Trouble getting stuff off bottom rack to foil with temp probe installed on top grate


 
Rodney B said:
The way I deal with this problem is probably not the safest and does require a little muscle but for me it works great. I installed handles (horizontal not vertical) on my 18" and 22" WSM , when its time to foil or what ever I lift the center section off of the coals and set to the side then take the lid and place over the bottom section to keep air from the coals. I then remove the probes from the grate and hang over the side out of the way, but like RichPB stated make sure your wires are placed outside of the grate. Now the top grate can be removed easily, you can take your time to work the meat, don't get a face full of smoke, and don't have to worry about your charcoal heating up. When you are done just reverse the process and you are back in business with with very little to no temperature spike. If you use water in the pan be sure to keep the center section level when lifting, I generally don't use water so this is not an issue for me.
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"A little muscle"? Sounds like a great idea if not much meat on the pit, but I think I'll pass on this when it's time to foil the 50lbs+ of pork butts I'm putting on the big bullet tomorrow. To much like work, and I'd spill my beer, for sure.
 
Dave I gently compressed the outside edges of the crimp taking care not to change the depth of the crimp. The difference between the probe passing thought the grommet or not is only a few thousands of an inch. Once compressed it slides right through. I just used a small vice.
 
Gary S said:
Dave I gently compressed the outside edges of the crimp taking care not to change the depth of the crimp. The difference between the probe passing thought the grommet or not is only a few thousands of an inch. Once compressed it slides right through. I just used a small vice.
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Gary, if I'm getting it, that's cool, because the thought of putting holes in my cookers larger than the guru grommets hasn't appealed to me at all. So just to be clear, 'cause I've only had like four hours of sleep and am kind of slow with or without my coffee....

So with your tweak to the crimp in your vice, you're able to slide ET-732 probes all the way through the guru grommets?
 
Gary Hodgin said:
Rich, I don't know what Dwain used but I cut a similar slit in my kettle using a dremel tool with a fiberglass reinforced cutoff wheel. Easy does it because the cutoff wheel is aggressive.
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Thanks, Gary. Nice to know a good technique. As Dave Russell implied, I'm leary about making holes, cuts, etc. in my WSM -- though I have done it and have made many mods. Isn't great how a simple product (with very complex engineering) can lead to so many innovations? :)

Rich
 
Dave Russell said:
"A little muscle"? Sounds like a great idea if not much meat on the pit, but I think I'll pass on this when it's time to foil the 50lbs+ of pork butts I'm putting on the big bullet tomorrow. To much like work, and I'd spill my beer, for sure.
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OK, maybe a lot of muscle at times. I guess this depends on the individual. I have had 50lbs+ on my 22" many times and was glad that I didn't have to carry it very far, just step back and sit it down is not bad though. I guess I started this years ago with my first smoker , a Brinkmann gourmet charcoal smoker and just carried it over to the WSM.
 
@ Dave Russell & RichPB. Yes absolutely, I did it. You have to be very gentle with the crimp. If you install the Guru rivet, grommet whatever you want to call it and try the 732 probe it is only marginally too big and only at the crimp part of the probe. Reduce the crimp ever so slightly and it will slide right through. I had to give it two small squeezes but each time I was mindful of the depth of the crimp because thats what holds the wire in place. I have been using mine now on several cooks and I believe I have not weakened the crimp at all. The two photos I showed give you proof of the crimp passing right through.
 
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