Thanks for the replies.
Much appreciated and lots of info.
As for the price level here in Zambia:
It is easy to sum it up. Everything is expensive!
I was born and raised in the Netherlands (NE Europe) and Zambia is at least as expensive and quite often more expensive (but the climate is better and meat is actually cheap).
Drums are very popular here and are used for almost anything: from police road blocks, to grills, to dustbins and whatever else you can think of.
Getting one in a decent condition is not easy. Neither is getting parts.
It doesn't help that we are a land-locked country.
I am still a bit torn between the 18.5 and the 14.5, but definitely leaning to the 14.5.
My experimental drum cooker is about 18", and will eventually work OK, but as said, is very heavy and as such not moveable.
As for direct grilling on the WSM: we recently did this on the 22.5 WSM on a sandbank (with elephants lurking in the background).
I am going to check how difficult and expensive it is to get stuff up from South Africa and I will keep you all posted.
Again thanks for all your help.
You guys make me feel welcome
Oh, and almost forgot, We use lumpcharoal. It burns very long but very hot.