Adding lid bale - normal or unconventional position

[DirectDrive]

I just traded up for a two-handled bowl.
I would be in the no-cut camp.....I'm on pavers and sometimes like to lift my kettle to move it .

I wonder if the new style lid bale would allow the bowl handle to remain ?
It certainly improves working clearance over the grate.

[pbe gummi bear]

@swamprb - Thank you so much for your insight.  At this point, It is more work but  I am taking the handle off. Thanks to some suggestion made.  To drill it out or cutting it off..... I am not sure yet.  But your pics provide lot to go on.  I am not sure if I want to drill any more holes but it does look clean.

Your Red Platinum looks real good.  All white including the handle against all black frame makes your Red kettle pop.


Talking about nice Redheads. I got turkey cooking on my Red right now.  About 40 min. into a cook.  Maybe 3 more hrs to go.

@greenweb does that bowl only have one handle? It took me a minute to realize it was a bowl-lid mismatch

[greenweb]

You are really good! @ pbe gummi bear.  I just happen to setup my 3 wheeler for the cook and realized that I need external thermo to keep an eye on the coal situation. So, I grabbed 1 gen MT lid.  After that, I realized that I had no place to put the lid but on the ground.   I ended up using spare part blk 3 wheeler kettle without the lid as a lid holder.



Turkey is almost done at 170f

Done at 180f

I just traded up for a two-handled bowl.
I would be in the no-cut camp.....I'm on pavers and sometimes like to lift my kettle to move it .

I wonder if the new style lid bale would allow the bowl handle to remain ?
It certainly improves working clearance over the grate.

Even with the new style lid bale, the bowl handle has to come off. Only way to keep both is to position the bale assy. between 2 handles like I was going to do.

[pbe gummi bear]

Have you considered the slide aside? People really like it and no permanent mods neccessary. You should also consider drilling into that daisy wheel bowl.

[greenweb]

Have you considered the slide aside? People really like it and no permanent mods neccessary. You should also consider drilling into that daisy wheel bowl.

You mean the one that hooks to the side of the bowl. They are very cool. I might get one later.  edit- ( maybe I will get one sooner than later as I have only seen in one local store at $36. Seems high $, but they are hard to find for some reason)  I am not modifying any of my oldie kettles. It has hooks to hang so I am fine with that.  Actually, hooking to the bowl is sometimes a pain. I think I just found permanent lid holder caddie.

Only reason I want to add a bale assy to my new Copper is to transform it into the a Gen2 MT which already comes with lid bale.  It will be One-Off  Greenweb Special Edition Copper Master Touch.  

[CharliefromLI]

Another member has done something similar:http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/redhead-mods/



In a way I can see how the lid bale makes a kettle look asymmetric mounted on one side, but then again the lid bail is asymmetric performer too.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[varekai]

I went with the unconventional.

LOL, I PREFER your unconventional holder, it's absolutely functional, keeps the lid completely out of your way AND it aint sitting on the ground!! BRAVO!

[greenweb]

Another member has done something similar:http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/redhead-mods/



In a way I can see how the lid bale makes a kettle look asymmetric mounted on one side, but then again the lid bail is asymmetric performer too.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

Thank you! This is what I was looking for.  It looks like if you were to put the front leg and the front handle towards the front, the bale assy. would be to your right.  I would put it to the left for my needs and to save the back handle.   @DirectDrive might want to try this.   

Thank you all for giving me some direction and ideas to go on. I almost went for same thing as shown, but for what I am going for, I will have to take the harder option and remove the back handle.

@varekai - I like Hell Fire Grill's lid holder idea too, but my idea of using spare kettle lid holder caddie as shown works just as good. You can even use it as a table too. 

[DirectDrive]

Another member has done something similar:http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/redhead-mods/



In a way I can see how the lid bale makes a kettle look asymmetric mounted on one side, but then again the lid bail is asymmetric performer too.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

Thank you! This is what I was looking for.  It looks like if you were to put the front leg and the front handle towards the front, the bale assy. would be to your right.  I would put it to the left for my needs and to save the back handle.   @DirectDrive might want to try this.   

Thank you all for giving me some direction and ideas to go on. I almost went for same thing as shown, but for what I am going for, I will have to take the harder option and remove the back handle.

@varekai - I like Hell Fire Grill's lid holder idea too, but my idea of using spare kettle lid holder caddie as shown works just as good. You can even use it as a table too. 

Yeah, a side bale install could be the best of both worlds.
I would leave the bowl oriented correctly over the legs.
Would also try to acquire a late model lid bale.

[greenweb]

I was ready to cut off the back handle. Had it all planed to use dremel with cut off wheel to score but not cut all the way. I would cut the middle and each half, I would bend it back and forth till it broke off. Then use sanding wheel or stone to clean up the cut.

Anyways, this was the plan till I saw this.



Euro spec. discontinued Blue Wave.  It looks friggin awesome!  Notice it has 2 bowl handles and does not have lid bale assy.

I figure if Euro Weber can configure it this way than I have no problem doing my Copper this way.    I could at least add bale assy. later if I wanted.   I like it! I will add slide aside lid holder this week sometime to see how it looks with it.


Here is what I did.

Before.   Copper OTS





After.  Gen2 Copper Master Touch Euro spec. 







I had lots of fun doing this.  This copper MT along with Ivory MT and the green retro will be looker more than anything else.

Thanks for looking.

[1ROW]

Looks good @greenweb! I was in the same boat as you awhile back. I ultimately decided to add the bail to the side. Looks a little weird but it's very functional. In hindsight I do kind of regret it because it's a nice blue kettle and it's no longer original. If I could do it over again, I'd just use the lid hook.

[greenweb]

@1ROW - Thanks for sharing. It looks so much better with a front leg and the bowl oriented correctly.  Nice looking blue.



As for lid holder options for kettles with hooks, I have 2 other options other than adding lid bale assy. to the back or the side permanently with 3 holes drilled.
First is the Weber slide aside lid holder which I will be getting soon this week.  I wil find out how good this $40 holder is.

The second is the use of spare kettle as a lid holder and a table as I have previously mentioned.  I have not seen or heard of use this way before, so I am calling it a Greenweb's lid holder/table caddie. Patent pending.    I stumbled upon this accidentally as I was doing the cook shown on this topic and find it very useful.