Picked up my first WSM on Craigslist My Adaptive Cooker Mod project.

[Richard Chrz]

It is a Weber 22.5 WSM. it is used, and roughly a 2014 I believe, I am looking forward to giving it a much needed tear down, reassemble and thorough cleaning and scouring to get my mind at ease with it or clean as it can get, I seem to read that the 22 is a bit of a fuel eater, and that the door from factory is a complete mess and spot of heat loss. Also, it seems the fire dial is preferred to the water pan, (is there things to know about fire dial to run it, or can you just set it in. Any good links on how to best set up a cook based on some heat zone maps of how it runs with water, without water, with minion, with snake..... Or, a place to easily find this info, book, blog, ?? I am more for the use it and run it and learn it, and will likely do that for a water pan, but, the idea of lost heat and air control, I would like to take those away right away. What am I looking at? I also think I want to order it new grates and water pan, and I so wish I could get a good weber cover with that red grill on it. May have to get a custom cover though.
I am looking forward to being an owner operator of a (and my "first" ) WSM. Also, please post some links and photos of your hanging systems for your WSM's.

I assume the grates, handles, water bowls etc are all easily replaceable like the weber kettle. I need to make some Handle mod add on's so I can use this 22 from my wheelchair. So, I may have some questions to ask there, I asked Weber, they have not had the time to get back to me, they must be busy. But, I assume if it is a flat (the sides of the front door) and two on the face of the lid so I can left with both hands together. and that I can use likely any two screw handle from weber, or have custom ones made? I will likely do some sort of adaptable smoker project take down and modification thread.

Richard

[DqLoganSquare]

I purchased a hinged door for the same size smoker from bbqsmoker.com, I also added a second grate to the bottom of the smoker, laying it down so that you see a criss cross pattern, this keeps live embers from falling down in to the smoker and I think it improves the amount of time it stays hot. Also look up the water pan cover, you will find it on ebay, fits right over the water pan, you can cover it up in foil and it makes for easy clean up when you dont want to add water to the pan but dont want it to get greasy and dirty. Fill it with charcoal and then lay down a full chimney of lit coals on the top of unlit coals, be patient and set up the rest of the smoker after you see that most of the top layer in thoroughly lit. after about an hour, place some wood chunks on to the lit coals, give it about 1/2 an hour for the wood outer to be consumed, now place your food inside the smoker. I have easily gotten 10 hour burns this way without adding any more fuel.

[klflowers]

I have had a 18" wsm for years - in fact, I am on my second one (I abused the first one out of ignorance). I haven't done any mods to it. I can run it 10-11 hours at 225-250 with a full grate of KBB lit by the minion method. I bought a party q for it last fall and have used it once - I didn't set it up quite right, so I am not sure how effective it will be. I usually put the wood chunks in with the coals at the beginning, making sure I bury a couple so they won't lite right away. Dump the lit coals on top of the unlit ones, adjust the vents, get it to the temp I want and put the meat on. Usually takes around 30-45 minutes after dumping the lit coals in the basket.

[HawkerXP]

Maybe they make a hinge (after market) for the top like on the kettle.

[Troutman]

+3 on the hinge for the lid. Also replace that Weber tin foil door with a stainless one from cajunbandit.com. Finally invest in a fan and controller, turns that bullet into a cooking machine. I love my WSMs, get to know how it cooks and it will turn out some amazing food !!!

[synodog]

Just picked up an 18” WSM from OfferUp too. So I’m very interested in advice. The wife even encouraged this MCS which is rare!

[Mr. Bones]

There are lots of WSM users here who will be happy to offer answers, tips, and assistance to yalls questions.

Another invaluable source of information for all things WSM-related is The Virtual Weber Bullet website .

Additional info can also be found on the Weber Kettle Club website .

[Richard Chrz]

Thank you everyone, it does have a hinge (I do not think that is a plus for me honestly, I think it makes everything more awkward in weight and balance when I do need to take the lid off for anything, Surprisingly, handicap adapting things is often very different then you might originally think, or so I am learning), and I am already eyeing up a blower system and I have no knowledge, ,this could take a 6-9 months to save and learn. Troutman, I am going to buy a dedicated thermometer system for this cooker, my 2 channel smoke will not be enough for how i want to try and utilize this, since I believe I do want a blower system down the road, what does that mean for my system I buy today? Thank you for all the replies and links, I know there is nothing more valuable then running it, and I plan on running a lot of coal through this thing, even just in test runs to see how things heat up and learning my zonal changes.