LavaLock Quick Coal Access Door | How to Install | WSM Door Mod

[@apod_det]

LavaLock gang here. I use my old door as a beer cap backboard. This is a great add-on which makes adding fuel a breeze.

[@Cookoutcoach]

Love the mod bud 👍. That door is the weekend point on the wsm and you just made it the coolest part of yours. Great idea giving yourself the extra space with the angle grinder too. Phil would be super excited to see you make this video. I still remember when he gave your road to ribtown videos a shout-out back when we were all getting started. Im glad to see your keeping his wsm moddin spirit alive for the rest of us. Great job can’t wait to see it in use.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Cookout Coach - Thanks, Steve! The door is a really nice addition and I’m pleased with the end results. I had to really learn how to spray paint and wet sand, which I had never done, but I think they are valuable skills to have. Especially if you ever want to do build a UDS or do some auto-body repair. Lol! As for Phil, I couldn’t help but think of him during the build and especially after his death. He left a good mark on everyone he touched and certainly with the KZbin bbq community. It was the least I could do to pay him some respect at the end of the video. I know he would have enjoyed it.

[@bubbassmokinhogbbq7896]

Job well done, man! 👍. Thanks for posting a great video of this mod. This door looks awesome and I’ll plan to do the same for mine. Thanks for the memoriam of Phil at the end of the video. I know he would’ve loved the mod on the WSM.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Bubba’s Smokin’ Hog BBQ - Indeed. I couldn’t help but think of him during the making of this video. He’ll be missed. Thanks for watching!

[@candid04]

Excellent step-by-step! Can't wait to get my door and copy you verbatim!

[@BiggsHomeCookin]

Great mod Jon! Big improvement! You did a nice job on the install... Phil would be proud : )

[@RaleighSmoke]

Thanks, Chris. I couldn’t stop thinking about him over the last week. Least I could do was pay him some respect at the end of the video. He had so much fun tinkering and sharing his mods. I always looked forward to his videos. At least we can go back and watch them anytime. Hope you are doing well and weathering the storm up there in Jersey.

[@BiggsHomeCookin]

Can't stop thinking about him either... It's nice you did this video out of respect for Phil. Were doing good so far... for being in the mist of things! Hope all is well with you and the family : )

[@Backporch_bbq]

I totally agree. Thought of him time I seen the title. Was like yep Phil would have that for sure 👍

[@RaleighSmoke]

Bubba K - Indeed.

[@jamesstuart64]

Very well done. Thanks for an especially useful how-to video, and one of the best demonstrated and explained I have seen. I suspect you have done some professional training in the past.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Thanks!!! I appreciate the support and feedback!

[@MeatyMike]

good idea- i used to have a smokey mountain, its back in the parents garage somewhere lol- this mod probably wouldve made it more appealing- look forward to watching more videos on your channel! cheers

[@RaleighSmoke]

Meaty Mike - Thanks, Mike!

[@MeatyMike]

@@RaleighSmoke no problem !

[@hereweare9011]

Just bought one of these a few days ago. So much easier to use than an offset lol.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Indeed

[@stephenhekman1219]

Just bought one ! I want going to paint the stainless but you convinced me

[@RaleighSmoke]

Cool! Thanks for watching!

[@hanbys]

I can see how the larger opening will make it easier to load more charcoal and fill the water pan but does it make it easier to handle smaller meats on the middle cooking grate? Flipping chicken quarters for example? Thanks for the video!

[@Bill-N-Carolina]

Nice mod, the lavalock door looks awesome.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Edward Hall - Thank you, sir! I appreciate the support!!

[@purleybaker]

Thanks for the video. It definitely saved time and aggravation.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Cool! Did you go stainless, raw or still deciding?

[@baronvonwhat]

man that door looks good

[@HeavyMetalBarBQue]

Hey Jon! Great job on the Fastback! 👍 You must be a body man from way back? Looked Nice! I see You got your little helper with you. 👍 Those are a great addition to the WSM, gives plenty of room, especially after the additional cutting you did. I only wish it came in Stainless. Oh well, Can't have everything! \m/

[@RaleighSmoke]

Heavy Metal Bar-B-Que - Thanks, Ken! I hoped you liked the heavy metal during the cut. Lol! Honesty, I didn’t know anything about spray painting or wet sanding until I got this door. I had to do some homework and learn a new skill, but I’m glad I did. It’s got me thinking about building my own UDS. As for the stainless, I hear yah. I thought the bare metal looked so good, it had me wondering if you couldn’t just hit it with like 6 coats of high temp clear and call it a day. 🤷‍♂️ As for my helper, she’s a good one. We have two now so time is limited. Otherwise, I probably could have easily gotten this done in a weekend. Rick on!

[@bhoward81]

I'd love to do this mod with that extra cut, but gonna have to price out supplies of sanding pads and the primer/paint/clear coat. Beautiful job though, very well done!

[@RaleighSmoke]

Bryan T. - I spent about $40-50 on paint and supplies. The paint runs around $8-10 a can. That and all other materials can easily be purchased at your local auto parts store. Thanks for watching!

[@keithtiedemann1130]

Looks great! Nice job.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Keith Tiedemann - Thanks, Keith! I appreciate it big time!

[@keithtiedemann1130]

@@RaleighSmoke I put a Cajun Bandit door on my WSM22. I don't possess the skills for that level of craftsmanship. 😁

[@RaleighSmoke]

Keith Tiedemann - Lol! I thought I might have bit of more than I could chew when I started the project. I don’t think I’ve spray painted anything since Junior High, which was nearly 30 years ago. Lol! Thanks to KZbin, I learned everything I needed to know and more. It was a good experience and I think I’m ready to build a UDS.

[@stevendrake477]

They have a stainless steel version now. But it's about $60 more. I actually really like the black look so I may go with the basic steel version and paint it. I definitely don't need this. But I want it. Haha

[@RaleighSmoke]

I felt the same way. Stainless is a nice touch, but I was really pleased w/ how the black came out.

[@dscott7864]

Nice video, sir. For whatever reason, the door of my 7-year-old 18.5” WSM stopped leaking this year. It doesn’t have any gasket tape or any mods.

[@specialsauce305]

Great job and even more impressive paint job! I’m curious, did you buy the steel or stainless steel door? Thanks

[@RaleighSmoke]

They didn’t offer stainless when I got mine. I’d definitely go that route. If you ever leave it outside. Moisture and/or water may build up inside the door and get stuck, eventually leading to rust on the non-stainless one like mine.

[@ingemarrydberg3045]

Thankyou, great video 👍

[@donduffey9318]

Well done! Does the factory cover fit over the door? Guessing not but wanted to check. Thank you!

[@RaleighSmoke]

Don Duffey - Thanks! While I thought not, I decide to double check. It most certainly does not. I keep my WSMs in the garage or under a covered porch while not in use, so the cover is more for keeping dust off. Besides, they don’t seem to hold out much moisture anyways, in my experience. I might just put a slit up the side of mine or order one for a 22” WSM or kettle, if I feel so inclined. Thanks again for watching!!

[@moncorp1]

I've never understood why people worry about those doors so much. I've used my wsm for decades and the factory door works just fine.

[@bryanblack526]

I like what he did with his but I agree with you. Haven't decided if I'm going to buy the 18 or 22 inch. Started out 40 years ago with a 30 dollar Brinkman. Plan on getting back to my roots with a Weber, too many physical deficiencies to keep cooking with my offset since multiple surgeries have left me disabled, certainly too many to deal with a project of this magnitude, brain surgery has wrecked my vision,balance,depth perception and hand eye coordination. There are some mods I'm going to make but not of this magnitude.

[@tomm9493]

@moncorp1 Probably because the access door is so small, at least on the 18", it's VERY difficult to add water and or charcoal.

[@ReviewTechAFRICA]

If you're using a temp controller or just want precise temps you need to eliminate air leaks, and the factory door is the biggest leak.

[@MastiffRonin]

How did the paint hold up? I used rust oleum ultra high heat and and it’s peeling off pretty quick from oil and heat.redoing my 2 22 WSM’s thinking of trying this paint or just cooking oil season them

[@RaleighSmoke]

I’ve got a few chips here in there just from being stored in the garage and around kids, but those are only small sports on the corners of the door. It’s held up well otherwise was heat quite well. The primer coat and the bond afterwards really matters.

[@MastiffRonin]

Yea looks great with the primer and clear coat must make a big difference! Thanks man

[@RaleighSmoke]

@@MastiffRonin - It does. I also have 3 WSMs and a few other smokers so it’s not used that much. I share the love. 😂

[@Klammath]

Solid. Thank you

[@BIGDaddy504]

$15 for a gasket kit and 10 min then my old WSM doesn't leak any smoke. Cool idea though, But the same gasket kit can do the lid which looks like you need. Nice video

[@thadiesel7655]

Great video. Made me feel better about painting the inside of mine. Question, I used the flameproof vht primer, should I bake it to cure it like there website says or is that not necessary?

[@RaleighSmoke]

I honestly don’t know. I doubt you’ll ever get that thing hot enough to do damage to the paint.

[@thadiesel7655]

@@RaleighSmoke cool

[@Colorado4x4]

Great video! Did this door add more weight where the cooker would be tippy and want to fall over or no? Thanks. - Geoff

[@RaleighSmoke]

It definitely adds weight to one side. It won’t fall over or anything, especially with the water pan in or food on the grates. It’s most noticeable when you remove or put the mid section in place (on top of the lower section). You just have to be sure it’s seated well before you walk away. Lots of folks have done this mod and enjoy it. I hope that helps.

[@Colorado4x4]

@@RaleighSmoke heck yea buddy. Thank you so much. I’m going to order it. Great video. I like how you got the grinder and cut out the opening to make it bigger. I can probably slide ribs out of the door on the bottom rack without issue that way. I love it. Thanks for making this video.

[@hicklinc]

how well has the paint held up

[@RaleighSmoke]

I kept it inside the garage for a while, but since I moved it outside, water has collected inside the door. Just by design, even w/ a cover and the center section upside down, condensation and water find a way inside. Needless to say it has led to rust inside the door frame. I’ll probably re-treat it this spring. Maybe I’ll make a video on it if I have time.

[@portermetcalfjr4209]

Applying paint, what do you mean by 2 tack, 1 medium wet? Thanks. Going to give this a try. I ordered the stainless. Can or should this be done to stainless?

[@RaleighSmoke]

No need to paint the stainless. Mine was bare metal. Tac is a lite dusting coat left to sit for about 10-15 minutes so it is still tacking for the next coat. Wet just means a medium coat w/ a wet look.

[@llambet]

Great video! I just purchased a Lavalock Coal Door and gasket kit for my 18 and this really showed me some good info. Now I want to paint mine... so thanks for putting that notion in my head. :) (I even may do some kind of stencil work on it to class it up a bit.). How many cans of paint did you need to do all the coats for each? I’m very much a novice on this stuff so I need all the help I can get.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Les Lambeth - I use one can of primer, two of base (because I had a few rough spots I needed to wet sand & fix), one can of gloss and one can of clear. There are a few videos on KZbin that I found pretty helpful. I’ll see if I can find and post them.

[@btx5740]

RaleighSmoke ok

[@alexhawkins8542]

The mod looks great. Superb job! I just received my door and I'm about to paint it. I've never used spray paint before so I'm a complete novice. When applying the first two coats of primer, do I need to to let the first dry before going in for the second and third coats? Any help would be much appreciated.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Alex Hawkins - You’re best bet is to look on the can or on the paint manufacturer’s website and follow their instructions/recommendations. The paint that I used recommended 10 minutes between coats, as noted in the video. The purpose of this is to give time for the paint to attach and remain tacky so the next coat can adhere to the previous. I did let the primer, once all three coats were down, dry for 24 hours before I applied the color coat. I did the same for the clear coat. The clear coat, per the instructions and recommendations, if I remember correctly, recommended 48 hours before wet sanding, if you wish to do it.

[@alexhawkins8542]

RaleighSmoke That’s great - many thanks for getting back to me. I’m still waiting for the paints to arrive but I can’t see the process being much different to the one you described there. Now I understand what you meant by “tack” in the video. Take care 👍🏻

[@garanzbrah7437]

Did you install the stainless steel version?

[@RaleighSmoke]

No, they didn’t offer SS when I got mine.

[@mathteacher2651]

good job!

[@amurdock18]

slick paint job from a rattle can

[@germannunez9306]

Hi, I recived my LavaLock door and hinge today. I wonder if powder coating instead of painting with high temp works. What do you think?

[@RaleighSmoke]

I assume you mean the door, not hinge, but either way, powder coating would definitely be superior I’d think. I’m no metal or paint expert, but I’d think the process of powered coating would offer more durability then standard spray paint. Gettin the paint to bond to the metal, even with the primer, can be challenging. You may want to inquire about the heat tho with powder coating. I don’t know about that.

[@Bassfinder68]

How much would you charge to put cone on my 18 inch

[@RaleighSmoke]

Bassfinder68 - Lol! $50 an hour, no less. :)

[@ronl384]

Does Weber void any and all factory warranties once you modify the WSM?

[@RaleighSmoke]

Yes.

[@hereweare9011]

Lol.

[@LassesFoodAndBarbecue]

Nice mod. This i have to see if i can get for mine :)

[@RaleighSmoke]

Lasse's Food and Barbecue - Thanks, bud! I appreciate you watching! It’s definitely a cool mod and gives the WSM a real unique look.

[@calebfountaine6399]

Hey Jon, thanks for uploading this. I got my door in and prepped it by lightly sanding and cleaning with acetone. I painted with Krylon High Heat Max but didn’t use a primer or clear coat (manufacture site said it wasn’t necessary). After seeing your video I’m second guessing my process a bit. Do you think that’s going to be an issue after some use/should I strip it and start over?

[@RaleighSmoke]

I’m no paint expert, but I believe primers gave a bonding properties. All the.applications that I saw on metal used a primer. I think a self etching primer might even be better. It may be fine. Worst case you have to redo it after a year or so. Totally up to you.

[@calebfountaine6399]

@@RaleighSmoke Thanks for the reply! Have a great rest of your weekend.

[@PaulieDetmurds]

LIKE!

[@RyanShwayder]

Looks outstanding. Do you still use your WSM? I just moved to NC and have seen a bunch of people with big offsets here, but I'm using ye olde Weber Smokey Mountain.

[@RaleighSmoke]

I absolutely still use my WSM(s). I had four at one point. I also have a cheap offset, which I mainly use for brisket. Thanks for watching!

[@RyanShwayder]

@@RaleighSmoke Are there any BBQ clubs in the area? I'm out in Holly Springs. Also, any recommendations for great BBQ are welcome! I've had some amazing pulled pork here already but never had a brisket here better than what I can make.

[@PaulyC8879]

Oh no, didn’t realize Phil passed away. He was great in his videos. I’m sure he’ll be greatly missed by anyone who knew him.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Indeed. Phil was a great guy. He will be missed

[@richsamuel2922]

I only just started watching his videos. :-( The ones he made are great and informative!

[@ItzMeThatGuy]

Can we get an update how it’s doing 2 years later????

[@RaleighSmoke]

There’s a few chips in the paint from it being moved around the garage/porch …and the kids…. you know…., but overall it’s in great shape.

[@CodyMcMillian]

I wonder how long the meat tasted like paint/clear coat due to him painting the inside of the door. Manufacturer recommends not painting inside.

[@RaleighSmoke]

Precisely why I used high temp paint and clearcoat. 🙄

[@richsamuel2922]

I got the stainless steel door!

[@RaleighSmoke]

Very cool! I didn’t know they offered a stainless steel version. 😎

[@ronaldpatton5906]

This is a luxury not a need .

[@RaleighSmoke]

Obviously any upgrade to a WSM is not needed, but many of them are nice. Thanks for watching!

[@curtisstein8959]

I’m mike stein I ordered 3 lava lock stainless steel quick access doors when I received them they were all very rusty way to much for high grade stainless steel

[@RaleighSmoke]

They are not stainless steel.

[@k9m42]

You lost me at needs to be sanded and painted. Think I’ll stick with the Stainless Cajun Bandit door.

[@RaleighSmoke]

They didn’t make a stainless door when I got mine. 🍻

[@Klammath]

That stainless Cajun Bandit door looks real nice, assuming you can get your hands on one. I called them, they told me they have a 2 year waiting list, and even with that: are not guaranteeing you will get it if you're on the list haha.

[@sidneywhite749]

For the price of the door it should be stainless

[@RaleighSmoke]

Stainless would be nice, but it would definitely be more unless they outsourced.