What do you have your WSM on???


 
I keep my WSM in a galvanized bucket-the kind we used to bring live Christmas trees inside. Have poked a few small holes in it so it doesn't hold water. I don't worry too much about the deck, a few burn marks give it character. I do worry about a fire starting under the deck. I had mulch smoldering all night one time and am very lucky the house didn't go up I also have a faucet next to the area on the deck that holds my smoker and grill.

Les
 
I also use a metal oil pan, on my wooden deck. Whichever cooker I'm using (WSM or Weber kettle)is always on the oil pan. And I always light the chimney inside the kettle (remove the cooking grate and set the chimney on the charcoal grate) so I don't have to worry about hot coals falling out.

In my experience, any piece of charcoal small enough to fall out through the WSM's bottom vents won't cause any problems if it lands on the oil pan. The metal conducts the heat away so quickly that the wood underneath doesn't even get scorched. But Les is right, beware of leaves, mulch, etc. that may accumulate underneath a deck. I raked a lot of leaves out from under mine - and even a tiny coal would have been enough to set them on fire.
 
Wow, I just recently purchased a WSM and had no idea that you couldn't set it on a concrete patio? Do the legs actually get that hot?

The Weber manual doesn't recommend any type of cooking surface for the WSM. Should I be concerned about setting it on a 4" slab of concrete?
 
I guess I'm surprised that Weber doesn't mention that you need to set the WSM on something during operation? Can you actually cause damage if the legs are making contact with the concrete?
 
Originally posted by Jeff Calhoun:
I guess I'm surprised that Weber doesn't mention that you need to set the WSM on something during operation? Can you actually cause damage if the legs are making contact with the concrete?
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It's the charcoal chimney that they are talking about when they say to have it on an appropriate surface. People have had problems on certain surfaces while waiting for the charcoal to heat up. It gets hot under the chimney. Something like an oil pan for the WSM is helpful to catch any drips and gives you a place to set down the lid and accessories if needed. check this out
here too

Dave
 
Originally posted by Jeff Calhoun:
Can you actually cause damage if the legs are making contact with the concrete?
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No, the first post in this thread was incorrect as mentioned further down in it.
 
Originally posted by Jeff Calhoun:
Wow, I just recently purchased a WSM and had no idea that you couldn't set it on a concrete patio? Do the legs actually get that hot?

The Weber manual doesn't recommend any type of cooking surface for the WSM. Should I be concerned about setting it on a 4" slab of concrete?
Click to expand...

You can set it on concrete all day long. The problem you'll have with setting it on your concrete is that it will "leak" some nasty brown stuff (smoke residue) from the bottom vents and leave a mark on your concrete. You wouldn't want that unless you don't care about the look of the concrete. Heat from the WSM is not an issue, but it will melt snow under and around it for a couple inches.
 
Originally posted by Dave/G:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff Calhoun:
I guess I'm surprised that Weber doesn't mention that you need to set the WSM on something during operation? Can you actually cause damage if the legs are making contact with the concrete?
Click to expand...

It's the charcoal chimney that they are talking about when they say to have it on an appropriate surface. People have had problems on certain surfaces while waiting for the charcoal to heat up. It gets hot under the chimney. Something like an oil pan for the WSM is helpful to catch any drips and gives you a place to set down the lid and accessories if needed. check this out
here too

Dave </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

OK, thanks Dave. I knew that you could explode concrete if you set the chimney on the ground. I didn't think the WSM could possibly heat the concrete high enough to do this.

Are we saying that you can still explode concrete if you set the chimney on the charcoal grate of the WSM? I think I understand now. It also makes sense to have something underneath to prevent stains. My wife would kill me if I stained our colored concrete.
 
Chimney on the charcoal grate is fine.Plenty do it just that way. After all, that's where the charcoal is going to go anyway.
Dave
 
My WSM is sitting on my concrete patio. I have never had a problem with it other than the issues around grease droppings, etc. I have one of those mats referenced previous. I used that under the firebox of my CG Pro. I'm sure it will work as well under the WSM. thinking about going with a grease pan. This is all for preventing stains, dirt, etc not over any concern with thw WSM sitting directly on concrete. I NEVER light the chimney on concrete or flag. I always light it while it is sitting on the grill gate, typically sitting on a few fire bricks. Since I now have a performer, I have moved to lighting the chimney over that using the gas lighter unless I am also using the grill :)

BTW - I have on occaison set the WSM on a heavy gauge plant stand that has a heavy ring on top (for holding potted trees). This is pretty cool in that it elevates it off the ground so you don't have to do all the bending over. Ultimately this is probably less stable that seting it on it's feet, but the stand has it's own set of feet. I might move to figuring out a way to hard mount the WSM on this stand to make it more safe. But I have never had any scares with it tipping or moving. But definitely hard mounts are warranted if I want to continue using it. I keep thinking I'm going to find a used or new 18.5" performer though :)

Ray

WSM
Weber Performer
CG Pro SFB
 
Spring, summer and fall it sets on the ground under a rehabbed 22'x12' portable car port I have set up for parties in the yard. In the winter, as now, it sets just inside the garage doors of my neighbors barn on concrete. We've had no problems. I lite the chimney outside on the ground behind a door. The winter drafts helps it fire up quick. LOL! His barn floor is 6" thick tho, so that may help a bit.
 
Right now I'm using a more environmentally friendly thermal barrier....

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/doleary703/DecSnow001.jpg
icon_rolleyes.gif
 
I built a stand for mine on rollers. It's on a 2 X 2 piece of plywood wrapped in 1 x 4 and with casters on the bottom for easy rolling arond the patio. I put some tile over the top of the plywood to make it look nice and this is working out well for me. I have also added a platform for my digital temperature display.
 
Originally posted by Ed Cardoza:
I built a stand for mine on rollers. It's on a 2 X 2 piece of plywood wrapped in 1 x 4 and with casters on the bottom for easy rolling arond the patio. I put some tile over the top of the plywood to make it look nice and this is working out well for me. I have also added a platform for my digital temperature display.
Click to expand...

Ed, that sounds great. Could you take a picture of your rig for us sometime? I would like to see it.
 
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