Seasoning and mailbox question

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buffpeon

Newbie
Original poster
Nov 28, 2014
20
11
My new MES 40" Gen 2 arrived today.  My AMNPS should be here tomorrow.  I plan on putting on the mailbox MOD that I have seen on these forums.  Should I wait to season it until after I buy and install the mailbox MOD or do you guys think I should season it prior to MOD'n it up?

Would like to have seasoned it tonight but my wood is arriving with the AMNPS which hopefully will arrive tomorrow.

The late delivery is allowing me time to go buy the stuff for the mailbox tomorrow.  Does anybody have an exact list of supplies to add the mailbox mod to the Gen 2?  I am assuming 3 X 3" 45* elbow (1 for exit, 1 for chip box end, and 1 for mailbox end), 4-5' of 3" flex pipe, and a mailbox.  Anything I am forgetting or overlooking?

Also for the top exit should I use a 45, 90, or maybe even a T?  If I use a T then I could cap the bottom and maybe that can work as a catch for any condensation I might get in the pipe since it is so cold here in MN?

Thanks In Advance,

John
 
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Congratulation on the new MES. I have been using my MES 40 1st generation with only adding a AMNPS with no Issues. I would suggest you use it a few times without doing any mods. You may find that it works real well right out of the box. Then you can spend the money on another toy. I would suggest that you have a good thermometer as most factory ones are off a bit. You will also need to be able to check the IT.

Happy smoken.

David
 
Already bought a Mav 733 and it arrived today with the MES :)  Only thing holding me up is the wood that is arriving with the AMNPS!  USPS tracking said the AMNPS was suppose to be here today or else I would have stopped at Fleet Farm and picked up some wood pellets on my way home to season it tonight.
 
Well when I arrived home today I had more packages awaiting, my AMNPS and some pellets finally arrived!  Setup my Mav 733 on the right side of 2nd rack and left side of third rack.  Now 1.5 hours later my MAV is reading 279 & 274.  My new MES40 Gen 2 is reading 275 so it seems to be fairly accurate so far.  At the start the MAV did get up to 304 but everything leveled out and seems to be within 5*.  In another 1/2 hour I will add in some pellets and finalize up the pre-seasoning for the remaining 45 minutes that it calls for.

This weekend I shall have my first ever smoke.  Trying to decide between ribs, chicken, or a fatty for my trial run but I just cannot decide.  Maybe I will do a fatty of some sort and some chicken at the same time?  I hear chicken is pretty forgiving and it looks pretty hard to mess up a fatty but I have seen so many different inerds that I have yet to decide on that either  lol

I do have a question though.  I have not tested out the AMNPS and whether or not it will stay burning in this Gen 2 yet.  After I am done seasoning do you think it would be a decent test just to load up the AMPS with 2 rows and see if it burns through the night with it off or do you think I should test it with the heat on?
 
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I think it will burn different with the heat on because the warmed air flowing out of the exhaust will create a draft that will hopefully pull fresh air into the smoker through the intake and keep your pellets burning. OR at least cause a change in how they burn.
 
Yeah Azbohunter I was thinking along the same lines so I just adjusted the time to add another 2 hours so it will be well seasoned now!  I filled 1.5 row of the AMNPS with some pellets, had a nice cherry going, and put it over the hole where the water pan sits on the Gen 2.  I pulled out the chip loader in hopes of acquiring decent airflow.  I just checked on it after an hour and there is still some TBS coming out of the exit hole and it looks like the AMNPS has burned about an inch of grey ash and an inch of black so hopefully it will keep on burning.  I only have about another 1/2 hr to test it though before I am going to have to stop it.  I have not cleaned out a spot in my garage for it yet so it is currently on my front porch and I want to put it in the garage before I head to bed.

I only planned on seasoning it tonight and was going to do my first smoke this weekend but now I might have to go buy a pack of chicken legs tomorrow and smoke while I test out the AMNPS tomorrow when I will have 6 hours I can test it.

This weekend I am definitely going to be rearranging a spot in my garage next to the back door  lol
 
buffpeon, morning... I think I have read where one member, maybe more, have removed the exhaust adjustment ring and installed a 90 degree elbow on the Gen 2 smoker .... really improved the air flow... If you have problems with the pellets burning completely, or the pellets not burning well, try that mod to the exhaust.... quality smoked meats require good air flow... the elbow provides an exhaust extension that improves air flow if needed....
 
buffpeon, morning... I think I have read where one member, maybe more, have removed the exhaust adjustment ring and installed a 90 degree elbow on the Gen 2 smoker .... really improved the air flow... If you have problems with the pellets burning completely, or the pellets not burning well, try that mod to the exhaust.... quality smoked meats require good air flow... the elbow provides an exhaust extension that improves air flow if needed....
John,

Like David "TheMule" said above in post #2 "  I would suggest you use it a few times without doing any mods. You may find that it works real well right out of the box."

And as I underlined above in DaveOmak's comment, "If you have problems" and "If needed" try the mods.

I agree---Try going without the mods first, because you might not have to do the mods, and might not have to mess with any extra stuff each time you smoke with it.

Mine is a Gen #1 MES 40, but I've been using it with the AMNPS for over 4 years, without any mods, and everything works perfectly.

Bear
 
Yeah I decided to try it out before doing the mod.  I was just reading horror stories on here but then again problems always get posted and when it runs fine you hardly hear of it.  Last night I had the AMNPS running and it looked like it was going good for the short amount of time I had with it.  I just thru on a pack of some chicken quarters and loaded up the AMNPS.  Should be able to run it for a good 5 hours tonight so hopefully the AMNPS makes it around the bend fine.  I know the chicken is only gonna take little over 2 hours or so and just plan on letting it continue to run to test out the AMNPS.

Forgot to take some before pictures but I will make sure to take some after and also log my results.  I rubbed 4 of them with a garlic/herb and the other 4 just with some Tony's creole seasoning.  I also read that when they are done smoking I should throw them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up the skin.  I sure hope my first ever smoke turns out the way I am hoping  lol

I told my wife to start keeping an eye out for any type of meat that goes on sale for a reasonable price so I can start experimenting!
 
 
Yeah I decided to try it out before doing the mod.  I was just reading horror stories on here but then again problems always get posted and when it runs fine you hardly hear of it.  Last night I had the AMNPS running and it looked like it was going good for the short amount of time I had with it.  I just thru on a pack of some chicken quarters and loaded up the AMNPS.  Should be able to run it for a good 5 hours tonight so hopefully the AMNPS makes it around the bend fine.  I know the chicken is only gonna take little over 2 hours or so and just plan on letting it continue to run to test out the AMNPS.

Forgot to take some before pictures but I will make sure to take some after and also log my results.  I rubbed 4 of them with a garlic/herb and the other 4 just with some Tony's creole seasoning.  I also read that when they are done smoking I should throw them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up the skin.  I sure hope my first ever smoke turns out the way I am hoping  lol

I told my wife to start keeping an eye out for any type of meat that goes on sale for a reasonable price so I can start experimenting!
OH HELL! You better burn the crap out of that bird or serve it raw. I can already tell if this turns out fine you are going to turn into a junkie. The group has turned so many of us into junkies.

How about starting a new thread on you yard bird in the poultry section. That way people will be able to find it a little easier.

Happy smoken.

David
 
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LoL David, you have me pegged already!  I am completely stuffed full from eating dinner but I just had to smoke something since I seasoned it yesterday!  One of my neighbors is an avid smoker and gave me some venison summer sausage the other week and was the best I ever had so......I have to learn how to make it too!  I always love smoked turkey legs at fairs so now I can play with some smoke flavor on ALL meats!

I told the wife I wanted to buy a smoker earlier this year and when I seen the MES40 for $240 on a black Friday special it was hard to pass up.  Then she was giving me crap about all the extra's I always have to buy whenever I get a new toy  lol  (Mav, AMNPS, Pellets, etc..)  Hell I just got the AMNPS seasoned yesterday and already have 130 lbs of pellets sitting here!  I am imagining that amount should last me through the winter.
 
 
LoL David, you have me pegged already!  I am completely stuffed full from eating dinner but I just had to smoke something since I seasoned it yesterday!  One of my neighbors is an avid smoker and gave me some venison summer sausage the other week and was the best I ever had so......I have to learn how to make it too!  I always love smoked turkey legs at fairs so now I can play with some smoke flavor on ALL meats!

I told the wife I wanted to buy a smoker earlier this year and when I seen the MES40 for $240 on a black Friday special it was hard to pass up.  Then she was giving me crap about all the extra's I always have to buy whenever I get a new toy  lol  (Mav, AMNPS, Pellets, etc..)  Hell I just got the AMNPS seasoned yesterday and already have 130 lbs of pellets sitting here!  I am imagining that amount should last me through the winter.
I hope it will make the winter for you. I have about 100 LBS of differant pellets and a couple of ricks of wood and about 100 LBS of lump charcoal. I pretty much go all in when I take on a project. Before long you will be adding more toys to your collection.

Happy smoken.

David
 
Yep I don't think she realizes yet that I need a slicer, scale, grinder, sausage stuffer, etc yet either lol   I have the ad always on my computer for a new LEM slicer so hopefully she gets the drift and one ends up under the tree in a few weeks :)
 
Ok so they turned out wonderful! There sure is something awesome in the taste of smoked chicken with Tony C spices on it! Here is a finished qview! Hope when the wife wakes up and heads to work she likes them just as much as me. I was already full but ended up devouring 1 of each flavorings lol



 
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It's too late to turn back now!
They look awesome!
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   Yup----You're hooked !!!
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Nice looking Chicken!!!
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BTW: Since you are using an MES 40, you might want to check out my "Step by Step Index" below, to see how easy a lot of things are!!

Bear
 
Trust me Bear, I had your step by step bookmarked in my favorites list before I even joined the forums  lol  

I thanked you for them in my roll call post! 
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