Using less fuel on the WSM 22"


 
I place a roll of reflective foil (the stuff used for car sunscreens), loosely, around my WSMs. I mainly use it for a windbreak, but the foil does have some insulating properties about it.
 
JayHeyl said:
Has anyone tried insulating their 22" and comparing fuel consumption with uninsulated? What Mike said about the bottom heat shield suggests that just setting up a shield of some kind around the WSM, not necessarily even touching it, should help significantly with radiant heat loss. You'd need something with openings at the bottom so as not to restrict air flow. I'm thinking a 2x2 frame, plywood sheathing, and fiberglass insulation glued to the inside. Maybe hinge one side so it's easier to slide around the WSM. Probably easier to just wrap a non-flammable blanket around it and hold it in place with bungee cords. Amazon has 1" thick ceramic fiber fire retardant blanket insulation but it's $14/sq.ft. I figure you'd need about 8 sq. ft. for a 22" WSM. Not sure what the cost recovery would be on that. It does make my plywood and fiberglass insulation idea seem a lot more appealing.
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I set up my smoker under a 2nd fl deck. I use an 8X8 welding blanket (folded in half) and hang it from hooks under the deck. It does a good job of keeping the wind off of it.
 
Rusty James said:
Good idea, Bill, but I haven't seen a coffee can in years. Not my brands anyway.

I assume you're talking about the 11 oz to 12 oz cans?
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FOR RUSTY & TIM: I know what you mean. I store smaller amounts of grain (for brewing) in those blue Maxwell House and red Folger's plastic containers.

No, I use an actual 24.X oz coffee can, Fareway (our supermarket) branded coffee. It has a 6" diameter and about 5.5" in height. I have two other cans that have been used a lot of times and still holding up. Both are 6" diameter, but one is 5/5" and the other 4.5" in height.

You could use a #10 can if you buy in large quantities (like for a party, Thanksgiving dinner), like baked beans, or other veggies.

Change subject: I make a spatula/scraper out of the lids from the plastic coffee containers. I cut off about half (180 degrees) of the lip and use the flat edge to scoop out the ashes in the bowl.

It also works great knock down the flaking matter off the walls of the middle section. I know, it's the "seasoning", but sometimes you just have to avoid an unwanted clean up from happening.
 
I see large cans of green beans and other food items at Sam's Club. Are these in #10 cans?

Found this image...

how-big-is-10-can.jpg
 
A #10 can holds a bit less than a gallon, so if it looks roughly like a gallon, that's most likely a #10 can.
 
Make up 3 1x2 frames, tack some "reflectix" foil faced insulation (or use silver tape) and make a folding screen. It would be cheap enough to make, I had considered doing something like it when I removed the old aluminum shutters off my house and replaced them, spray with foam insulation and then silver paint? Coulda, shoulda. Whatever.
 
Sheet insulation with foil facing glued to either a panel or frame would be light and "pretty" safe. Easier to deal with than spray stuff.
I will be keeping this turning over in my head for weeks!!!
 
Rusty James said:
Three, one-foot by two-foot frames?

Any thin paneling attached to the frames before mounting the insulation?
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I had assumed he meant to make frames from 1"x2" stock and then tack or tape insulation to the frames. Clever use of hinges to join the frames will allow it to be folded up for storage.
 
Rusty James said:
Three, one-foot by two-foot frames?

Any thin paneling attached to the frames before mounting the insulation?
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Frame size to be determined by WSM size, 1x2 frame material. Have you ever seen reflectix?
It's kind of like thin bubble wrap with foil facing, if you simply tack the material to the frame (provided you've made the frame solidly) it might be just fine with no paneling. The support would not be a bad idea but, not sure of the need.
 
JayHeyl said:
I had assumed he meant to make frames from 1"x2" stock and then tack or tape insulation to the frames. Clever use of hinges to join the frames will allow it to be folded up for storage.
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Exactly! Make all the parts as compact as possible. My garage/grilling storage unit is closing in on maximum capacity!
You could even use PVC trim material, I don't much like the stuff but, it does have its uses.
 
JayHeyl said:
I had assumed he meant to make frames from 1"x2" stock and then tack or tape insulation to the frames. Clever use of hinges to join the frames will allow it to be folded up for storage.
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Understood. I've made strips of that size from larger lumber, but I wasn't sure if one could buy them pre-cut.
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Have you ever seen reflectix? It's kind of like thin bubble wrap with foil facing...
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I have, but I didn't know what it was called. Looks like the same stuff windshield reflectors are made of.

A friend of mine that works for Tractor Supply gave me a leftover roll of it, and I use it to wrap around my WSMs (loosely, secured together with clothespins) to keep out the wind. However, I think it would work better if the product was mounted to a roll of wire mesh, or one could mount it to wood as you suggested.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Reflecti...46015&wl11=online&wl12=38752784&wl13=&veh=sem

EDIT: I have sections of cattle fencing (cut to size with lock cutters) that are secured together with cable ties, but this product is a little cumbersome to use. It's probably more suited for cold, windy, rainy weather, and you can wrap it with reflectix, a tarp, or attach thin 2' x 4' panels to it.
 
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Make each panel roughly the height of the WSM and maybe twelve inches wide(or a little larger) recycle some old door hinges, duct tape the reflectix the the frame, it isn't rocket science really!
If you like duct tape, you could even make the hinges with that! Half an hour once you get the parts together.
Heck, you could use sheets of the reflectix taped to the kind of "horse fence" posts that they just push into the ground. I love duct tape!
 
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