New guy with Mini WSM dreams....

C J · 12-09-2012, 08:52 PM

Hi everyone, 29 year old California male here who has almost obtained everything needed to build a mini WSM smoker. I bought a Weber Smokey Joe Silver today, as well as the Chinese version of the IMUSA 32 qt stock pot. Right at this moment I'm waiting for the wife to get home with the Weber so I can see if I have a perfect fit or not.

I went with the Silver version over the Gold because none of the local stores had the Gold, and I wanted this to double as a grill, and having the airflow come from below the charcoal bed makes more sense to me from a grilling standpoint. Was this a mistake? I'm aware of the clogged vent problem, but the stainless can mod seems simple and effective enough. I still have the receipt... does anyone feel the Gold would be worth returning the Silver for?

I'm currently researching thermometers. I'd like to get a digital thermocouple probe combo, but these are so expensive, I'm not sure if it's worth it. I may go with the Maverick ET73, but I've read quite a few negative reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. Any recommendations?

I'll buy the nuts+bolts and spare grates within the next couple of days. Then, after a quick paint job on the pot, I should have my smoker built!

I look forward to reading the threads here. Looks like a great site.

Thanks

BobM · 12-09-2012, 09:07 PM

Hi CJ, a mini WSM is cool, good luck with your build!

Bob

TY~DY · 12-09-2012, 09:08 PM

I've been using my Silver for quite a while. Been very happy with the mods. You'll be happy with your's I am sure.

aawa · 12-09-2012, 09:29 PM

You will love the mini. I use my 1-3 times a week. As for a thermo, I use the Maverick ET-732. It works great, you just have to make sure to not pull on the probes by the wires, immerse the probes in the sink, or kink the lines on the probes and the ET-732 work great.

You can get the Maverick ET-732 from most places. I recommend http://bbqequipmentstore.com/NEW-Mav...732-ET-732.htm The proprietor is 5-0BBQ (a fellow brethern) He runs a great shop, that ships fast and has great service. And if I'm not mistaken you can get a brethern discount with a discount code (I cant remember it off the top of my head)

mbshop · 12-09-2012, 09:56 PM

the silver is just fine. do the can mod and yer good to go. the silver would be easier to get higher temps. i've used my gold for the last few cooks and i'm just not sure of the results. the next few will be with the silver and then i'll know. one thing for sure is ya need to build a basket for the coals. better burn control. also make sure to replace the hardware withh ss stuff. that weber junk rusts quickly.

tish · 12-09-2012, 10:05 PM

I got all the parts to give my son for his build when he came home from Afghanistan. It was a surprise for him, and I got the gold because I didn't know any better. I figured he'd be doing mostly grilling while he's still on base at Ft. Bragg, and I was right. People told me the gold would be better if he was going to do mostly smoking, but he hasn't had any problems grilling with it, either. With the mods, you'll probably be fine no matter which one you use. I do agree with George, though, regarding the stainless steel hardware. That's a must. Remember to post pics when you're done!

C J · 12-09-2012, 10:18 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I just put the grill together and inserted the aluminum pot. Is there supposed to be a little give where the pot sits inside of the grill bottom, or is it supposed to be snug tight? I definitely have some give on mine.

The lid also doesn't go over the pot 100%. It's probably a 90-95% fit. Do I need to take the pot back and get another one?

C J · 12-09-2012, 11:34 PM

Did a little more research.... looks like the Vasconia pot is a better fit. I had some saved up Amazon points and it will actually be cheaper than the IMUSA pot. Will return this one to Target tomorrow and wait for the Vasconia to arrive.

tish · 12-09-2012, 11:42 PM

I got my son the Vasconia. Fits perfect.

C J · 12-09-2012, 11:50 PM

The Weber hardware isn't stainless? That's surprising.

Does anyone have a parts list to replace the existing hardware? I'll make a trip to Lowes.

chriscw81 · 12-10-2012, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tish

I got all the parts to give my son for his build when he came home from Afghanistan. It was a surprise for him, and I got the gold because I didn't know any better. I figured he'd be doing mostly grilling while he's still on base at Ft. Bragg, and I was right. People told me the gold would be better if he was going to do mostly smoking, but he hasn't had any problems grilling with it, either. With the mods, you'll probably be fine no matter which one you use. I do agree with George, though, regarding the stainless steel hardware. That's a must. Remember to post pics when you're done!

Well done, Tish. Your son is set!!

Scooter B · 12-10-2012, 10:32 AM

I have a Silver with the Vasconia pot, works great, did the can mod, actually a stainless cat bowl from petsmart for $0.99. The pot seems to fit even better once she heats up, have to give it a bump to break it loose.
I'm using a couple of cheap digital probes for now, until i can get something better. Found one at a local sporting good store for 12 bucks and a decent Taylor on clearance too. They run about 3-5 degrees apart which is good enough for me. I have a regular thermometer mounted between the grills which is usually off by at least 20 degrees.
Over the past 3 weeks I've done a small butt, a hunk of flat, whole chicken, and just did two racks of babys just yesterday. My ECB is now collecting dust.

C J · 12-10-2012, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter B

I have a Silver with the Vasconia pot, works great, did the can mod, actually a stainless cat bowl from petsmart for $0.99. The pot seems to fit even better once she heats up, have to give it a bump to break it loose.
I'm using a couple of cheap digital probes for now, until i can get something better. Found one at a local sporting good store for 12 bucks and a decent Taylor on clearance too. They run about 3-5 degrees apart which is good enough for me. I have a regular thermometer mounted between the grills which is usually off by at least 20 degrees.
Over the past 3 weeks I've done a small butt, a hunk of flat, whole chicken, and just did two racks of babys just yesterday. My ECB is now collecting dust.

I see a lot of people mount thermometers to theirs, but from what I'm seeing, they are usually off by a lot! Are there any thermometers of this type that are accurate? I've read some things about the Tel-tru BQ300 and other Tel-tru thermometers. Should I bother, or just save up for a good digital probe type thermometer?

1911Ron · 12-10-2012, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C J

I see a lot of people mount thermometers to theirs, but from what I'm seeing, they are usually off by a lot! Are there any thermometers of this type that are accurate? I've read some things about the Tel-tru BQ300 and other Tel-tru thermometers. Should I bother, or just save up for a good digital probe type thermometer?

I have an analog thermometer in the side of mine and is only off by a few degrees got it of Amazon, works for me YMMV just remember K.I.S.S and all will be good

tish · 12-10-2012, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C J

I see a lot of people mount thermometers to theirs, but from what I'm seeing, they are usually off by a lot! Are there any thermometers of this type that are accurate? I've read some things about the Tel-tru BQ300 and other Tel-tru thermometers. Should I bother, or just save up for a good digital probe type thermometer?

We tested ours, and they were fairly accurate. They were salvaged from an offset that was being scrapped. I had them laying around in a drawer, and my son liked the looks of them, so he included them in his build. But he still uses an instant read thermometer, too. Trust, but verify.

12-09-2012, 08:52 PM	#1
C J Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 12-09-12 Location: Cypress CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	New guy with Mini WSM dreams.... Hi everyone, 29 year old California male here who has almost obtained everything needed to build a mini WSM smoker. I bought a Weber Smokey Joe Silver today, as well as the Chinese version of the IMUSA 32 qt stock pot. Right at this moment I'm waiting for the wife to get home with the Weber so I can see if I have a perfect fit or not. I went with the Silver version over the Gold because none of the local stores had the Gold, and I wanted this to double as a grill, and having the airflow come from below the charcoal bed makes more sense to me from a grilling standpoint. Was this a mistake? I'm aware of the clogged vent problem, but the stainless can mod seems simple and effective enough. I still have the receipt... does anyone feel the Gold would be worth returning the Silver for? I'm currently researching thermometers. I'd like to get a digital thermocouple probe combo, but these are so expensive, I'm not sure if it's worth it. I may go with the Maverick ET73, but I've read quite a few negative reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. Any recommendations? I'll buy the nuts+bolts and spare grates within the next couple of days. Then, after a quick paint job on the pot, I should have my smoker built! I look forward to reading the threads here. Looks like a great site. Thanks

12-09-2012, 09:07 PM	#2
BobM is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-16-12 Location: Long Island, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hi CJ, a mini WSM is cool, good luck with your build! Bob __________________ "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin \| Weber 18 1/2" & 22 1/2" WSM, 22 1/2" & 26 3/4" OTG, Genesis S-330 \| \| BBQ Guru CyberQ WiFi \| Maverick ET-732 \|

12-09-2012, 09:08 PM	#3
TY~DY On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-03-11 Location: Naples, FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've been using my Silver for quite a while. Been very happy with the mods. You'll be happy with your's I am sure. __________________ Weber Performer , Weber Genesis Silver C, Weber Smoky Joe, Mini-WSM, Great Outdoors -(Ugly Vertical Cabinet), cheap a%% Kingsford Kettle In the end it will be okay. And if it's not okay, it's not the end.

12-09-2012, 09:29 PM	#4
aawa is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-03-12 Location: Virginia Beach Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You will love the mini. I use my 1-3 times a week. As for a thermo, I use the Maverick ET-732. It works great, you just have to make sure to not pull on the probes by the wires, immerse the probes in the sink, or kink the lines on the probes and the ET-732 work great. You can get the Maverick ET-732 from most places. I recommend http://bbqequipmentstore.com/NEW-Mav...732-ET-732.htm The proprietor is 5-0BBQ (a fellow brethern) He runs a great shop, that ships fast and has great service. And if I'm not mistaken you can get a brethern discount with a discount code (I cant remember it off the top of my head) __________________ Weber Mini WSM x2 Weber 22.5in OTG x2 Weber Touch and Go Performer *Sublime Smoke UDS* Maverick ET-732 World's Fastest Blue Thermapen *

12-09-2012, 09:56 PM	#5
mbshop Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-24-07 Location: visalia, ca Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	the silver is just fine. do the can mod and yer good to go. the silver would be easier to get higher temps. i've used my gold for the last few cooks and i'm just not sure of the results. the next few will be with the silver and then i'll know. one thing for sure is ya need to build a basket for the coals. better burn control. also make sure to replace the hardware withh ss stuff. that weber junk rusts quickly. __________________ george spam, can't live without it

12-09-2012, 10:05 PM	#6
tish Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-13-11 Location: york, pa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I got all the parts to give my son for his build when he came home from Afghanistan. It was a surprise for him, and I got the gold because I didn't know any better. I figured he'd be doing mostly grilling while he's still on base at Ft. Bragg, and I was right. People told me the gold would be better if he was going to do mostly smoking, but he hasn't had any problems grilling with it, either. With the mods, you'll probably be fine no matter which one you use. I do agree with George, though, regarding the stainless steel hardware. That's a must. Remember to post pics when you're done! __________________ When all else fails, just ask yourself WWGALD???* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a little pyro at heart! Who's got the hot dogs? Bubba Keg, Weber Genesis E-310 NG Mini WSM, Shhh!!! Michael's surprise <'\__! .// .\\ Puppy baby says 'piss on it and walk away!' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Proud recipient of a certifiably uncertified limited edition MOINK ball certificate!!

12-09-2012, 10:18 PM	#7
C J Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 12-09-12 Location: Cypress CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the replies everyone. I just put the grill together and inserted the aluminum pot. Is there supposed to be a little give where the pot sits inside of the grill bottom, or is it supposed to be snug tight? I definitely have some give on mine. The lid also doesn't go over the pot 100%. It's probably a 90-95% fit. Do I need to take the pot back and get another one?

12-09-2012, 11:34 PM	#8
C J Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 12-09-12 Location: Cypress CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Did a little more research.... looks like the Vasconia pot is a better fit. I had some saved up Amazon points and it will actually be cheaper than the IMUSA pot. Will return this one to Target tomorrow and wait for the Vasconia to arrive.

12-09-2012, 11:42 PM	#9
tish Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-13-11 Location: york, pa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I got my son the Vasconia. Fits perfect. __________________ When all else fails, just ask yourself WWGALD???* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a little pyro at heart! Who's got the hot dogs? Bubba Keg, Weber Genesis E-310 NG Mini WSM, Shhh!!! Michael's surprise <'\__! .// .\\ Puppy baby says 'piss on it and walk away!' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Proud recipient of a certifiably uncertified limited edition MOINK ball certificate!!

12-09-2012, 11:50 PM	#10
C J Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 12-09-12 Location: Cypress CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The Weber hardware isn't stainless? That's surprising. Does anyone have a parts list to replace the existing hardware? I'll make a trip to Lowes.

12-10-2012, 10:32 AM	#12
Scooter B Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 11-15-12 Location: Slidell, LA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have a Silver with the Vasconia pot, works great, did the can mod, actually a stainless cat bowl from petsmart for $0.99. The pot seems to fit even better once she heats up, have to give it a bump to break it loose. I'm using a couple of cheap digital probes for now, until i can get something better. Found one at a local sporting good store for 12 bucks and a decent Taylor on clearance too. They run about 3-5 degrees apart which is good enough for me. I have a regular thermometer mounted between the grills which is usually off by at least 20 degrees. Over the past 3 weeks I've done a small butt, a hunk of flat, whole chicken, and just did two racks of babys just yesterday. My ECB is now collecting dust.