# I finally got a WSM!!!



## ultramag (Feb 18, 2007)

I finally got my new toy the Mrs. got me for Valentine's Day assembled. All of the good stories I had heard about these had kept me wanting one for quite a while now and I had never bit the bullet and got one. My wonderful little wife solved the problem for me a few days ago. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Here is my toy assembled and sitting in the living room floor waiting to do battle with the meat. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I am going to hunt around and do some mods before I get it all dirtied up, but I can hardly wait to try it out.


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## TulsaJeff (Feb 18, 2007)

Good looking smoker there.. that is one model I do not have and I have a LOT of smokers!

Let me know how it does.. I have always heard great reviews on them.


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## deejaydebi (Feb 18, 2007)

Congrats Chad! That's a nice little beastie! Look alot like my ECB if my ECB had a door. LOL


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## gypc (Feb 18, 2007)

What would we do without our women?


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## cajun_1 (Feb 18, 2007)

Your collection is starting to look like mine.


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## crewdawg52 (Feb 18, 2007)

Here's a question to all.  Which is better?  A Smokey Mountain, or a modified ECB?  I'm now using a Weber Kettle (does a decent job), but looking for something that will hold the heat longer.


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## ultramag (Feb 19, 2007)

crewdawg52, while I have used an ECB I didn't know about the mods when I was so they were never done. I still have the old ECB and may try them and compare for fun. If the WSM does ½ the job everyone claims I think a WSM would win the contest hands down, but I haven't had the chance to fire it up yet. The other thing to consider is while the WSM is a superior piece of equipment it is 4-5 times the cost of the ECB as well.

I did get to the hardware store today and bought an ECB charcoal pan to replace the water pan in the new WSM. The stock water pan in the WSM is a joke. The Brinkmann charcoal pan is a drop in fit and doubles the water capacity. Anything you can do to minimize the time you have a door open or the lid off is plus in my book.


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## royknives (Feb 19, 2007)

Chad, 
Congrats on your new WSM, I would definitely think about making a piedmont water pan...follow this link
http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a...3240093564/p/1
You will be able to smoke with no water at all...one of the best improvements I've done for my WSM.
Also I change the door... put it upside down.
http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a...3240093564/p/1
and added handles...this makes it a dream to move around...
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/handles.html
Here is some inspiration for your first cook...


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## ultramag (Feb 19, 2007)

Great post royknives, I've been all over looking for an exact description of the Piedmont Pan Mod. I had been reading about it all over the place at TVWBB but hadn't found a post that described it that well yet. I had already decided I wasn't running water in the WSM. I bought a Brinkmann Charcoal Pan today and will go back for another and bolts tomorrow.

I also have turned my access door upside down and found that it is a much better fit and seals better that way so that was a go as well. I've been contemplating the handles and for sure like the idea and want to add them. My concern was with chipping the enamel while drilling the holes. It doesn't sound like this is an issue so I reckon I'll do that as well. Did you touch up the paint around the hole when you drilled for the handle mod?

Those ribs look awesome. That rib rack is a perfect fit and looks similiar to the Weber rib rack except in the photo it looks like beefier metal than the ones I was looking at today. Is that a Weber rack? If not, care to share what type it is?

Thanks for the *WSM* jump start!


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## royknives (Feb 19, 2007)

Chad,
You don't have to drill holes for the handles...you use the existing holes that hold your upper and lower grates, just take the top and bottom bolts out and put handle on...and repeat on the opposite side..

I bought these handles at home depot they fit perfectly no alteration needed..see pic


The Rib Rack was bought at William Sonoma In 2005 they were closing them out for $5.99....I don't know if they still make them...
Oh ya the other alteration I did to mine was adding the guru rivets...because I use a Nu-temp wireless thermometer...
http://secure.thebbqguru.com/Product...&idproduct=136


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## royknives (Feb 19, 2007)

Here was my very first smoke back in 2005 on my WSM...Man was I excited that day....


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## ultramag (Feb 19, 2007)

That is slick. Some of the mods I saw drilled holes to attach the handles. I was a little concerned with drilling due to the porcelain-enameled finish maybe chipping. Nothing like chipping a big flake off of it before I even get it hot. I'm all over this though, next time you see me and my *WSM* you won't even recognize us.


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## royknives (Feb 19, 2007)

Excellent!  I want to see pictures of your first WSM smoke.... :)

I don't know if you saw this on the BBQ Guru site...if our thinking about getting a thermometer here is an alternative to drilling your WSM....check it out.


http://secure.thebbqguru.com/Product...&idproduct=138


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## ultramag (Feb 20, 2007)

I got busy today and got all this stuff took care of except for the BBQ Guru mounts for a probe. I'll probably do that eventually, but I have a couple alternatives for now. 

Here is a pic of the Piedmont Pan Mod ready to go back in the WSM. 






And a pic of the WSM with handles mounted. That is a well worthwhile must do IMO.






One last one is a close up of the handle mounted:


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## msmith (Feb 20, 2007)

chad if you live close to gunslinger he will have you pulling around a full blown wood burner before to long.


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## royknives (Feb 20, 2007)

One other thing...make sure you line your pan with Aluminum foil...for easy clean up... :) Again Congrats on your new WSM...I can't believe you finished all these mods soooooooo quickly.


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## ultramag (Feb 20, 2007)

Marvin, if Gunny has the time, money, and material I am ready and have the truck to pull it. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I forgot to put in the post I just hadn't foiled it yet. Anyone that wanted to make the Piedmont pan, you foil the top pan with a depression in the bowl part to catch the drippings. You want to wrap the foil around the top pan edge so as not to block airflow between the pans. Getting the mods done was no problem with links and experience provided. Thanks again for making it straightforward and simple.


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## deejaydebi (Feb 20, 2007)

Chad -
Apparently the fires in your house are not just under the water pan! Congrats, nice job.


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## ultramag (Feb 26, 2007)

I have been looking at the two links you provided to monitor temps. Which one do you prefer when cooking on the WSM. They both seem to have some merits. I am less than pleased with running probes out of the vent in the lid which I figured would be the case. I am having a hard time following how the rivets for the probes will work. Just thought I would see which method you found the most useful royknives.

I have plenty of remote thermos for the BBQ Guru rivet set-up, but that is a decent price for a Tel-Tru as well. I am kinda leaning towards the Tel-Tru and checking temps with my Thermapen as I near the finished stage. On my first cook I had 3 probes running out the top vent and it was a PITA.


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## erik2173 (Mar 2, 2007)

I know I'm jumping in this discussion late but with my WSM I foung the BBQ Guru eyelets to be the most useful.  First of all there was no drilling needed so no worries about chipping the WSM.  Second you don't need to worry about moving the theremometer when you move the lid when you raise the lid.
I have the dual probe Maverick and I run one through the eyelet and clip it next to the food, it work's out really well.
Sorry I have two probes thru the eyelet, the other goes into the food. both fit well


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## jaynik (Mar 3, 2007)

Ok, what's the premise behind the piedmont pan?  You bolt together two pans with some airflow space and you don't need to use water?
Why two pans?
Why does this allow you to forego the water?
WTH?


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## ultramag (Mar 3, 2007)

Hope this helps!


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## cajunsmoker (Mar 3, 2007)

Have you used yours with the double pan mod yet?

I am going to do that on my BSKD but I can't find pans local anymore and I guess I am going to have to order them.  Can get them from Bass Pro for 5 dollars.


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## ultramag (Mar 3, 2007)

Yes, but just once. I have only used the WSM twice and wanted to use it at least once stock to see how much improvement the various mods made. 

The only real advice I can offer so far is to watch your temps on the way up and don't let the smoker get to hot. Since you don't have the water assissting you it is harder to bring the temps back down. Let me know how you like the pan Rodger. I would be interested to see how some of our members like it and especially how it performs in other smokers.


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## jaynik (Mar 3, 2007)

I read that you can also make a foil barrier consuming about half of the area of the water pan to achieve similar results.  I might give that a try tomorrow with some chicken thighs.  I'm doing a brisket next weekend and would love a way to make fuel use more efficient.

Thanks for the info Rodger.  I'll let you all know how it goes!


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## royknives (Mar 8, 2007)

I also agree, the BBQGuru eyelets are most useful...I am super glad I bought them for my WSM...I still use one probe in the top vent, yes it can be a pain to remove everytime I take the lid off..but I have found this to be the best way for me.... :)


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## shellbellc (Mar 8, 2007)

Hey Smokinmag, Glad to see you finally got that thing out of the living room!


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## liquiddirt (Mar 12, 2007)

I modded my WSM with a variation of the Peidmont Pan.  I have seen posted that some people purchase the clay base of a flower pot and drop that on top of the WSM waterpan.  I found one at my local hardware store.  Not sure of the size but it fits perfectly on the lip of my water pan.  I have cooked with it twice using no water and it worked perfectly.  Did 4 racks of ribs yesterday, Temp lined out and stayed in the 221 to 232 range for 6 hours.  I am loving this mod and only cost me 5 bucks :)  And no more messy water.

Goose


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## ultramag (Mar 12, 2007)

I had read about the clay pot base as well liquiddirt. I might have to try that one too, but the Piedmont is working so well I may not. Either one is fine as long as I don't have to futz with water anymore. Ahh, sweet freedom.


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## cajunsmoker (Mar 12, 2007)

The last two weekends I have just foiled my pan leaving about 1 1/2 inch air space and no water.  Works great.  I catches the grease, but it stays cool enough that the grease doesn't flare up or burn.  Love it.  Am going to go ahead and do the piedmont deal, but until I get the second pan this works good.


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## deejaydebi (Mar 14, 2007)

I may have posted this already I'm not sure but I put  some of tose ceramic brikettes in my water pan and that works well too


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## ultramag (Mar 15, 2007)

Glad it is working well for you cajunsmoker. Water, it's just for drinkin now.


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## cajunsmoker (Mar 15, 2007)

Looks like I see another new addition to your smoker arsenal there Chad.  Have you tried the BDS out yet?  I got some questions to ask you about it some time.


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## ultramag (Mar 15, 2007)

Haven't had the chance yet to use it Rodger. It got here about 1 p.m. Tues. and now I'm back to work. Probably do something in it Monday at the latest. Haven't decided what I need to try first, but I'm looking forward to it nevertheless.


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