Sand in the pan question


 
K

KrisDecker

TVWBB Member
Hi all

Trying to use sand in the water pan right out of the gate (really dont want to clean up the water). I followed (I think!) the instructions I found on this site and double foiled the pan then added the sand and put two layers of foil on top of the sand.

after my saturday cook, when I went to clean up on sunday, I saw a lot of juice on the foil on the top of the sand (no prob--easy clean up), but the foil on the bottom of the pan had developed tears, etc.

So my question is kind of silly: do I empty the sand out of the pan each cook? Re foil the pan completely? or do I just tear off the bad foil and add a piece or two (hard to do with the sand!) and refoil the top--essentially building layers on the edge of the pan each cook?
 
Put the sand in, foil the whole thing in 3 layers of heavy duty foil. Bottom of the pan coverage doesn't have to be perfect. Cleanup takes only peeling off the top layer, usually won't require removal of the 2nd layer, and will basically never require removal of the third layer if you replace the 2nd layer from time to time.

Over time the sand will absorb juices and fat that gets through and will basically turn into concrete.
 
The sand is a lot of weight. It certainly makes for a stable pit, but I'm sure that if you put a clay saucer or two in your bowl and wrapped the top with foil, you'll get as stable a pit as the sand and a fraction of the weight
 
KrisDecker said:
I have been looking EVERYWHERE for a 14" clay saucer. Lots of plastic ones, no clay near me right now. Even tough to find one on Amazon. They dont say what their pots are made of. You have to scan reviews--when there are any to be found...
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Any Walmart's near you? I get mine at Walmart. I'm going to Walmart this weekend to pick up my Lodge Sportsman that I ordered online, shipped free to the store. If you haven't picked up one by Friday, PM me and I'll pick you up a couple. Seems to me they were around $7 to $8 each, and depending where you are, probably another $3 or so for shipping, if UPS Ground works for you


Home Depot's link to clay sucers

http://www.homedepot.com/s/clay+saucer?NCNI-5
 
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thanks for that link! I was at Home Depot and they were out. Today they show they have some, so I ordered it for in store pickup. I killed a lot of time saturday hunting for this. Ah well. Thanks for the link!
 
Kris

Remember BBQ doesn't have to be perfect. Having the flexibility to substitute a 12" clay saucer for a 14" clay saucer in a pinch is an apt metaphor for rolling with the punches as you learn to use this cooker.

Have a beer, and smell the smoke :)
 
I hear ya! Many brews had yesterday as I got my smoke on :)

I just figured substituting the plastic 'terra cotta' saucer would have been an unwise idea! lol!
 
Ken Hendrix said:
Robert - Could you provide an example of what you are referencing when you say metal? ie. - a metal saucer, flat piece of round metal, etc. And how thick should the metal object be?
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It seems that metal is not the way to go, rather clay is. Clay gives up less heat than metal and thats what we want: for it to absorb heat/release it slowly.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=C1...hy clay and not metal to absorb heat?&f=false

Read the 2nd and 3rd paragraph in the right column. The same principle applies in our WSM.
 
I myself wasn't looking for something to absorb then release when I went with the disk I wanted a shield to block the direct heat of the hot fire
, I can adjust and hold my temps without any problem just using the vents.
 
If deflection is your only goal, then why not just the (empty) bowl? The saucer/water is meant to regulate temps, not deflect it.
 
KrisDecker said:
I have been looking EVERYWHERE for a 14" clay saucer. Lots of plastic ones, no clay near me right now. Even tough to find one on Amazon. They dont say what their pots are made of. You have to scan reviews--when there are any to be found...

This looks like it might work, but Im not sure its actually clay--and seems expensive for what it is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00198FUBG/tvwb-20
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As it's intended use is gardening, I think it'll be hard to find going into winter. Wait'll next spring and they'll be popping up like weeds :). Home Depot usually has tons of them.

AND make sure it's not glazed/made in China.
 
Len, I had read somewhere that some one warped their bowl using it dry, don't know if it was just a fluke but wasn't going to risk it so I put the disk inside the bowl, it sits just about 3" down, leaves a nice air space and keeps the bowl round just in case and the disk won't break, not saying this the best thing since sliced bread but it works for me and besides the disk was free
 
Don Reed said:
Len, I had read somewhere that some one warped their bowl using it dry, don't know if it was just a fluke but wasn't going to risk it so I put the disk inside the bowl, it sits just about 3" down, leaves a nice air space and keeps the bowl round just in case and the disk won't break, not saying this the best thing since sliced bread but it works for me and besides the disk was free
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That bowl is tempered to withstand hi heat. I don't see how it would warp at the temps we use. I can see it melting if it was in direct contact with the coals but with an air space between? Doubt it. But that's just my opinion and I'm not a metallurgist or whatever they're called.

But one might ask "What is hi heat"? 300? 400? Hot enough to burn skin? Dunno.

I remember reading once that "you need to take your car on a high speed run" for some test that needed to be done. I considered 80 mph to be high speed for that test. The mechanic laughed and said no, 60 mph is considered hi speed. Who'd da thunk?

That's why I ask what is considered high heat.
 
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That's me, not a metallurgist and don't know what will or won't affect the bowl and not a expert on the WSM by any stretch just offering my 2cents worth about what I use that works for me take it or leave it try it or not.
 
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