# Risking DEATH! Weber Smokey Mountain 14.5



## addertooth (Aug 20, 2014)

My wife says she will kill me if I come home with one more BBQ grill or Smoker.  I currently have a Kingsford Grill, Two mini-WSM I have constructed and an MES40.  But....

While at Walmart, I saw a Weber Smokey Mountain 14.5.  They were closing out on it for $99.00, no box, but all the parts are there, except 3 screws for the legs.  Because of the missing screws, they were willing to offer another 10% discount. 

If I never post again, you will know I bought it.


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## wimpy69 (Aug 20, 2014)

The Horror , The Horror-- Same here, Wally World on Sun Had Weber Rib Racks red tagged from $8 to $4 so the last two came home. Told her i can now add more ribs vertical and it came a moot point. Worked. At least it's a safe addiction with taste to boot.


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## driedstick (Aug 20, 2014)

Well before she catches ya at least get us a pic of the smoker if not the first smoke off of it LOL Yep I am in the same boat or should I say coffin 

A full smoker is a happy smoker 

DS


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## noboundaries (Aug 20, 2014)

Shhhhh, just tell her you've reached "critical mass" where they start multiplying on their own.


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## oldschoolbbq (Aug 20, 2014)

I know the feeling , imagine what Trish said when I ordered this:













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__ oldschoolbbq
__ May 30, 2014





      
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Good luck and . . .


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## welshrarebit (Aug 20, 2014)

I could understand risking life and limb for a 22.5 WSM! Dude, you've already got two minis. Walk away from that 14.5. Walk away! Don't look over your shoulder. Keep walking...


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## addertooth (Aug 20, 2014)

It fell into my cart tonight.  I am sorry, but saving $100 bucks off the price was too much to pass on.  I will be sleeping with my eyes open tonight 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

















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__ addertooth
__ Aug 20, 2014


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## addertooth (Aug 21, 2014)

After I have had a few days of use on the WSM 14.5, I will post a comparison with the mini-WSM.  They are very similar in many ways, but ;there are some differences.  I have already gone through and tightened up the bolts (some of them were left very loose by the Walmart employee who had assembled it).  The inside needed some serious cleaning, due to it being out in the uncovered garden center.  The aluminum access door was slightly misshapen, and looked like it would have sealing issues.  A little work with a rubber-faced hammer restored it to a good flush fit.  It will likely end up with a form-fitting blanket to combat a common complaint that wind affects the temperature inside the unit.  Most likely the wind effect is also associated with more/less air getting pushed into/out the vents as well.  The comparison will be a separate posting. 

How did I avoid censure from the spouse?  The Cuisinart mini-wsm build became the sacrificial lamb; it is going to a good home.  A fellow Q fanatic at work.


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## ron eb (Aug 21, 2014)

Should I be checking my local Walmarts?

I'm in the market.


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## addertooth (Aug 21, 2014)

Ron Eb,

Should you be checking other stores for this special price?

The short answer: no. 

The longer answer: Yes, as fall approaches; BBQ equipment goes on sale as summer closes. 

The really long answer:

This case was nearly unique.  In Arizona rain is infrequent.  Some Arizona companies get in the habit of storing boxes outside.  When it does rain, the boxes get wet and start falling apart.  The local Walmart will start opening the wet boxes and assemble the Grill/BBQ/Smoker units.  This way, a soggy box is not a detractor to sales.  However, some minimum wage employees are less than fully conscientious.  Metal plates get dented, ceramic coatings get chipped, nuts and bolts get lost and parts get bolted on up-side-down.  As such, the value is diminished.  The local Walmart had a $99 sign in front of two _assembled_  WSM-14.5 smokers.  Considering all of the above factors, it was quite believable it was a special mark-down price.  As it turned out, Walmart stated the price was a mistake, and not a reduction.  They had intended to sell these smokers (with one of them missing nuts and bolts which secured the legs and chips in the ceramic) without a box, at the full $199 price.  I convinced them to sell me one smoker at the shown price.  I mixed and matched the parts to get a unit cobbled together in the best possible condition, and paid for it.  Will this "special" be found at other Walmarts? Darn Unlikely.


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## hambone1950 (Aug 21, 2014)

Addertooth said:


> How did I avoid censure from the spouse?  The Cuisinart mini-wsm build became the sacrificial lamb; it is going to a good home.  A fellow Q fanatic at work.



Well played , sir. Well played. I would have used the " but honey.... it was , like , HALF PRICE" gambit. :grilling_smilie:


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## jirodriguez (Aug 21, 2014)

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to remember the passing of a good man.... Addertooth... he was well liked and made good BBQ! He was cremated in a WSM 14.5" smoker and his ashes will be spread at the next major BBQ competition after a moment of silence.


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## remmy700p (Aug 21, 2014)

His last words were "Make sure to use the pork rub."

He is survived by his family, his Home Depot gift card collection, and a Maverick ET-732 with minor teeth marks on it.


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## addertooth (Aug 21, 2014)

Mega LOL.


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## diggingdogfarm (Aug 21, 2014)

You got a good deal on a great smoker!

Welcome to the 14.5" WSM crowd.


~Martin


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## addertooth (Aug 21, 2014)

Thanks Martin,

With two mini-WSM builds, It seemed I was already knocking at the door.


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## jirodriguez (Aug 22, 2014)

Now if you buy a 22.5" WSM you can fit all your little ones inside of it for storage. You could just tell your wife you were cleaning up the deck!


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## addertooth (Aug 22, 2014)

Yes, but then it would look like a pregnant mama, carrying twins.  And where would I put the meat then?

I suppose I could put it in the mini units, and use them like a Dutch oven ;)


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## ron eb (Aug 22, 2014)

Right on JIR. he could get a 22.5 and fit them inside each other just like the Russian dolls

and no one would be the wiser.


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## welshrarebit (Aug 22, 2014)

I was in Target yesterday and they have a clearance sale for all of the their smoking supplies. Which is completely stupid because we can smoke year round here. They have a weber 22.5 kettle (silver) for $52! It was really hard to walk away from that. 

My wife is out of town for 10 days and that should give plenty of time to find a hiding spot...

I know I already have a 22.5 kettle but I got it from a non-profit for $5 and while it works awesome if I can get a brand new one for a little over $50. 

Addertooth tell me your secret to staying married?


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Aug 22, 2014)

Welshrarebit said:


> I was in Target yesterday and they have a clearance sale for all of the their smoking supplies. Which is completely stupid because we can smoke year round here. They have a weber 22.5 kettle (silver) for $52! It was really hard to walk away from that.
> 
> My wife is out of town for 10 days and that should give plenty of time to find a hiding spot...
> 
> ...



Yeah, but it works out as this is the time of year I look to buy my smoking stuff cause of the markdown !  We'll just let em think we only smoke a few months outta the year.... :biggrin:


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## jirodriguez (Aug 22, 2014)

Welshrarebit said:


> I was in Target yesterday and they have a clearance sale for all of the their smoking supplies. Which is completely stupid because we can smoke year round here. They have a weber 22.5 kettle (silver) for $52! It was really hard to walk away from that.
> 
> My wife is out of town for 10 days and that should give plenty of time to find a hiding spot...
> 
> ...


The secret to a long marriage..... have good reflexes so you can duck real fast!


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## venture (Aug 22, 2014)

It only took me one divorce to learn the husband survival skills?  Well, sort of?  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





A good camera and some pics of her closet?  Concentrate on high dollar items like shoes and purses?  Maybe the jewelry cabinet?

Dang!  I sure like to pretend like I miss her?

Good luck and good smoking.


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## addertooth (Aug 22, 2014)

I claim no expertise in staying married, as the divorce courts can attest.  I did learn one critical thing.  If someone truly loves you, and you get pleasure from your toys, they won't want to separate you from your prized toys.  My last Ex insisted I sell my Harley to stay married.  I sold it, she spent the money from the sale, and promptly kicked me out thereafter.  I have a good wife now.  She hasn't asked me to sell any of my toys.


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## worktogthr (Aug 22, 2014)

Hahaha this is a great thread.  All too familiar.  I used to just have my weber genesis and then my dad and sister got me a masterbuilt dual fuel.  That got me hooked on smoking so I wanted something I could use to smoke with charcoal and grill as well, so I found a weber performer online for a great price.  Then I wanted something I could do set and forget type smokes since I have a young daughter and spare time is harder to come by.so back on craigslist where I found a 1st generation MES30 and of course an AMNPS to go with it.  Somewhere in there I also fostered my love of all things weber and bought a q100 for those small, quick meals I needed to grill.  My wife thinks I'm crazy and in order to combat this, I act really agreeable on a few purchases she wants to make that I find to be foolish.  Everyone has their own thing and she knows that and I know that.


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## addertooth (Aug 22, 2014)

Darn you Welshrarebit!  I got curious and went to Target with my spouse.  Sure enough, the Weber kettles were marked down.  I exclaimed the price to my wife; she gave me a look so cold, a glacier would be jealous.  Forty-five seconds later, another husband with wife in tow stumbled across the same kettle, he was promptly shut down as well.  It was a zone of endless crushed dreams.  There needs to be a wife-resistant barrier in the area.  Or perhaps, a women's shoe display nearby.


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## welshrarebit (Aug 23, 2014)

Addertooth said:


> Darn you Welshrarebit!  I got curious and went to Target with my spouse.  Sure enough, the Weber kettles were marked down.  I exclaimed the price to my wife; she gave me a look so cold, a glacier would be jealous.  Forty-five seconds later, another husband with wife in tow stumbled across the same kettle, he was promptly shut down as well.  It was a zone of endless crushed dreams.  There needs to be a wife-resistant barrier in the area.  Or perhaps, a women's shoe display nearby.



I have to drive by Target tomorrow morning to referee two soccer games. I will not take my truck so I won't be tempted to pull in... 

If I happen to go by there Sunday morning and the kettle is still there that will be a sign that it was meant for me! Of course I will ask the boss if that's okay first. :biggrin:


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## remmy700p (Aug 23, 2014)

I will be hitting our local Target tomorrow as well. Since I've been pretty successful even on my tryout cooks on my TMLE, my wife is on board with anything I want/need to do regarding BBQ equipment, supplies, etc. I "prime the pump" with little hints about how I'm ready to "do another smoke", and was thinking that a nice brisket (her absolute favorite!) would be my protein of choice for this session. My first try with brisket a month or so ago was quite tasty (she gave it a 6 out of 10, mainly due to tenderness of the flat), and I know the mistakes I made, so she's getting her smoke face on! Hey... us guys gotta work all the angles!


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## addertooth (Aug 23, 2014)

Remmy700p,

It is so hard to work the angles on the Weber Kettle; those darn things are round!


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## remmy700p (Aug 23, 2014)

Target had most of their BBQ stuff on sale and/or clearance today, so I picked up an 18.5" Weber 'One-Touch Silver" on sale for $52. That's $8 cheaper than their current pricing for the ground hugging 18.5" Smokey Joe. I also picked up a matching hinged cooking grate on sale for $9 to go with. Tomorrow, I'm gonna try a small brisket flat I picked up at the grocery store this morning... see how I do.













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__ remmy700p
__ Aug 23, 2014


















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__ remmy700p
__ Aug 23, 2014


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## driedstick (Aug 23, 2014)

Remmy700P said:


> Target had most of their BBQ stuff on sale and/or clearance today, so I picked up an 18.5" Weber 'One-Touch Silver" on sale for $52. That's $8 cheaper than their current pricing for the ground hugging 18.5" Smokey Joe. I also picked up a matching hinged cooking grate on sale for $9 to go with. Tomorrow, I'm gonna try a small brisket flat I picked up at the grocery store this morning... see how I do.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice Score!!!!!!

a full smoker is a happy smoker

DS


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## remmy700p (Aug 24, 2014)

Got the brisket on. It's a 3lb flat, but it's about 3" thick, so I'm looking for a nice couple of fat layers through it.













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__ remmy700p
__ Aug 24, 2014


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## remmy700p (Aug 24, 2014)

At 160F...













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__ remmy700p
__ Aug 24, 2014


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## welshrarebit (Aug 24, 2014)

Remmy700P said:


> At 160F...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That looks awesome!!!

You might want to put some aluminum foil on the pan under your meat. I've been using the same pan for about four months now and after the smoke I throw the foil away and the pan looks still brand new! You don't have to wash the pan or throw it away with every smoke.

I'm tempted to go down to Target and see if that kettle is still there. I got the green light from the boss. My daughter's college soccer team is about to play right now against USC! I'm gonna watch on the internet and if she isn't starting I'm gonna go to work early and stop be Target to see if it's there. Decisions... Decisions...


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## remmy700p (Aug 24, 2014)

After doing a whole pile of smokes on the TMLE, it's really cool to be able to smoke a smaller piece of protein at a fraction of the fuel cost.

Oh... and by the way... KILL SC!!


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## welshrarebit (Aug 24, 2014)

Remmy700P said:


> Oh... and by the way... KILL SC!!



Tied 1 - 1. My wife said my daughter played about ten minutes in second half! Her first college game! 

I did pick up the 22.5 kettle. I'm gonna give my old one to a friend. $58.


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## addertooth (Aug 24, 2014)

Welshrarebit,

That's the way to do it! Pay it forward.


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## remmy700p (Aug 24, 2014)

Well, the brisket is gone. Took almost 6 hours on the One-Touch. Had a great smoke ring, very moist, however my wife (the brisket specialist) said that I only got a 6 out of 10 for tenderness. I think that's fair. I kinda bounced around with the temps a little bit... still learning the ins and outs of this kettle. I'm happy with the outcome. It was a $15 cut of brisket and it fed 5 people, some went back for seconds. I'll chalk this up as a "slight win" on the column.


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## welshrarebit (Aug 24, 2014)

Addertooth said:


> Welshrarebit,
> 
> That's the way to do it! Pay it forward.



I only payed $5 for my old kettle from a local non profit. It only needed a new cooking grate. I went to HD and got a hinged grate and  a pair of charcoal baskets. My friend just got married and bought a house so this will be his gift from me...


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