I didn't have this I'd just make a ring out of expanded metal, & put on grate.
Click to expand...

I may not have done a good job of explaining:

Just think of filling the SJS with charcoal hibachi style. Then lighting the coals minion method. Place the grill grate on top, as if you were going to grill a steak. Then place the pottery on the grill.

Take the pot, with the hole cut in it, and set down on top of the of the grill. There should still be enough space that smoke can find its way up to the meat.

I bought two 18" kettle charcoal grates today. They are only 13.5" and they should be enough for two pork butts. And with the bottom filled with fuel I should be able to get an all night burn. Now I am wondering if I should have gotten an SJG so the holes don't clog.

(but I wanted a smoker and a grill so I guess the sjs is the way to go.)

John keep us posted. I think I am going to go paint mine tonight.

(at this clip I am going to have $100 into it now I am thinking I could have just got another Kettle), but if I can do 10 hour smoke I will be ecstatic.

J
 
Your right, going to have more money than expected in the build. Really didn't need another cooker, building mine for the fun of it & probably give to my son.
 
Just finished test fitting everything, and the lid is tight, and the bottom is more loose than I remember. it won't tip over, but if I press on one side or the other the pot will tilt over in the SJS bottom.

Also my idea of just resting the pot bottom on the bottom grill won't work. I will need a better solution. gggrrrrrrr >
icon_frown.gif
 
Its 99% done. I will be doing a cook tomorrow, and a post to document my build. I was really starting to get bummed out because of the money and the thought I would need to spend more, but I didn't need to spend any more money, and as my kids say, "it looks beast!"

j
 
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