Converting Weber Kettle 22 to WSM with an extension?

[WigglesOhTree]

I am hoping someone here knows where to get a vertical extension for the body of a weber kettle so I can turn mine into a WSM style. I need more room for cold smoking and would love to get the snake further away from my brisket when hot smoking

 

[tbern]

they make a rotisserie that fits on the kettles, it would raise the lid maybe 6'' or so [ i would have to go measure}. you would have to figure out some kind of supports to put on that ring to hold a grate up farther away from the heat. don't know if that distance would be enough for what you would like to do?

 

[gmc2003]

It will fit. However you'll have to flip the middle section of the WSM upside down to fit into the kettle, and the lid won't fit snugly into the bottom section of the WSM body. So there will be air leaks, and your grates will be down near your heat source. So really no benefit without some major modding. If you want to find a used WSM just check craigslist.

Chris

 

[WigglesOhTree]

im tempted to try to do some sort of DIY modification but not sure if it would work or be worth it.

 

[Colin1230]

A used 18 WSM may be your best bet.

 

[radioguy]

Measure the diameter, note the edge bends. Visit local large Mexican or Asian market and find a large tamale pot.

RG

 

[chopsaw]

Cajun Bandit sells , or used to sell a conversion kit for a 22 " kettle . Came with the body extension and I think the charcoal ring and a water bowl . Been awhile since I looked at them .

I have the Onlyfire combo pizza oven and spinner . The combo has a second grate location at the top of the ring . The regular spinner does not .

 

[JckDanls 07]

Measure the diameter, note the edge bends. Visit local large Mexican or Asian market and find a large tamale pot.

RG

If you can find the right pot, the lid will fit on top of it... You just cut the bottom of the pot out leaving about a 1'' lip around it... Do a search here for a MINI WSM and you will find plenty of builds (albeit smaller 14'' smokey joe)... but it would be the exact same thing... IF ... you can find the right pot...

Plan B. Take the kettle to a fabrication shop and have them roll some thin steel to theh right diameter for it to fit the bottom half of the kettle... Make sure the top is going to fit ...

 

[bill1]

I like the roll-your-own cylinder approach above. But stock so thick you need a roller sounds overkill. Sheet steel (maybe even as thin as roof roof flashing) that you can elastically deform to the diameter you want, with about an inch of overlap to rivet or screw together, should be strong enough to hold a grate and lid.

 

[noboundaries]

My daughter's FIL took a 24" section of rolled stainless steel, welded it together into a tube that fits the 22.5" Kettle bottom. The lid goes on top. He drilled holes in the stainless near the lid and inserted rebar to use as hanger points with hanger hooks made out of metal clothes hangers.

I've seen him pack 15 racks of SLC spares in that baby. Sorry, no pics. It ain't perty, but it works.

 

[pc farmer]

If you can find the right pot, the lid will fit on top of it... You just cut the bottom of the pot out leaving about a 1'' lip around it... Do a search here for a MINI WSM and you will find plenty of builds (albeit smaller 14'' smokey joe)... but it would be the exact same thing... IF ... you can find the right pot...

Plan B. Take the kettle to a fabrication shop and have them roll some thin steel to theh right diameter for it to fit the bottom half of the kettle... Make sure the top is going to fit ...

I think the 18" is called a jumbo Jo. I would have to look it up

 

[WigglesOhTree]

Thanks for all the advice guys, now I am questioning my entire idea haha. I am realizing that building a nice cinderblock offset smoker might be cheaper but who the hells knows, certainly not me.

 

[bill1]

Thanks for all the advice guys, now I am questioning my entire idea haha. I am realizing that building a nice cinderblock offset smoker might be cheaper but who the hells knows, certainly not me.

Don't let 'em scare you off Wiggles. A cinderblock offset isn't exactly portable and you'll spend a fortune on fuel compared to a Weber kettle or DIY WSM. What size Weber do you have and we'll all keep an eye out for you if you don't feel like pursuing any custom steel fabrication options yourself.

Smart and Final used to have some VERY large pots that would fit a smaller Weber. Are you averse to cutting a hole in the bottom of an aluminum pot? (Either DIY or going to a shop?)

 

[WigglesOhTree]

Don't let 'em scare you off Wiggles. A cinderblock offset isn't exactly portable and you'll spend a fortune on fuel compared to a Weber kettle or DIY WSM. What size Weber do you have and we'll all keep an eye out for you if you don't feel like pursuing any custom steel fabrication options yourself.

Smart and Final used to have some VERY large pots that would fit a smaller Weber. Are you averse to cutting a hole in the bottom of an aluminum pot? (Either DIY or going to a shop?)

It is a 22" Weber Kettle. I have to tools to cut a hole in the bottom (would probably just drill a hole and then use a jigsaw.

I am starting to consider a 55 gallon drum now too. If I am going to go through the trouble of cutting through some stuff might as well be even larger haha.

 

[bill1]

It is a 22" Weber Kettle...I am starting to consider a 55 gallon drum now too...

22 is pretty big for a stew pot. But I'd like some of the pro cooks here with restaurant supply connections to prove me wrong.
And more power to you for creative thinking. Plenty of material on this forum to keep you dreaming. Or guessing!
And you don't seem easily scared. This is what we mean when we talk about a steel sheet roller. You can picture how you keep rolling a sheet back and forth in it, adjusting the rollers a bit tighter each time, until you form a cylinder. Any fab house and most weld shops have something like this.:

Eastwood 24 inch Metal Forming and Fabrication Slip Roll

Eastwood 24 Inch Slip Roll

www.eastwood.com

 

[WigglesOhTree]

22 is pretty big for a stew pot. But I'd like some of the pro cooks here with restaurant supply connections to prove me wrong.
And more power to you for creative thinking. Plenty of material on this forum to keep you dreaming. Or guessing!
And you don't seem easily scared. This is what we mean when we talk about a steel sheet roller. You can picture how you keep rolling a sheet back and forth in it, adjusting the rollers a bit tighter each time, until you form a cylinder. Any fab house and most weld shops have something like this.:

Eastwood 24 inch Metal Forming and Fabrication Slip Roll

Eastwood 24 Inch Slip Roll

www.eastwood.com

Ah gotcha, I might call around and see what can be found tomorrow. I had seen those before but I only have seen folks use them on smaller pieces.

Before I put the cart before the horse here... would there be a appreciable difference between this sort of set up and a true offset? Right now I have just done brisket on the weber kettle with the snake method and would like to get the brisket up higher away from the flame. I also plan to use the taller set up to fit more sausages while cold smoking in it.

 

[chopsaw]

Did you look at the cajun bandit kit ?

 

[Newglide]

I am starting to consider a 55 gallon drum now too. If I am going to go through the trouble of cutting through some stuff might as well be even larger haha.

Not a bad thought, keep your eye on facebook market and craigslist you can get on cheap or free. Kits to make an UDS aren't too expensive.

When I cold smoke in my kettle I put a disposable aluminum pan full of ice on my grate with the heat/smoke source under it and I put a baking grate on top of the ice pan with my cheese on it. Keeps temps down and any heat is under the pan when I smoke cheese

 

[WigglesOhTree]

Did you look at the cajun bandit kit ?

Yeah I have looked at them and they seem nice but for the price they are asking seems a little high to me.

 

[WigglesOhTree]

I saw this picture and am dying to have something similar, thinking it might be superb at low and slow