"Clips" for Weber Kettle???

[Lowjiber]

I'm having more fun than a barrel of monkeys reading all the tips here in the Pit in anxious anticipation of my incoming (delivery on 11/11) Weber Kettle and SnS (delivery sometime next week).

Now, this ain't exactly my first smoke-rodeo, having some experience with a WSM. However, the experts here have a whole new vocabulary to me. Heck, I just learned how to spell SnS yesterday.

So, here's my question...

I'm familiar with air-leak issues, as I had a few when I first got my WSM. However, I'm anticipating a few leaks around the lid of the new kettle. I keep reading (hearing?) folks in some older posts using the term "lid clips". Can someone give me a little more info about what you folks do clamp-wise?

Thanks in advance,

John

[RonB]

All you need are some binder clips - available at Office Max and probably Walmart and Target too. People usually place them where they see the leaks. Fire up the grill before you buy them to see if you have leaks. Sometimes you can turn the lid and find a sweet spot with no or very few leaks.

[fuzzydaddy]

I use regular binder clips from the office supply store. 3 or 4 that are probably 1" wide.

[FireMan]

Yup, das dem. I use two on my Weber.

[ribeyeguy]

Binder clips, medium size that are available at any office supply store. Here's a link to them at Office Depot, 24 of them for less than 4 bucks.
http://www.officedepot.com/a/product...-Clips-Medium/

[emil.glatz]

I drop mine off a truck while moving it. It nicely warps the lid and you don't need clips.

[OneEyedJack]

The clips are great - use 'em to reduce air leakage and control pit temp. Secondary application for them is, if you have trouble waking up in the morning, there are certain areas of your body, on which you can apply them, that REALLY gets you going!

[Lost in China]

The problem with the clips is that every time you want to check the food, you have to undo six binder clips to see what's happening underneath. If you bump the kettle, they fall off easily. Moreover they get hot! Try undoing binder clips with oven gloves on and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Mine leaks all the way around so it's pretty hopeless. I guess I have to buy a rubber gasket. I wish the gasket came with the unit from the factory.

[Jerod Broussard]

I use 6, sometimes 8 clips (depends if I am running both pits). A necessity on both my kettles.

[fuzzydaddy]

I've tried to "hug" the lid on my 22" to adjust it, and it just changes the location of the leaks. Maybe I'm a bad hugger . My 26" has no leaks (that's a heavy lid).

[richinlbrg]

fuzzydaddy , if you,leave the 26" lid up in a breeze and the grill rolls off your patio, you are likely to have some good leaks.

I know.

[fuzzydaddy]

richinlbrg Yikes! I can see it catching some serious wind. "the flying kettle"

[richinlbrg]

The lid makes a great sail, fuzzydaddy !

I am now very careful when lighting my chimney in breezy weather!

[Lowjiber]

Cool Beans!

Thanks everyone. I just happen to have a bag of those critters, ranging in size up to about 1.25". A little experimenting will get me going, if necessary.

Great idea. Thanks again!

John

[josht138]

I keep losing them off my deck so I'm down to 3 which seems to do the trick.

[Huskee]

I've tried them and haven't noticed any difference. I still get minor lid leaks even when using them, on both my kettles. But I also haven't noticed minor lid leaks causing much, if any, difference in temp control realistically. I've used them on maybe 3 cooks and used none on maybe 300 cooks, the SnS and the kettle work like a champ either way. YMMV of course.

[David Parrish]

What I've found is not every kettle is made the same way. Some kettles have a tight lid that doesn't need binder clips at all. Some lids aren't quite there but will fit tight if you use binder clips. Some lids are loose and no amount of binder clips will work. My crimson red Performer Deluxe is this way. And the binder clips don't like to stay on the lid. The angle of the lip is too steep.

So not every kettle is made the same. Do a dry run with yours to see what kind of kettle you have.

You may need no mods. Might just need binder clips. Or you may have to go with the gasket.

Have fun figuring it out!

[RonB]

I have found that using a temperature controller allows me to control temps extremely well - even with my very leaky lid, (twice dropped).

[Bruce R]

I agree with what David said about variability from grill to grill. My current 22.5" leakes quite a bit. My old 18" not at all. I find it does make a difference with temp control, especially if you're trying to keep temps down. Seems to act the same as opening the top vents up. Clips worked great on mine. I then sprung for a gasket which I've not been all that happy with. Still leaks, and now the clips don't fit well on the lid anymore. I can get one or maybe two to stay on, but not the three I was using originally. Seems to do the trick with one or two, but a little wonky getting them to stay on.