Hey all,
So I fired up my mini wsm today for the first time. Took out the charcoal grate in the bottom of the smokey joe, filled mostly with charcoal. Lit 12 briquettes and once they were gray, put them on top of the unlit coals, minion style. Got it going for about 10 minutes, , then put the IMUSA pot on top. At about a hour and a half in, temp was 170, top and bottom vent fully open. I went to church with the family. Came back from church, the temperature was 112! Some coals seemed lit inside, but not great. The only thing I can figure is that I have holes drilled in the bottom of my IMUSA pot, rather than cutting the bottom out, and it is starved of air. I have people coming over tonight, so I got a snake going in a kettle, and transferred the pork butt over to the kettle. Super frustrated. I sold my 18.5 WSM, thinking that the mini would handle my smokes as easily with less charcoal usage, but I'm wondering if I'm going to regret that decision. Any advice would be great. Thanks!
I don't think that's it. When I built mine, I had holes in the bottom too. It worked fine. For a variety of reasons, I cut the bottom out, leaving an inch edge all around.
You just need to experiment a little more. Perhaps you needed more lit coals. Maybe the vent got plugged.
I can tell you that since building my mini, I almost never use my WSM 18.5, so theoretically, you're correct.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Did you say you took out your charcoal grate in the smokey Joe? If so that may be the problem and could result in the coals being starved for air. Next time out the coals on the charcoal grate. That will help with the air flow.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have been using this since I first made my mini.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/14743482584_391c127f94_c.jpg)
This will only work with a Smokey Joe Silver. This greatly helps prevent the vent from clogging up with ash.
You can fit more than enough charcoal and wood chunks in there to do a jumbo pork shoulder.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3881/14813645842_2cbf96338a_c.jpg)
;D 8)
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/14680809492_8b0ce24dc4_c.jpg)
Put in the Charcoal grate! In fact. I went around the side of the charcoal grate w/expanded metal - more access to air.
Good Luck 8)
I think that's the ticket...totally going to leave in the charcoal grate next time. Thanks all! On a more positive note, the butts are doing fine on the kettle with a nice snake...temps staying steady at 250-280. We had a huge rain storm go through this morning, and temps only dropped to 240. Opened the bottom vents back up, and all good.
Get some hole plugs and seal up the bottom vent. Use expanded metal for the charcoal ring.
Drill three 3/4" holes just above the charcoal grate and use ground magnets from Harbor Freight as your vent dampers.
Use it like a Drum Smoker, the ashes fall to the bottom and you have infinite control of the intakes.
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Ugly%20Drum%20Smoker/CajunBandit/IMG_3510.jpg)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Ugly%20Drum%20Smoker/CajunBandit/IMG_3511.jpg)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Ugly%20Drum%20Smoker/CajunBandit/IMG_3525.jpg)
Thank me later!
Thanks everyone for the help. I will definitely be using my charcoal grate next time, and I may try
@swamprb mod...if I can bring myself to mutilate my smokey joe :)
As an aside, I had a snake last 8 hours, and I pulled the butt off at 201 degrees. Put it in the cooler wrapped for 45 minutes...pulled apart at 6pm...it was phenomenal. Pecan/apple smoke. So good! All's well that ends well.
Agreed charcoal grate is your issue. If you do not want to cut up your silver buy a SJ gold. The gold has the side vents. That is what I use on my mini.
@swamprb great idea on the magnets for the vent dampers. You could even add some wooden knobs to make them easy to adjust.
Quote from: Neil_VT00 on March 07, 2016, 08:44:11 AM
@swamprb great idea on the magnets for the vent dampers. You could even add some wooden knobs to make them easy to adjust.
You could do that!
But here's the deal on the intakes. Like drum smokers this setup requires very little intake to maintain temps. Most of my cooking with the Mini is done with only one vent open.
These are some great minis and mods!
Seems like adding back in the charcoal grate will help a lot the the air flow and might be worthwhile to cut the bottom out too
@Jason mind sharing how you got that paint looking so good? That's a great paint job!
Great discussion in here, guys! Keep it up.
Quote from: WNC on March 07, 2016, 04:34:09 PM@Jason mind sharing how you got that paint looking so good? That's a great paint job!
Thanks!
I just took my time and followed the directions on the can. I'm pretty sure I used hi-heat Rustolium simi gloss. It's still holding up pretty good too!
Edit: I just remembered that after the paint dried, it had this foggy, dull look to it and wasn't very happy >:(
Just for the hell of it, I used some rubbing compound I had sitting there and lightly buffed it with a soft cloth.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3894/14661159031_c8569d7015.jpg)
Much to my surprise, it actually removed whatever it was and the paint looked really good when I was done
Well, mini WSM failed again. Put charcoal on charcoal grate this time, fired up using minion method. Would not get above 216. Left for a 20 minutes, came back 185. Took out terra cotta diffuser plate, cleaned out ashes, put it back on. Got to 250, then dropped quickly down to 170. Said screw it, moved everything over to my performer where I set up a snake. Meanwhile, my new 14.5 WSM from Walmart is rocking along. Had to add coal after 8 hours, but that's not a big deal in my book. Steady 225-250. However, the big hero of the day is my 26er. Set up a snake, and I am now at 8 hours and she has held steady 250-275. I have literally not touched it since lighting at 3:55AM.
I'm not ready to give up yet! Clearly, I need to find a Smokey Joe Gold to make this work. I'm pretty sure the side vents make all the difference. Also, I'm going to use my angle grinder to cut out the bottom of my pot. the 48 1/2 inch holes are not enough. On the other hand, there's nothing better than just a standard store bought WSM, and between it, my 26er, and my in progress ranch, I'm thinking the mini WSM may be on the back burner for a while:(
48 1/2" holes is plenty. You've only got the equivalent of 8 x 1/2" holes (4 1" holes) for either an SJS or SJG bowl as it is.
I can't see how that's constricting you on airflow, but it might be reflecting heat back into the coals. I was told to ditch the heat diffuser for higher heat cooks. I suppose that's because the distance isn't a worry about flareups but doesn't reflect heat back down into the bowl. I do know that with my terra cotta in place in my tamale pot, my SJS bowl gets really hot, even when smoking. Much more so that my 18" grill will, grilling!
You can, however, hold more charcoal ash in an SJG bowl because it doesn't require the tuna can like the SJS bowl does. But for cooks that aren't going all day, that advantage won't matter, I don't think.
If I had a 14.5" WSM I'd be hard pressed to keep the mini WSM; mine isn't dialed in yet either. But with more fuel lit I can get it to 225-250 and hold there for 3-4 hours untouched, more like 6 if I deal with coals.
@crowderjd I had the same issue when I switched from a SJG bottom to a SJS bottom.
Here is how I solved it. I used to have holes in the bottom, I used the tamale platform to hold a terra cata plate.
So I did this
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/vasconia-32-quart-$19/msg107632/#msg107632 (http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/vasconia-32-quart-$19/msg107632/#msg107632)
That's basically what I did with mine, cut out the bottom. But in my case I left 3 "tabs" and they are strong enough to hold the 12" terra cotta plate and if I want to use a lower grill grate it sits in the groove of the Vasconia pot down there, right over the terra cotta plate.
(http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/26/miniWSMtamalepot.jpg)
And so I can get 250-270 for sure, but it doesn't stay up there for long. 220 is more like it, OK for traditional smokes I guess. I want to experiment with no diffuser for higher-heat chickens, and a thin metal plate for diffusion.
I never had any problems w/ my SJS mini. I did something similar to a-t-s... mine had 4 tabs. I cut the lid, as well, with the same 4 tabs and bolted it to the bottom of the tamale pot... the lid was a perfect fit on the SJ bowl.
(http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w667/BobBQ13/DSC04626_zps0flujxns.jpg) (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/BobBQ13/media/DSC04626_zps0flujxns.jpg.html)
I always used a 12" terra cotta plate (wrapped in foil, after it cracked in 1/2 from high heat). I also used a small SS dog food bowl w/ holes and tabs to cover the SJS bottom vent.
(http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w667/BobBQ13/DSC04713_zpshs3mtfvz.jpg) (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/BobBQ13/media/DSC04713_zpshs3mtfvz.jpg.html)
I could control/maintain temp in that mini w/ absolutely no problem, whatsoever. If you haven't tried that, definitely give it a shot...
Thanks all! Like I said, it might be a while before I get back to it...I hate to give up on it. I like my STL Cardinals tamale pot too much to throw away.
I just use the steamer insert instead of a clay pot then place a disposable trip pan on top of it.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160505/fa040085d62f24df7e006f0ae846def9.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: crowderjd on May 01, 2016, 11:13:38 AM
Well, mini WSM failed again. Put charcoal on charcoal grate this time, fired up using minion method. Would not get above 216. Left for a 20 minutes, came back 185. Took out terra cotta diffuser plate, cleaned out ashes, put it back on. Got to 250, then dropped quickly down to 170. Said screw it, moved everything over to my performer where I set up a snake. Meanwhile, my new 14.5 WSM from Walmart is rocking along. Had to add coal after 8 hours, but that's not a big deal in my book. Steady 225-250. However, the big hero of the day is my 26er. Set up a snake, and I am now at 8 hours and she has held steady 250-275. I have literally not touched it since lighting at 3:55AM.
I'm not ready to give up yet! Clearly, I need to find a Smokey Joe Gold to make this work. I'm pretty sure the side vents make all the difference. Also, I'm going to use my angle grinder to cut out the bottom of my pot. the 48 1/2 inch holes are not enough. On the other hand, there's nothing better than just a standard store bought WSM, and between it, my 26er, and my in progress ranch, I'm thinking the mini WSM may be on the back burner for a while:(
Quote from: crowderjd on March 06, 2016, 07:04:25 PM
Thanks everyone for the help. I will definitely be using my charcoal grate next time, and I may try @swamprb mod...if I can bring myself to mutilate my smokey joe :)
While your 14.5" WSM is chugging along..............
Take a look at the placement of the vents on you WSM, then think about how well they work.
The SJG vents are drafty and don't seal well. Believe me, I tried them and its not worth the investment.
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Ugly%20Drum%20Smoker/CajunBandit/IMG_2808.jpg)
I even tried dinking around with a 3 wheeler SJ, but the ash would clog the vents because they are so low in the bowl.
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Ugly%20Drum%20Smoker/Weber/IMG_0587.jpg)
While I'm sold on the UDS type vents on my Cajun Bandit Mini, I know how you feel about mutilating it, I could never bring myself to drill into Little Red Bud here....that line I won't cross!
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Ugly%20Drum%20Smoker/Weber/IMG_1284.jpg)
I call it my "Reverse Sear Machine!"
I have always used the "Gold" version of the SJ for a Mini, and the SJP for my 18.5" conversion. The side holes seem to work well for me and I never have to worry about ash clogging up air flow.
(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/rg95c9gnnniyg5p/6%20charcoal%20basket.jpg?dl=0)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/ket3557krsf3f65/9%20size.jpg?dl=0)
Winz
I think I may have read so many articles on how to build one of these that they are all running together. :o I've got just about everything I need, and bought the IMUSA tamale pot today. A few of the Wal-Marts in Austin have these in stock, so you don't have to order online.
The one thing that is still puzzling is the fit of the SJ lid. It seems maybe the pot is 1/8 too wide. The rolled lip on the tamale pot is pretty heavy duty, and I've seen comments where folks have filed these down. Does anyone have personal experience with this?
I made one with a IMUSA pot, and used some vice grips, with some folded over cardboard, to crimp the rolled lip. It was a little tedious, but it worked very well.
Quote from: RoundRockMike on June 17, 2016, 04:59:06 PM
I think I may have read so many articles on how to build one of these that they are all running together. :o I've got just about everything I need, and bought the IMUSA tamale pot today. A few of the Wal-Marts in Austin have these in stock, so you don't have to order online.
The one thing that is still puzzling is the fit of the SJ lid. It seems maybe the pot is 1/8 too wide. The rolled lip on the tamale pot is pretty heavy duty, and I've seen comments where folks have filed these down. Does anyone have personal experience with this?
I used an imusa pot and had the same issue. I took a piece of a 2x4 and cut it to match the curve of the pot then cut a groove in the outside curve of the 2x4 so it would lock into place on the edge of the pot. From there I used a c-clamp to press the edge of the pot between the two pieces of wood working my way around the edge of the pot. That compressed the edge pretty evenly and didn't leave a bunch of markings in it.
Others around here have just cut the edge of the pot off.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
@RoundRockMike Check out this link to my first build using an IMUSA pot. Used a grinder and filed to finish. Perfect fit and no leaks. The crimp method, IMO, doesn't leave a clean edge. http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/i-guess-it's-time-to-build-a-mini/msg155704/#msg155704
Thanks all, this helps tremendously. I like the sound of the 2x4 curve cut method... Sounds very easy to control and accurate. Nate, I must have read every other post 3 times and completely missed yours!
@RoundRockMike - I had the same issue. I used my dremel to file it down....took a lot of time and eventually the lip was thing enough from grinding that I was able to bend it down and break it off. In the end it worked great, the lid now fits perfectly and it fits tight. It is tight enough that I can pick up the entire pot from the lid when its empty. There is absolutely no leakage around the lid whatsoever! It was a lot of work though and I think the other methods listed in the post and that I have seen other places are probably the better way to go.
I finally got it done. I took 2 rubber pads off of 2 screw clamps and put them onto a pair of vice grips. I went around the pot slowly and didn't try to get it all done in one pass. After going around once, I tightened the vice grips a little more, and repeated that a few times. Probably 5 times all the way around in total. It looks great, and no kinks. Could probably return it to Wally World with no problems! ;D This weekend I'll get the SS hardware for the grate supports.
Winz,
What pot did you use for your SJP 18". I got one SJP on Craigslist for free and there's one for sale for $30.00 right now and I'm thinking of making the 18" WSM mini. Did the lips fit or did you have to tweek some? Do you have a post on your 18" build?
Quote from: Paul Isa on October 08, 2016, 07:12:24 PM
Winz,
What pot did you use for your SJP 18". I got one SJP on Craigslist for free and there's one for sale for $30.00 right now and I'm thinking of making the 18" WSM mini. Did the lips fit or did you have to tweek some? Do you have a post on your 18" build?
Here's
@Winz 's 'Wapiti' build,
@Paul Isa http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/project-wapiti/msg130487/#msg130487