I'm thinking of making a plywood cover for my WSM. I've got my in-laws
here and my wife's dad thinks it is plausible. I've got plywood and
two by fours which the previous owner of our house left in our shed.
My theory is to make a structure that it about a foot wider and taller
than the WSM. That way I could leave the smoker out away from the
house on my patio when I'm smoking something overnight and have it
covered so it doesn't get wet.

I've done one overnight cook before and I had to put the WSM right next
to the house. It got kind of hot and I'm just not excited about having
something burning next to my house while I'm asleep. Even if I stay
away I still need somewhere to put the smoker if it rains. I could
even use it during regular day use of the smoker if rain threatens. I
think I could just hide it behind my shed.

Anyway, the theory is that with the 2X4's the little cover would be
heavy enough that the wind wouldn't blow it over. I would be open
enough that air could flow through it. I've got the wood and some
nails and screws so I don't see it costing me anything but time.

I thought I would run it by you guys. I may have mentioned this
before. The reason I'm interested in doing this is that it seems to
always rain whenever I grill or barbecue anything (seems like at least
50% of the time). I've been pulling my grill into the garage, but I'm
not excited about leaving the smoker unattended in my garage overnight.
Plus, I'm not sure I really want to use the grill in the garage
either. I'm afraid the smell will start to pervade everything, and
wont go away.

- Bobby


p.s. Maybe if I got smart I would build one big enough to cover my
grill as well. But, I'm not sure I have enough plywood...

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'm thinking of making a plywood cover for my WSM. I've got my in-laws
> here and my wife's dad thinks it is plausible.
>
> Anyway, the theory is that with the 2X4's the little cover would be
> heavy enough that the wind wouldn't blow it over. I would be open
> enough that air could flow through it. I've got the wood and some
> nails and screws so I don't see it costing me anything but time.

I'd probably make it three sided with an easily removable top (hinged?) and
front. It will help considerably in the cooler and windy weather. Any time
wood and fire come close, there is possibility of fire, so use lots of
common sense and keep it away from the house and garage. I'd also have the
plywood side come down to about 6" of the ground so it does have plenty of
ventilation if all four sides are closed.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

wrote:
> I'm thinking of making a plywood cover for my WSM. I've got my in-laws
> here and my wife's dad thinks it is plausible. I've got plywood and
> two by fours which the previous owner of our house left in our shed.
> My theory is to make a structure that it about a foot wider and taller
> than the WSM. That way I could leave the smoker out away from the
> house on my patio when I'm smoking something overnight and have it
> covered so it doesn't get wet.
>
> I've done one overnight cook before and I had to put the WSM right next
> to the house. It got kind of hot and I'm just not excited about having
> something burning next to my house while I'm asleep. Even if I stay
> away I still need somewhere to put the smoker if it rains. I could
> even use it during regular day use of the smoker if rain threatens. I
> think I could just hide it behind my shed.
>
> Anyway, the theory is that with the 2X4's the little cover would be
> heavy enough that the wind wouldn't blow it over. I would be open
> enough that air could flow through it. I've got the wood and some
> nails and screws so I don't see it costing me anything but time.
>
> I thought I would run it by you guys. I may have mentioned this
> before. The reason I'm interested in doing this is that it seems to
> always rain whenever I grill or barbecue anything (seems like at least
> 50% of the time). I've been pulling my grill into the garage, but I'm
> not excited about leaving the smoker unattended in my garage overnight.
> Plus, I'm not sure I really want to use the grill in the garage
> either. I'm afraid the smell will start to pervade everything, and
> wont go away.
>
> - Bobby
>
>
> p.s. Maybe if I got smart I would build one big enough to cover my
> grill as well. But, I'm not sure I have enough plywood...
>

Mebbe if you got smart indeed.....

I'm not sure you have enough brain cells.

If you have a big enough shed, put the WSM in it. If not, forget about it.

To be perfectly honest, if I had to cook "uncovered" all the time I'd
stand over the WSM with an umbrella and a beer.

I have a lot of overhang on the roof of my house, and the house is
concrete block exterior walls so WSM heat doesn't affect me.

So I stand *beside* my WSM with a beer and leave the umbrella to the ol'
lady.


TFM® - - If it rains *that* much, you should consider moving.

wrote:
> Denny Wheeler wrote:
>
>>You (the OP) may want to leave the plywood off and make the sides &
>>top from sheet metal. Should still be heavy enough for the wind to
>>not shift it, but would improve the devil out of its fire-resistance.
>>
>
>
> Do you really think the plywood could catch fire?

I have burned the top and fronts off of a couple of homemade cookers.
Yes, it can happen.

The smoke coming out
> of the smoker is only around 260 degrees.

In your dreams. Men cook at 300 and above.


It might rise to 350 if TFM comes over.


> But, if the smoker got tipped over and the charcoal poured out on the
> wood that could cause a fire.

I used to dry my logs on my firebox. (blockenstein)

More than once I walked out the back door to check my fire and found the
drying logs all afire!

Need *BIG* tongs for that situation.



TFM®

TFM® wrote:
> Mebbe if you got smart indeed.....
>
> I'm not sure you have enough brain cells.

Give me a break. I'm over forty with three young kids and an active
mid-life crisis. Even if I haven't lost the brain cells, they are
definately taxed...

> TFM® - - If it rains *that* much, you should consider moving.

I did. Twice. I'm in SC now. You would think it would rain less than
Florida or Louisiana. But two of the last three times I grilled
something it rained. Maybe I'm like that "rain god" in "So Long and
Thanks for All the Fish." The rain clouds just love me...

- Bobby

TFM® wrote:
> Mebbe if you got smart indeed.....
>
> I'm not sure you have enough brain cells.

Give me a break. I'm over forty with three young kids and an active
mid-life crisis. Even if I haven't lost the brain cells, they are
definately taxed...

> TFM® - - If it rains *that* much, you should consider moving.

I did. Twice. I'm in SC now. You would think it would rain less than
Florida or Louisiana. But two of the last three times I grilled
something it rained. Maybe I'm like that "rain god" in "So Long and
Thanks for All the Fish." The rain clouds just love me...

- Bobby