Many thanks to WKC members past and present for ideas here. For most of 2014 I wanted a small smoker and the 14.5" WSM was out of reach. (Today, the 14.5" WSM can sometimes be found on craigslist for $100-$125, making these mini WSM's less attractive if you're patient, unless you just dig customizing your own.)
But it wasn't a priority until a few Vasconia tamale pots were briefly available and I picked one up as well as most other parts.
It's been just over a year since I started and abandoned this project, only finishing (for the most part) this past week.
I had to cut the legs off at the bolt heads with the angle grinder to clean them. They were really rusty, but I wanted them so that I could secure the smoker to my Weber table later/lock it in. After pricing new legs, almost half the price of a new SJ if shipped, I decided to just use up some of the chemicals I had and some elbow grease. They were a LOT worse than this prior to hitting them with a wire wheel and SS pads. I managed to step on two of the three bolt heads immediately after they fell on the ground. Each seared themselves into a shoe sole. My shoes clicked like tap shoes walking around and I had to look and see why ...
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/21/miniwsmlegs.jpg)
After a soak in CLR and light scrub. All rust gone, only pitting left. That's what looks black still. CLR is amazeballs!
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/26/miniWSMlegs.jpg)
Generic threaded "BBQ knob" used for the intake lever.
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/26/miniWSMintakelever.jpg)
I left tabs from the otherwise cutaway of the tamale pot bottom, to support a clay diffuser pan. Got one of the last available Vasconia's early last year.
![Cool 8)](https://weberkettleclub.com/forums/Smileys/default/cool.gif)
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/26/miniWSMtamalepot.jpg)
My skills in connecting the two pieces of expanded metal aren't pretty but it seems to hold together. I'm using SS cotter pins, cut-up, to secure them into the charcoal grate.
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/26/miniWSMbowl.jpg)
Slowly working through my two half-bottles of lighter fluid that came with a recent rescue. This is about 8-9 lighting up. As you can see, it's far from fully loaded. I had about 1 charcoal holder's worth of used coals in there, barely covering the bottom of the grate?
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/26/miniWSMbowllit.jpg)
This SJ was a $5 craigslist pickup. I didn't know it when I drove the HOUR to pick it up (dumb) that the lid was dented. So I added a WSM thermometer into the void.
![Grin ;D](https://weberkettleclub.com/forums/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/21/miniwsmthermo.jpg)
I added some alder chips to add to the "seasoning" but because it's clean inside it's not as if anything but smoke is being added. I mainly wanted to burn off or seal the paint. That's Chevy Orange w/ clear gloss over it, but it's not glossy actually. The legs took a decent gloss however.
I only saw smoke coming from the top vent. Huzzah!
![](http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/04/26/miniWSMwithsmoke.jpg)
So I let it run full open, empty but for one cooking grate and clay saucer (no water.) I wasn't trying to see how well it held a smoke temp.
At 2:20 after the center coals had begun, the lid thermo said 215.
At 3:00 it was at ... 325.
At 4:30 it was at 275.
At 5:15 it was at 215 and I shut it down. No ash escaped.