Converting OTS to OTG

[Winz]

I have a 22' one touch sliver that I would like to retrofit with the OTG ash catcher.  Are there any other parts or modifications necessary to make this work or is it a straight forward retrofit?

Thanks,

Winz

[1buckie]

People do this by screwing into the leg sockets, or....using a hose clamp around the leg sockets......possible also to use the flat crosspiece, but you need, I believe, a 7409 ash sweep to hold it in..............

Can't find the rundown on this, Gummi or someone like him will know (there's a thread with visuals)

[salad]

In my experience, it depends.  I have a newer gold ash assembly that I took off a banged up kettle.  Unlike the old version (think SS Performer or older MTs/Golds where the ring is attached to a bar and is used in conjunction with the 7409 sweep), it uses the 7444 sweep.  On the newer gold ash assembly, the ash ring snaps into the holes of the leg sockets.  What I have found is the new ash assembly ring tabs don't line up with the socket holes on the older kettles. 

In short, if you have a newish kettle, you can just get the new style assembly and put it on.  If you're trying to take an older kettle and want to turn it into a gold, it might not be so straight forward.  Now, YMMV.  I don't know that all newer kettle sockets are aligned the same way.  Also, if you do have an older kettle, maybe by chance the sockets will line up?  I don't know.  I know I've tried 2 of my older kettles (80s) with the new style gold assembly and neither lined up.  I then tried it on a DZ (2008) kettle and it fit perfectly.  I have no idea if the socket hole placement is standard and if it is, I don't when it happened.

If you have an old style gold ash assembly (with the cross bar), all you would need is a 7409 sweep and you're good, no matter what vintage kettle you have.....I think. 

[dwnthehatch]

I noticed in one case that the sweeper holes at the bottom of the kettle are longer than the circumference of the ash holder ring. You will have about 1/2" of the sweeper holes that are not inside of the ring.

[pbe gummi bear]

I noticed in one case that the sweeper holes at the bottom of the kettle are longer than the circumference of the ash holder ring. You will have about 1/2" of the sweeper holes that are not inside of the ring.

I know this is true for the 18 but I don't think this is the case for the 22 as both ash pots and rings are the same diameter.

[pbe gummi bear]

I have a 22' one touch sliver that I would like to retrofit with the OTG ash catcher.  Are there any other parts or modifications necessary to make this work or is it a straight forward retrofit?

Thanks,

Winz

Winz- it depends on your kettle. What year is yours? The newer OTG ash catcher with the cut out arrows clip into small slits  between the leg socket and bowl. The older kettles (pre 2003/2004ish) had a different ash catcher that was held with a horizontal bar on the ash sweeps. On older kettles the sockets don't have that slot so you will need to cut the slot or use an external clamp or screw to hold it. Putting a new style ash catcher on an kettle is the most common scenario so I'll leave the description at that. I can't provided visuals at the moment but if you google search "diy ash catcher bar weber kettle club" and "so who's really interested in one of these things zavod44 weber kettle club" you'll find the info you need on the old style ash catcher is case you wanted to pursue that route. 

[pbe gummi bear]

This is a pic of the new style attachment from those threads.

Can someone post a pic of the bottom of the "H" assembly?

This is as close as I can come. 
.

[pbe gummi bear]

And the old style. Note that the slot for the ring to clip in is not there.

It occured to me a while back why this part was shaped so funnily but I didn't think too much of it until a recent post by Mike.Stavlund. I thought that you can make this part with only 4 bends instead of 6 that make it looks like a "W" and Mike's new performer has one! Thanks for the revelation, Mike!

The ash catcher bar has the following functions:
1. hold the ash catcher and ash up
2. allow the ashsweeper handle to rotate freely
3. not obstruct airflow
4. allow ash and ember to fall down into the pot.

#1 is obvious. If its rusted to sh!t, it will break bend, and fall off. But you also get less vertical deflection for the same load with the beam at an angle.
#2 Unlike the "H" style ashsweeper, this bar does not rotate with the ash sweeper handle. The bar is also bent to have just the right clearance so that the handle doesn't hit it at full open and close.   Great attention to detail by the weber engineers. Note the clearance here:

#3/#4 were not obvious to me until I saw what a simplified ashcatcher bar is like. A recent pickup by mike.stavlund shows one that has 4 main bends- going straight into the tabs on the collar.

Here is a pic of that, I hope he doesn't mind i repost it here:

original thread: http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/the-reward-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow/

This part looks sturdy, functional, and easy to make. Stamping out that complex part wouldn't be an issue for Weber so I think that those bends exist to preserve airflow and allow embers and ash to fall easier. Once I get my workstation up I'll make a template for the simplified ash bar. Thanks again for the inspiration, Mike!

[pbe gummi bear]

Can't find the rundown on this, Gummi or someone like him will know (there's a thread with visuals)

There's only 1 Gummi! Like there's only 1Buckie.

[MacEggs]

I have converted 2 redheads using this method.

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/one-touch-vent-size/msg69561/#msg69561

[1buckie]

Can't find the rundown on this, Gummi or someone like him will know (there's a thread with visuals)

There's only 1 Gummi! Like there's only 1Buckie.

So here's to us.......and folks like us !!!!!!!

[Winz]

Gummi - the kettle I am converting is AA (2011), so this looks pretty straight forward.  I believe I have a spare ash catcher assembly laying around here somewhere.

Since I do much of my grilling on a wood deck, and I live in the middle of the woods with lots of potential wildfire fuel all around, I am very concerned with using a grill without the enclosed ash catcher.

Thank you all for the responses - very helpful.

Winz

[pbe gummi bear]

Gummi - the kettle I am converting is AA (2011), so this looks pretty straight forward.  I believe I have a spare ash catcher assembly laying around here somewhere.

Since I do much of my grilling on a wood deck, and I live in the middle of the woods with lots of potential wildfire fuel all around, I am very concerned with using a grill without the enclosed ash catcher.

Thank you all for the responses - very helpful.

Winz

Yeah it's gonna be super simple. Just buy the ash catcher, remove the ash sweep handle and clip it on

[mike.stavlund]

Glad you got your answer Winz, and yeah, it sounds like you'll have a straightforward modification and be up and running in no time. 

And since one of my kettles got mentioned earlier in this thread, for the sake of clear disclosure let me emphasize that the DIY ash bar that came on my 95 Performer did *NOT* allow the full function of the ash sweeps.  I think the problem was a combination of the thickness of the bar stock and the bends.  It looked like it would work well, but it turns out that Weber knows best.  ;-)

[Winz]

Well, that was easy - took all of 5 minutes

Before:



After:



I was planning on the copper to be a dedicated pizza oven, but I just scored a SS performer this morning and may use it instead.  Nice to have the table when cooking pizzas.

Winz