Weber Kettle Club Forums

Grill Talk => Weber Kettle Forum => Topic started by: 1Cavman on March 28, 2013, 03:59:27 AM

Title: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: 1Cavman on March 28, 2013, 03:59:27 AM
I know about the baskets you can get from Weber..
Here's one that turns the Kettle into a nice little smoker.
Expanded metal basket with a couple of firebricks.
Made by a very talented gentleman from CA...

(http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii624/rpugliese/1%20Oct/100_0704.jpg)

(http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii624/rpugliese/1%20Oct/100_0705.jpg)
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: MartyG on March 28, 2013, 04:46:10 AM
That looks great, might have to cobble one up for myself. Are the fire bricks attached to the basket somehow?
Title: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Eastex on March 28, 2013, 05:00:51 AM
That expanded metal looks like a pretty heavy gauge, that's not going away anytime soon.


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Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: jacoblee on March 28, 2013, 06:09:33 AM
Nice does he sell them?

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Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: 1911Ron on March 28, 2013, 11:41:28 AM
Very nice, looks good!
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: reillyranch on March 28, 2013, 01:45:45 PM
That looks perfect for the short smokes I do.  Thanks for posting it. 
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Cookingmama on March 28, 2013, 03:26:37 PM
How would you rate this versus the weber basket?  Differences?  Why is it better?  And yessssss, is he selling them?
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Kilted_Griller on March 28, 2013, 08:45:48 PM
Very nice!! I'm in Cali...does he sell them?
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Duke on March 28, 2013, 08:52:58 PM
I don't think there's any need to buy one. I have them in all of my grills. They are just bigger. I will try and start a thread on it tomorrow. Just get some regular expanded metal. It's way cheaper at a metal yard if you have one close. I buy a half sheet at a time. I will give an example to follow. If you have an aviation snip and some baling wire it's a piece of cake. I will also show some pictures of mine in my 22 & 26'r.
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Kilted_Griller on March 28, 2013, 09:14:42 PM
stop teasing....
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Golly on March 28, 2013, 10:13:06 PM
hogsy has a way better setup than that 8)
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: 1Cavman on March 29, 2013, 02:43:54 AM
Answers to questions and comments....

Firebricks are not attached..
Yes he does sell them...
I like this one better than the Weber baskets
  Not as big so you have more cooking surface
  Less ash build up.. Better airflow
  Consistent temps without a lot of messing around
  You can put a dozen unlit briquets in the basket add another 10 lit and hit 250 without a problem.

Golly... Would like to see hogsy's setup
Duke... I'd like to see your approach

See if I can post a couple of smokes I've done with it.

 
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: bob hope on March 30, 2013, 09:17:06 AM
I cant find the thread that hogsy's set up is in but I just got mine and its almost spot on to hogsy's I just haven't made the Weber basket. What is the size ? I would like to find or make a bigger one.
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/just-got-my-%27hogsy%27-for-my-26%27er/
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Hogsy on March 30, 2013, 01:44:08 PM
Here's the thread Bob
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/indirect-cooking-techniques/
And here's a pic
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q585/joelhogston/B840CBAA-D687-4C89-BEFF-F5C4D8270D38-4007-000005473D1DB103_zps3d3b6a0b.jpg)
I used an old 22 bowl, expanded mesh, a piece aluminum and some SS nuts and bolts to put it together, she ain't the prettiest but works a treat
I measured the distance between the charcoal grate and cooking grate and cut out about 2 foot of the kettle using the rim of the bowl and measuring down
I'm sure you don't want to cut up a 26er, and I think a 22 will be fine, once the piece is cut you should be able to manipulate it to the shape of the 26er
I cut out tabs on the bottom to attach it to the expanded steel and folded them over
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q585/joelhogston/0E51D6B4-95C3-4492-A068-4EA92D997F96-4007-000005515612FE87_zpsdb010928.jpg)
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q585/joelhogston/64A30DA2-3D88-4292-838F-A152CB279A8A-4007-000005515B2A3B1F_zps41516713.jpg)
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q585/joelhogston/8A19DE5B-91AC-436A-BA25-332D570AEDE7-4007-000005516064AA99_zpsbdc76359.jpg)
Making one of these for a 26er would be awesome and can't wait to see how it turns out
I think you'll be impressed with how much fuel it holds and it seems to work well using the minion method too for low & slow
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: Duke on March 30, 2013, 02:10:00 PM
Here's the one I use in my 26'r. What I do is trace it on the charcoal grate and leave some excess about four inches to fold over. Then I make the back for it and tie it together with baling wire. I use them almost everyday and they will last forever. By the way, I like them big because it increases the direct area. It doesn't have to be filled up either. When the coals are hot I like to spread them out and grill over them direct which works really nice.

(http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/1672/005snx.jpg) (http://img849.imageshack.us/i/005snx.jpg/)

(http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/3623/006fcu.jpg) (http://img541.imageshack.us/i/006fcu.jpg/)
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: bob hope on March 30, 2013, 08:58:04 PM
Thanks Hogsy. I might have a donor kettle. I like that you have a solid back and front with the bottom open forcing the air flow thru the charcoal. I think that this will help with the heat deflection.

WOW Duke that basket is freaking huge!!
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: 1Cavman on April 01, 2013, 05:06:45 AM
Nice lookin mods fellas.. Looks like I'm in the right place... ;)
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: javahog2002 on April 01, 2013, 08:06:55 AM
All of those baskets look very nice.
Title: Re: A Kettle Charcoal Basket
Post by: reillyranch on April 01, 2013, 04:15:36 PM
Those remind me of the Weber smoker attachments, circa 1980

(http://imageshack.us/a/img96/1471/smokerattachment.png)