NWDave's Christmas in July!!! (And WSM Modifications)

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that is one pimped out WSM!  can you get spinner rims for the wheels?  I saw one on CL for $200 earlier this summer, but the hubby isn't letting me get any more toys for awhile... sigh.
 
that is one pimped out WSM!  can you get spinner rims for the wheels? 

NOW, that's a thought.  Maybe it's time for a midnight auto supply run......

I saw one on CL for $200 earlier this summer, but the hubby isn't letting me get any more toys for awhile... sigh.

Ya gotta sneak up on one.  First you get the Weber Grill and tantilize him with some indirect smokes then slyly slip in the comment that you could really do so much more with a WSM........

BTW, glad to have you back haunting these electronic pages.
 
Please, don't tempt me......  if there were a way to rig up a Cummins Diesel engine to it, I'd go for it. 

Truly though, the next mod isn't a really a mod.  Since it gets down into the 20's and even colder here in Bellingham during the winter months  (I smoke year round, no matter the conditions, drives the neighbors crazy with the sweet smells of smoking 
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),  I need to figure out a way to wrap the WSM to help insulate it.  I'm leaning towards fabricated insulation blankets that are intended for this type of use in the oil refining industry.  Those blankets are rated to be able to handle 500 degrees or better.  I have to be sure I have access to the temp probe eyelets and also a way to get to the side hatch without having to completely unwrap the WSM.  Of course, now is the time to sort it out.  I know wind breaks will help but they're not the final solution.  I'm sure I could find something on the internet but that's too easy. 
 

Once I get that figured out to my satisfaction and something that others could readily use with their WSM's, I'll post it here. 
 

~Dave
There is a pre-formed insulated blanket/cover that you can pick up for $100, but I'm to cheap myself... lol. I saw a thread a long while back for and easy wind break on a differant site. The guy took a 55 gallon plastic drum (heavy duty plastic), cut the top and bottom off, cut it in half lengthwise and added some slip hinges to one side and some latches to the other. Basically it made a clamshell set up that could expand a little bit to slip around the WSM and worked great.
 
that is one pimped out WSM!  can you get spinner rims for the wheels?  I saw one on CL for $200 earlier this summer, but the hubby isn't letting me get any more toys for awhile... sigh.
Well remind the hubby that a happy wife makes a happy home..... and a B#!@Y wife will make his life misserable! LOL
 
Just completed another modification to the WSM.  This one is probably one of the more significant ones since it overcomes a problem I had with the middle section getting off kilter whenever I moved the WSM around for whatever reason.  I installed two 4" draw hasps, specifically, National Hardware, N210-872 V35.  Further notes in the Vues:

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n.

~Dave
Great mod, they work great on CGSP to keep the lids close tight.
 the smoker is latched down till sunrise,

 

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Hey, you cheated.  You used pop rivets.  J/K.  Since I was in prototype work (If I didn't like it, I'd change it, hard to do with pop rivets) I like using nuts and bolts.  That's a great solution though for door handles and lids that don't close enough, allowing too much air in or too much smoke to escape.
 
That's it.  For 16.00 and about 2 hours of head scratching and finally sorting it all out, I think it works just fine.  I could have used some hollow stainless tubing for the standoffs and may still, if I come across some (cheap).  Any more mod's?  Dunno, have to think on it.  Hey, I got a Weber OTG Grill that could use some mods. 
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But that's another forum.  Hope you enjoyed reading about the mods as much as I did in the fabrication.

~Dave
Dave - what did you end up using for the standoff?  I was thinking probably a SS bushing/collar of some sort?
 
 
Dave - what did you end up using for the standoff?  I was thinking probably a SS bushing/collar of some sort? 
Actually, the standoff is what you see in the photos.  Other projects jumped up.  I'll get back to the standoffs, once I locate some SS tubing in one of my "way too many" junk drawers (SWMBO's quote, not mine
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).  I guess I tend to work to an end goal with funtionality rather than beauty as the primary concern (don't get me wrong, I like things to look good, but I'm not going to get hung up on that point).  If I'm stumped on particular project, I tend to fall back and "clean up" something I've done prior, just to reset the thinking process.
 
OK I picked up my hardware today, got the hasps in the mail yesterday so I'll do the dirty work this weekend.  I just went with nuts as well for now, found a mail order place for SS bushings I might try later.

Hope I don't eff it up TOO badly!!!   
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OK I picked up my hardware today, got the hasps in the mail yesterday so I'll do the dirty work this weekend.  I just went with nuts as well for now, found a mail order place for SS bushings I might try later.

Hope I don't eff it up TOO badly!!!   
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You've had enough practice with the wheels and anything else you haven't told us about.....you should be good to go.  Take your time, measure 3 or 4 times (I kid you not, I'm always doing it, just cuz..)
 
For the thermometer probe eyelets, do you remove the probe for the meat when you remove the meat from the smoker? I ask because I have always read that you should not remove the probe while the meat rests. Thanks.
 
Yes, I do.  Kinda hard to slice and serve with the meat probe still in it.  The exterior of the meat is cooked safely and the interior is whatever the target temp was.  BUT, that's with the understanding that this is WHAT I do.  Just seems logical to me.  I haven't seen anything to the contrary, but then I don't read every post.  Just not enough time in the day.
 
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