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stacked kettles = excellent smoker

Started by BillA from CA, July 19, 2017, 11:45:29 AM

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BillA from CA

Quote from: Troy on July 20, 2017, 09:23:56 PM
That's inventive!

Probably made a mess of the outer porcelain of the top kettle!
It looks really ugly when done but it actually cleaned up nicely with some scrubbing pads.  It did not appear to crack or degrade the finish.
Still searching for a food that does NOT taste better when grilled or smoked

charred

This is a brilliant innovation. Instead of the WSM, next time I'll use this set up. If it goes well I just may sell the WSMs. I like the multi-tasking aspect of it.

A 3-wheeler 22 would work w/ no mod and it has 2 bowl handles for easy lifting.
hopelessly, helplessly, happily addicted to a shipload of Webers

charred

Of course, clean-up on a 3-wheeler would be a major PITA.

The double-bowl smoker set up is perfect use for a less-than-pristine OTG bowl. Pretty sure I have at least one that has wasted sweeps.  ;D
hopelessly, helplessly, happily addicted to a shipload of Webers

crowderjd

Chasing the impossibles: Westerner, Custom, Meat Cut!

BillA from CA

Quote from: charred on July 21, 2017, 06:59:57 AM
Of course, clean-up on a 3-wheeler would be a major PITA.
Mine is a three wheeler.  I removed the three dampeners (well I removed 2 because one was frozen and I was too lazy to grind the nut off) because I don't envision reassembling it again as a stand-alone grill. Also, the tabs on the three dampeners could interfere with the charcoal/wood if you put a thick layer in the bottom of the 18 inch. (there is not a huge space between bottom of the 22-inch and the inside of the  18-inch) 

When I want to do conventional grilling I either just take the 22-inch off and use the 18-inch or I leave the 22-inch in place and put the charcoal rack back in place in the 22-in.  and just leave it sitting on top of the 18-inch.  With the dampener full open on the 18-inch I still get plenty of air through the 18-inch and into the 22-inch to get a blazing hot fire, if needed.
Still searching for a food that does NOT taste better when grilled or smoked

Troy

i think a "beercan" mod where the bottom is cut out and the edges are sealed would be sweet here, but it's not quite as quick and easy as the naked stack.

Al b que

Quote from: BillA from CA on July 19, 2017, 11:45:29 AM
Necessity is the mother of invention...I wanted to smoke a large brisket but it almost covered the grill on my 22 inch kettle so I could not get indirect heat.  No problem...I pulled the legs off, removed the bottom vents, and set it on top of my smaller (18-in) Weber after removing the lid from the small one.  Charcoal and wood chips go in the bottom kettle, smoke and heat rises through the vents in the bottom of the large one and I get perfect smoking.  Temperature control via top vents on the large kettle and bottom vents on the small one. I can reload wood chunks in the small one by briefly removing the large one and I never have to take the lid off the large one. Plenty of room for a drip pan below the grill on the large one.  Total indirect heat with no flare ups from drippings, even without the drip pan since drippings collect in the low spot of the large kettle and the vents are a little higher than that.
Hi BillA. Did you have to run the temp in the bottom higher or use more charcoal?

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greenweb

Mine is almost same  as BillA from CA set up. 22" bowl is my spare 3 wheeler with 3 bowl vents donated to my Green MBH. The bottom can be cut open but not necessary as you are using it for smoking not for grilling. Similar setup as WSM or other egg style smoker. Charcoal on my 18" kettle charcoal grate and a deflector ( 14-15 in pizza pan will do ) on 22" charcoal grate. Might not even be needed as planty of distance from charcoal to the food on the cooking grate on top with lower heat.

I have not done it yet,but I suspect the best set up would be to cut open the bottom of the 22" bowl and place a deflector as I described on the charcoal grate on top. Plenty stable just set on top but if needed .... 2 bowls can be secured better.

As for the porcelain finish outside..... is same as inside the kettle. No need to worry.




BillA from CA


Hi BillA. Did you have to run the temp in the bottom higher or use more charcoal?
[/quote]
Not much.  Unlike offset smokers, the 18" with the coals is immediately below the 22 inch so most of the heat gets transferred into the 22 inch.  I really like this setup because the only modification is the removal of the legs and dampeners on the 22" and if I wanted to I could easily restore the 22 inch to original configuration.  No cutting of holes or anything else and I get plenty of smoke through the 22 inch dampener holes.  In fact I accidentally actually OVER smoked some meat in an early experiment. 
Still searching for a food that does NOT taste better when grilled or smoked

Hell Fire Grill

Quote from: greenweb on July 19, 2017, 05:18:06 PM
I have done this already before and have shared my other ideas including this one a while back on previous threads.

Anyways, here is the pic of mine posted before.



Wheres the thread, got a link?
You can't always get what you want....but if you try sometimes you get what you need

charred

Was hoping to use a semi-ratty rescued 22 but so far I've stacked 2 different 22s on 2 different 18s and haven't gotten a decent seal with any combo. Lol.

hopelessly, helplessly, happily addicted to a shipload of Webers

BillA from CA

Quote from: charred on July 22, 2017, 12:47:57 PM
Was hoping to use a semi-ratty rescued 22 but so far I've stacked 2 different 22s on 2 different 18s and haven't gotten a decent seal with any combo. Lol.
Maybe I got lucky.  My 22" is from about 1982 and my 18 is from about 2007.  I get far more smoke leakage around the lid of my 22 than I do at the intersection of the 22" with the 18".  The only time I got leakage between the 18 and 22 was when I  put a bigger than normal piece of smoking wood in the 18" and it contacted the bottom of the 22" and kept the 22 from completely seating in the rim of the 18.
Still searching for a food that does NOT taste better when grilled or smoked

greenweb

Quote from: Hell Fire Grill on July 22, 2017, 05:49:39 AM
Quote from: greenweb on July 19, 2017, 05:18:06 PM
I have done this already before and have shared my other ideas including this one a while back on previous threads.

Anyways, here is the pic of mine posted before.



Wheres the thread, got a link?

Here is one I have shared my idea on this last year. I have also mentioned and shown few other completed pics on other threads, which I can not find them at this time.
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/18-fever-the-18-5-appreciation-revolution/msg259793/#msg259793





Quote from: BillA from CA on July 22, 2017, 01:54:44 PM
Quote from: charred on July 22, 2017, 12:47:57 PM
Was hoping to use a semi-ratty rescued 22 but so far I've stacked 2 different 22s on 2 different 18s and haven't gotten a decent seal with any combo. Lol.
Maybe I got lucky.  My 22" is from about 1982 and my 18 is from about 2007.  I get far more smoke leakage around the lid of my 22 than I do at the intersection of the 22" with the 18".  The only time I got leakage between the 18 and 22 was when I  put a bigger than normal piece of smoking wood in the 18" and it contacted the bottom of the 22" and kept the 22 from completely seating in the rim of the 18.

Make sure the 18" bowl is not out of round. Perfect seal on mine.

BillA from CA

Quote from: greenweb on July 21, 2017, 05:26:29 PM
As for the porcelain finish outside..... is same as inside the kettle. No need to worry.

I agree, I have used my set-up since early April in 2016 and no degradation to the finish on the bottom of the exterior of the 22 inch
Still searching for a food that does NOT taste better when grilled or smoked

Al b que

Saw that thread about the stacker double kettle. I had a Jumbo Joe just laying around decided to make my own Stacker

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