WSM Middle Handle Mod (pr0n)

BobM · 03-02-2013, 09:02 PM

Another intrusive WSM mod!

The factory WSM handle metal is 9/16" x 1/16". The closest I could easily find was 1/2" x 1/8" flat stock at Lowes. I bought 3 - 3 foot pieces, 1 piece for prototypes and 2 pieces for the finished product.

My first attempt was a failure, but I got data. The second attempt was close and needed only a little tweaking to get it right.

I bent the pieces in a 4" bench vice. The final measurements I used, from the end in are:
1st bend: 2"
2nd bend: 1 3/4"
3rd bend: 3 7/8"
4th bend: 1 5/8"

1st successful bend, using my 22 1/2" WSM side handle as a template.

I replicated the prototype bend on the next two pieces of flat stock.

Cut up, drilled and sanded, including the prototype.

Painted black.

To match my 22 1/2" WSM, I got 2 dark gray handles from Weber.

To match my 18 1/2" WSM, I got 2 light gray handles online.

To fit my custom metal work, I had to round off the corners, and flatten the back of the light gray handles with a belt sander.

I mounted the handles with 10-32 x 1/2" stainless steel screws. I then cut the extra threads with a bolt cutter and filed them down.

The 18 1/2" WSM

The 18 1/2" WSM, closeup

The 22 1/2" WSM.

The 22 1/2" WSM, closeup.

The 22 1/2" WSM, showing my other mods.

The pair.

Dirtbuddy · 03-02-2013, 09:29 PM

Nice work Bob!

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 03-02-2013, 09:33 PM

They sure do look official.

Hoss · 03-02-2013, 09:35 PM

Sweet mod!

Big M1ke · 03-02-2013, 09:37 PM

I likey

nucornhusker · 03-02-2013, 09:39 PM

They look great. I've always wondered why they weren't on there already.

Bluesman · 03-02-2013, 09:39 PM

First class job, nice attention to detail............

Bob13 · 03-02-2013, 10:02 PM

Looks spot on... great job!

HankB · 03-02-2013, 10:09 PM

Thanks for posting the info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nucornhusker

They look great. I've always wondered why they weren't on there already.

Liability. Weber does not want you moving the middle sectoin and possibly spilling boiling water during a cook.

For the OP, can you tell me what the distance is between the screw holes? I was thinking about mounting a couple handles on my 22.5 WSM vertically on the outside where the inside brackets mount. My thought is to use the existing top hole for the top end of the handle and add a bottom hole for the handle that would also provide support for a third grate in the WSM. That would work if the distance between screw holes is about the same as half the distance between grates.

Do the covers still fit?

thanks,
hank

nucornhusker · 03-02-2013, 10:54 PM

I personally wouldn't run one with water so I never would have thought of that.

Thanks.

BobM · 03-02-2013, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HankB

Thanks for posting the info.

You are quite welcome, I hope it was helpful!

Quote:

Originally Posted by HankB

Liability. Weber does not want you moving the middle sectoin and possibly spilling boiling water during a cook.

I don't use water in my WSMs and I would never consider moving the cooker in the middle of a cook.
The handles make the WSM much easier to move, especially the 22 1/2" model.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HankB

For the OP, can you tell me what the distance is between the screw holes?

For the handles I made, 5 5/8", center to center.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HankB

Do the covers still fit?

The 22 1/2" WSM cover fits very tight. The 18 1/2" cover ain't even close to fitting.
I got a couple of these covers on Amazon, "Brinkmann Dome Smoker Cover". It easily fits on the big WSM. Though the 22 1/2" Weber cover fits the 18 1/2" WSM, I got 2 Brinkmann covers, just so they match.

Gasket · 03-03-2013, 06:23 AM

Nice! Would you consider making more and selling them? I sure could use a couple pairs and I have no metal skills what so ever.

PaPaQ · 03-03-2013, 06:55 AM

Looks like a factory job!

bluetang · 03-03-2013, 08:12 AM

Killer mod!

charrederhead · 03-03-2013, 08:35 AM

Nice work!

03-02-2013, 09:02 PM	#1
BobM is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-16-12 Location: Long Island, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	WSM Middle Handle Mod (pr0n) Another intrusive WSM mod! The factory WSM handle metal is 9/16" x 1/16". The closest I could easily find was 1/2" x 1/8" flat stock at Lowes. I bought 3 - 3 foot pieces, 1 piece for prototypes and 2 pieces for the finished product. My first attempt was a failure, but I got data. The second attempt was close and needed only a little tweaking to get it right. I bent the pieces in a 4" bench vice. The final measurements I used, from the end in are: 1st bend: 2" 2nd bend: 1 3/4" 3rd bend: 3 7/8" 4th bend: 1 5/8" 1st successful bend, using my 22 1/2" WSM side handle as a template. I replicated the prototype bend on the next two pieces of flat stock. Cut up, drilled and sanded, including the prototype. Painted black. To match my 22 1/2" WSM, I got 2 dark gray handles from Weber. To match my 18 1/2" WSM, I got 2 light gray handles online. To fit my custom metal work, I had to round off the corners, and flatten the back of the light gray handles with a belt sander. I mounted the handles with 10-32 x 1/2" stainless steel screws. I then cut the extra threads with a bolt cutter and filed them down. The 18 1/2" WSM The 18 1/2" WSM, closeup The 22 1/2" WSM. The 22 1/2" WSM, closeup. The 22 1/2" WSM, showing my other mods. The pair. __________________ "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 \| Last edited by BobM; 03-02-2013 at 09:32 PM..
	1 members found this post helpful.

03-02-2013, 09:29 PM	#2
Dirtbuddy Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-24-12 Location: Port Coquitlam, BC Canada Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Nice work Bob! __________________ Kamado Joe Classic, 18.5" WSM w/ CyberQ WiFi, 22.5" OTG, Weber SJS

03-02-2013, 09:33 PM	#3
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	They sure do look official. __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-73, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

03-02-2013, 09:37 PM	#5
Big M1ke Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 02-05-13 Location: Philadelphia PA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I likey __________________ 22.5 OTG "when i read about the evils of drinking, i gave up reading"

03-02-2013, 09:39 PM	#6
nucornhusker is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-11 Location: Lincoln, NE Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	They look great. I've always wondered why they weren't on there already. __________________ Yoder YS640 on Competition Cart, Oklahoma Joe's Offset, Kamado Joe Classic, UDS, Yoder 24" Firepot w/Cooking Grate and Hanger Weber: OTG 22.5" (DI), OT 22.5" (L), Smokey Joe Gold: Black (AU) & Copper (DI) Zero club member - Join a throwdown and try to earn your Goose Egg. IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller in Accordance with the 2008 Wichita MOINK Ball Treaty

03-02-2013, 09:35 PM	#4
Hoss is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-31-09 Location: Hernando,MS Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Sweet mod!

03-02-2013, 09:39 PM	#7
Bluesman is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-01-10 Location: Fond du Lac, WI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	First class job, nice attention to detail............ __________________ "98" Green Weber Performer "95" Black Weber Platinum - Dumpster find workin' on it "00" Weber Simpsons OTG 22.5 WSM Smokin' Bucky UDS Weber Q100 Weber Q200 Faster than the Speed of Light Red Thermapen, Certified MOINK Ball Maker Proud Member of the Zero's Club with Voodoo Soup..

03-02-2013, 10:02 PM	#8
Bob13 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-29-12 Location: St. Louis, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Looks spot on... great job! __________________ 22.5 WSM (AU/BBK mutt), Redhead SS Weber Performer (N-1991), WSmokerJ (ER-1996), WGA (A-1979)

03-02-2013, 10:54 PM	#10
nucornhusker is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-11 Location: Lincoln, NE Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	I personally wouldn't run one with water so I never would have thought of that. Thanks. __________________ Yoder YS640 on Competition Cart, Oklahoma Joe's Offset, Kamado Joe Classic, UDS, Yoder 24" Firepot w/Cooking Grate and Hanger Weber: OTG 22.5" (DI), OT 22.5" (L), Smokey Joe Gold: Black (AU) & Copper (DI) Zero club member - Join a throwdown and try to earn your Goose Egg. IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller in Accordance with the 2008 Wichita MOINK Ball Treaty

03-03-2013, 06:23 AM	#12
Gasket Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-06-12 Location: Nuremburg PA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Nice! Would you consider making more and selling them? I sure could use a couple pairs and I have no metal skills what so ever.

03-03-2013, 06:55 AM	#13
PaPaQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-07-07 Location: Midland, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Looks like a factory job! __________________ CTO SS-2 WSM 22.5" OTG / Cajun Bandit

03-03-2013, 08:12 AM	#14
bluetang Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-06-10 Location: Stuart, Fl Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Killer mod! __________________ Homegrown 120 Gallon Reverse Flow, Homey, the Homegrown Kettle, 3 UDS's, 3 Stack Pro Q Excel 20, 18.5" Elderly(but not retired) WSM, 150lb Capacity Homegrown Electric and a CA gasserrrr Bicycle Fast Polder Thermo, Indisputably Fastest Purple Thermapen, SAI Satay Grill Thanks landarc for the avatar!

03-03-2013, 08:35 AM	#15
charrederhead is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-29-12 Location: Thomaston, CT Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Nice work! __________________ Weber kettle farmer, rotis., 18.5 WSM, WGA, Brinkmann (nee OK Joe) Cimarron stickburner