Mini WSM Setup

There seems to be alot of mini wsm interest of late so I thought I would share mine. I built this last year, I used the Imsa pot from Amazon. I used a long bolt as a handle for the bottom vent.


I use a clay saucer from Home Depot for a heat sink. I wrap it in foil for easy cleanup.


I am a basket type of guy so I took the weber baskets and made them fit in the SJ. Channel locks easily bent the ends around so they would fit down in. I just think charcoal baskets make cleanup easier and gives you a more consistent burn. You can also see that I use a pot pie tin to cover the air vents. I took razor knife and slit some openings and bent the tabs up.


I cut the bottom out of the pot. I also drilled some additional 1/4" holes next to the existing vent holes for more air flow.

hankaye said:

crux, Howdy;

You mentioned, "I cut the bottom out of the pot. I also drilled some additional 1/4" holes next to the existing vent holes for more air flow."

Are those in the bottom or the top???

Why did you feel it necessary to drill them???

Did it work out like you thought it would???

Sorry, don't want to be a pain in the butt, however, you're the first I've read that did something like that... felt compelled to ask.

thanks for your thoughts.

hank

Click to expand...

Hank

I used the SJ a few times before I turned it into a smoker and I had trouble keeping the temps up. With the lid on the fire seemed to die out. I did some research and found others reporting the same issue. The answer seem to be there was not enough air getting in through the bottom vents. Mine is a newer model with the 4 hole vent at the very bottom. I drilled four additional 1/4 inch holes below the existing ones and that seemed to resolve the issue.This as before I turned it into a smoker though. You may not need to do this if you are cooking slow and low. I will try and get a pic tomorrow.

hankaye said:

crux, Howdy;

Thanks bud, appericiate it... what year is your sj ?

hank

Click to expand...

This one was made in 2010. Here are a couple more pics showing the extra air intake holes I drilled in the bottom and the pot pie tin to keep the vents open.

hankaye said:

Crux, Howdy;

Thanks for taking the time to take and post the pix.

Presuming that you just opened the vent then drilled right thru
the bottom and the cover in the same motion.....

Thanks again...

hank

Click to expand...

Yes I opened the vent and carefully drilled through both the vent and pan from the outside inwards. The nice part is that the vent still closes off the new holes when shut which is a must for controlling temps. I initially said the holes were 1/4" but after looking they are larger, I think they are more like 5/16 or 3/8.


C