Originally posted: 06/01/2001
Last updated: 03/31/2010

Work Table Kit Described

The Weber Kettle Work Table #1800 is designed for use with 18-1/2" Weber Bar-B-Kettle grills and One-Touch kettles. It is not meant to be used with the Smokey Mountain Cooker, but with a few modifications it can be installed successfully on a WSM and is quite functional. It provides a light duty surface on which you can place tongs, gloves, or a Polder thermometer.

The work table kit costs about $35 and is available at most stores that carry Weber replacement parts and accessories. It can also be ordered directly from Weber Customer Service at 800-446-1071.

The work table kit consists of a rock maple work surface, a metal support bracket, a tubular metal brace, and some fastening hardware. The work surface is removable and doubles as a cutting board, with no-skid rubber feet for stability and a channel to catch meat juices.

Installation Method #1: The Easy Way

The easiest way to install the work table is shown here. The support bracket slips over the edge of the middle cooking section (Picture 2) and the tubular brace runs diagonally from the support bracket to one of the legs on the charcoal bowl (Picture 3). The hardware pack included in the kit is used to make all the necessary connections. The work table can be installed or removed in about two minutes using a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench.

There are a couple of issues with this installation that you should be aware of:

• The work table can only be installed when the middle cooking section is inserted into the charcoal bowl, and you cannot remove the middle cooking section when the table is installed because the tubular brace connects to one of the legs. This method of installation does not allow you to leave the table installed at all times--you install the table after the fuel is in the cooker and remove it before emptying the ashes from the charcoal bowl.
• Weber supplies a clamp for connecting the tubular brace to the round leg of a kettle grill. Since the WSM has flat legs, you'll need to flatten the clamp on one side and slide it up between the leg and charcoal bowl (as shown in Picture 3), securing it with the screw and nut supplied. This is sufficient if you don't plan on putting anything heavy on the work table. For added strength, drill a small hole through the clamp and leg and fasten with a nut and bolt.

Installation Method #2: A Better Way

A better, but more complicated, approach is the one I used on The Little Red Bullet project, shown in Picture 1. In my opinion, this is the best way to install a work table on the WSM. The advantages of this method are that:

• The work table connects only to the middle cooking section, allowing it to be removed with the table in place.
• The work table can be installed or removed in seconds without any tools.
• The work surface is much more stable than in Method #1 due to the addition of a shock cord that connects the cutting board to the tubular brace.

The first step is to attach some mounting hardware to the middle cooking section. I used a fastener called a turn button. It has a spring-loaded head that turns 90* to lock down whatever is placed over the head. You can find this fastener at most hardware and marine supply stores. The turn button is attached with two stainless steel screws, washers and nuts near the bottom edge of the middle cooking section (Picture 6). Two small holes must be drilled in the middle section so the fastener can be attached.

Next, the tubular brace is modified and a new type of connection is formed between the brace and the support bracket. I shortened the brace and made an oval-shaped hole in one end to fit over the turn button. On the other end I created a fork and a hole. As shown in Picture 7, the fork slides under a screw that I mounted in the flange, then a cotterless hitch pin is inserted through holes in each piece to lock them together.

The last step is to add a shock cord to keep the cutting board and support bracket tightly connected to the cooker. I added an eye bolt to the bottom of the tubular brace (Picture 8) and D-rings to the bottom side of the cutting board (Picture 9). A short shock cord passes through the eye bolt and connects to the D-rings, helping to stabilize the whole assembly.

To attach the work table to the cooker, simply connect the brace to the support bracket using the hitch pin, hang the bracket from the edge of the cooking section and fasten the other end of the brace to the turn button. Put the cutting board in place and attach the shock cord to the D-rings. To remove the work table, just reverse these steps.

The total cost of this installation is about $50 including the work table kit and connecting hardware.

In closing, there are several things you should understand before attempting either of these installations of a work table on the Weber Bullet.

• When hanging the support bracket from the edge of the middle cooking section, it's easy to catch the rolled edge of the lid. When you remove the lid, you begin to pull the support bracket and work table right off the cooker. To prevent this problem, remove the lid, install the bracket and brace, then replace the lid. Be careful when removing the lid to not dislodge the bracket.
• The protective vinyl cover will not fit over the WSM when the work table is installed.
• Installation Method #2 provides a much more stable work surface than Method #1.
• Regardless of the method you choose, remember that the work table is for light duty only. Do not place heavy items on the table, as it may detach from the cooker or cause the cooker to tip over.
• Remember that the Weber Kettle Work Table #1800 is not specifically designed for use with the Smokey Mountain Cooker. You undertake this installation at your own risk.

Brian Moriarty from Bothell, WA posted this elegant modification on The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board. He mounted Genie garage door handles on the middle cooking section, then used them to support two work tables.

Brian writes, "The tables are made of ipe decking, fastened to pieces of U-shaped aluminum channel with wood screws. On the two corners of each table are 5/16" T-nuts. I screwed a threaded rod into each T-nut until it was flush with the table top, then tightened a stop nut underneath into the aluminum channel.

"The tables are not meant to be a permanent addition—they simply slide in and out of the handles—nor are they intended to hold anything more than a thermometer, tongs, gloves, or maybe a spray bottle. The Weber cover still fits over the handles.

"Some folks have suggested a fold-down leg, but I'll leave that for someone else!"

Bill Small from Virginia posted this metalworking project on The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board.

Bill writes, "It took me a couple of days to weld this, but I finally got it done. It's 48" wide, 36" high, and 24" deep. The side tables are 28" above the base and measure 12" x 24"."

Photos of garage door handle/side table project: 2007 by Brian Moriarty
Photos of WSM metal workstation project: 2007 by Bill Small