Here's is today's work...
I kept thinking about how to fix the bottom vents, and I was going to go with a inside and outside vents setup like some of you suggested, but Duke's idea of an ash pan was attractive to me. One of the big reasons is that it is one piece of metal. Structurally for the bottom of the bowl, I think it needed that extra support. I also want this project to be done by anyone here, so I did not want to go the route of having things welded on. From working on cars and motorcycles, one item that always did the trick for me was JB Weld and can be found at HD.
Reminder of how bad it is:
Got it nice and clean inside the bowl
Spray painted an ash pan with some high heat paint and the most amazing stuff on the planet...I've even stopped Harley Davidson forks from leaking with this stuff
ash pan fits perfect
Taped it down where I wanted it. Flipped it over and then marked the holes where the vents screw in.
here it is drilled
I mixed up the JB Weld, using both tubes entirely. I spread it on with a plastic knife on the bottom of the kettle over where the leg brackets are and on the bottom of the bowl. I put the ashpan right back in and screwed it down with some screws.
here what it looks like from underneath
I'll let the weld cure over night and then tomorrow I will drill the new holes for the vents and get them functioning again. Stay tuned!