Locking up an MES

[smoke83340]

Dear Smokers:

I just moved to a new area. I only have a front porch, no back area. My neighbors strongly suggested chaining up my BBQ as they are known to sprout legs and walk away at times. I have an MES 30 - does anyone have any ideas on how one might affix something to it so I could run a chain through it? I don't think that there are any wires in the sides, and I'm thinking I could put a loop in with sheet metal screws. It does not have to be super secure, just enough to deter the #$%@$#% who want to grab something quickly - obviously even a chain is no match for bolt cutters.
Merci beaucoup and happy smoking!

 

[TNJAKE]

Dang sucks you gotta chain stuff up to keep people from stealing it! I'm sure someone will have an option for you

 

[Brokenhandle]

Well since I love the smell of my smokers while not in use... maybe keep it indoors?
Hooked up to a qood electric fencer would maybe give them a good jolt as well!

Ryan

 

[pc farmer]

Dang. Thats not good. We don't lock our house doors during the day, only at nite. I don't even take the key out of my truck .
Anyway, what Gen is it. I have a first gen with a top vent. Knock the top vent out and run it though the chip loader. I keep the top vent open all the time anyway and the chip loader out.

 

[bauchjw]

Besides what pc farmer offered, which was my first thought, you could also unscrew the sliders on the bottom of the MES, pilot hole a piece of plywood that’s a few inches wider than your smoker to the Pad holes and screw the pads back in to secure the plywood to the bottom of the MES. Then screw the plywood into your porch.

 

[smoke83340]

Dang. Thats not good. We don't lock our house doors during the day, only at nite. I don't even take the key out of my truck .
Anyway, what Gen is it. I have a first gen with a top vent. Knock the top vent out and run it though the chip loader. I keep the top vent open all the time anyway and the chip loader out.

great idea - I do use the closure on the top vent but I could substitute a can lid or something there. I appreciate the creative suggestion!

 

[cmayna]

I assume your smoker has legs attached? Might drill a small hole in one of the legs and run a cable through it. Wrap the cable around a porch post with a lock. Yes, a shame one has to do this but it's reality.

 

[Winterrider]

Motion light installed nearby, or wire some bells to it.

 

[zwiller]

Motion light installed nearby, or wire some bells to it.

+1 My vote. Even better one with a camera. Give you a tip I learned from my neighbor. Put a REALLY bright light on it. People KNOW to avoid it LOL

 

[old sarge]

Not optimum however you could drill a hole in the cabinet, double nut a large eye bolt through hole then run a good chain through the eyebolt. Drill a hole in the porch (if concrete) and use a red head drop in anchor. Now thread into the anchor another eye bolt and run the chain through the bolt and secure with a lock. That plus a motion triggered security light should do the trick.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Hide a air tag inside of it. Then you can track it down and retrieve it.

 

[chopsaw]

Knock the top vent out and run it though the chip loader.

great idea

Cable with a lock . Run it through the chip loader and out the door .
Motion light normally runs them off , but some a pretty bold . Could probably get the cable down through the top vent also .

 

[gmc2003]

Run a cable thru the vent. Attach one end to your deck post, and attach the other end to something solid and larger than the vent hole inside the smoker(so it can't be pulled thru). An old grill grate would work fine.

Another idea would be to bolt the legs to the deck.

Chris

 

[tallbm]

Dear Smokers:

I just moved to a new area. I only have a front porch, no back area. My neighbors strongly suggested chaining up my BBQ as they are known to sprout legs and walk away at times. I have an MES 30 - does anyone have any ideas on how one might affix something to it so I could run a chain through it? I don't think that there are any wires in the sides, and I'm thinking I could put a loop in with sheet metal screws. It does not have to be super secure, just enough to deter the #$%@$#% who want to grab something quickly - obviously even a chain is no match for bolt cutters.
Merci beaucoup and happy smoking!

Hi there and welcome!

Another option to consider is to buy some Rockset or maybe even some Red Loctite thread locker.
Unscrew out one of the back legs that allow you to elevate the smoker then put a the leg bolt through your chain and screw it back into the MES with the rockset or thread locker on the threads. Just be sure to make sure it's level because once that stuff dries it will take considerable effort to unscrew that leg again.

You then take the other end of the chain and fasten it to he porch or a pole or whatever.

Bolt cutters or flipping over your MES and using some real tools to try and unscrew that leg and break that thread locker would be needed to steal it.

If you've never seen what hardcore thread locker can do, know that I have had to heat metal with a propane torch for a good bit and really crank on things with extension bars to break free parts that are screwed together and use rockset in the threads so they will never come apart without that level of effort :D

 

[JLeonard]

Crying damn shame you gotta do stuff like this to secure your possessions from the meth heads that run rampant! Lots of good advice above. I vote chain through top vent to cook rack and then to a post. Locked on both ends. That way you can take it out for cook time without messing up you smoker.

Jim