Webber 26.75 OTG Mods


 
Used to..7013, 7014, 6011. Not familar with 90 series rod.

I bought a little Mig last year just for small projects, mostly to build attachments for my garden tractor and to putter around. This project requires welding skills a little above mine as the tubing is thin but we'll sort it out.
 
I wish I was closer to you, Im a sheet metal worker by trade and I've welded a lot of paper thin stuff, and your project has inspired me, great job.
 
Gary, your mods on the 26.75 Kettle are awesome. I'm going to be watching your project closely and hopefully copying it someday. I've got a new 26.75 OTG coming in the mail. Maybe Weber will be inspired to do this? Whatever, your kettle is going to be 1 of a kind and I'm looking forward to seeing it after you've completed your project.
 
Thanks Steve. Project is now delayed due to cold weather and some other stuff but I hope to be back at it soon. I have purchased an 18" BGE cast iron cooking grate to replace the 22" charcoal grate for cooking deeper into the kettle. This will also give me other direct/indirect cooking options and improve the kettle's ability to smoke.
 
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Gary that is a good idea. I find when doing a beer can chicken I am real close to the lid. I would like to drop it down and inch or so.
 
I originally got the idea from using a Smokenator with my 22" kettle, then did an 18 lb turkey in the bowls of my 22 and came to realize the even greater potential with the 26. If you use the standard charcoal grates for the 22 kettle or the 18.5 wsm you can gain three more inches over what the 26 offers in it's original set up. To me that is a huge advantage for certain kinds of cooks.:)

Where it all began. Using the Smokenator in my OTP 22. This was a 10lb. turkey.
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My first big turkey cook. 18 lbs. Cooking down into the 22.
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Gary what size tubing are you using and what is the wall thichness ? Now where did you get the tubes bent at a muffer shop? Great project I love your layout and being able to set your height is fanastic. You could even build a second set of side selfves to hold starter, thermometers,or a box for smoke wood.
Keep the photos coming.
 
Gary I'm gonna watch this project with interest. I don't have a charcoal grill as yet but when I get one, I wanna have a nice one.

It would look cool if you chromed those legs....hehe
 
Thanks Allen, my project will be delayed due to some family issues but I hope to have it finished in time for spring. It's really pretty simple.
I understand Weber monitors this site sometimes and they should listen up and market this Kettle as a stand alone product with different features providing a variety of cooking methods from grilling to LNS to cold smoking. While it will not replace the WSM it will offer, with some accessories, the ability to do it all in one package and be even more versatile than their very famous 22.
 
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Well I'm getting there. Here is the frame. Note the tabs at the back for the leg sockets to rest on. The front socket will sit right on the cross bar.


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I have carefully drilled the kettle bowl and mounted it to the frame in a similar fashion to the way Weber constructed the their OTP. The holes are slightly larger in diameter than the bolts (1/4" stainless) to allow for expansion and contraction from the heat. Yes I know this voids my warranty. :rolleyes:
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Here is my new charcoal grate. The BGE cooking grate. See how it sits below the standard charcoal grate. This allows for the bottom vents to do a clean sweep of ash as well as offering more cooking versatility.

Still need a cover.
 
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Thanks. I can't wait to get cooking on it. I have this vision of laying up two big briskets, side by side, using the intended charcoal grate to catch drippings and provide indirect heat from the cast iron charcoal grate beneath.
I'm also imagining a 30lb turkey...
 
30 lb turkey?!!!

I just wonder how big a bird I can butterfly and fit on the 26" with a two-zone. That small one I did a while back was incredible.
 
The first fire in my new Custom 26. I have not lit this kettle until today so was anxious to fire it up. I think I have more mods to do to the frame. I have not positioned the bottom rack on the cart nor have I made any utensil hangers. All kinds of room for various indirect and direct methods, including fire brick.

I am really happy with using the One Touch Platinum design for the frame and side tables. I bought PVC initially to make the tables then discovered they would not take any heat so I went with wood. Probably should have stained them darker. Redwood, teak or anything from Brazil was just too expensive so I used Cedar. It can be sacrificial and the table tops will not be difficult to replace. They offer lots of area, 20" x 22" for each side table. I used the kettle lid to radius the clearance around the kettle as well as the ends of the table tops. As for the convenience of lighting, I simply use a fiberous product up here similar to the Weber cubes. 48 to a pack and I cut them in half with scissors and get 96. I'm ready to pour a well lit chimney in about 15 minutes.

As you can see by the photos I buried the needle first time out. The total amount of charcoal was two chimneys of sugar maple from Costco, Natures Own. One lit and one unlit. Don't think I need a ceramic cooker just yet for searing although I have not ruled that out for winter time.

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This next photo is a fast forward using fire brick set on the charcoal grate and Weber's grill system. Great for searing.

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