mes mailbox mod

[chappy4o]

Hey all. . . So I'm getting ready to buy a mes40 and I keep seeing a lot of talk about a 'mailbox mod' so I did some searches and I found a few photos but can anyone tell me or link me to a how-to. . . Or something a little more comprehensive than a pic?

Thanks in advance

Thomas

 

[daveomak]

Thomas morning....   Here is a thread I started when I did my mod.....    I could write a book on how to do it but I think the pictures are easier to understand than whatever I could write....     The purpose of the mailbox, in my opinion, is to have a constant temp, air flow, moisture so the pellets burn uniformly....  folks have used other boxes....  ammo cans....  anything metal should work....  some sort of connection to the smoker...  In order for the mod to work, the exhaust vent, in the smoker, needs to be wide open to allow for air flow......   Dave

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...0-new-pictures-for-attaching-elbow-to-mailbox

 

[1chaos52]

Sorry to hijack, but I also have a few questions for Dave on this topic. I did the mailbox mod last weekend and seasoned it and everything. I did have to relight the sawdust once or twice but it works great.

I noticed you put 3 1/2 -3/4 inch holes in the front door of yours. Would you recommend doing this? Does it help keep things going? I also did mine with the hole for the vent coming out the top of the mailbox, so does that change things? Should I go get another mailbox and do it differently?

 

[daveomak]

Sorry to hijack, but I also have a few questions for Dave on this topic. I did the mailbox mod last weekend and seasoned it and everything. I did have to relight the sawdust once or twice but it works great.

I noticed you put 3 1/2 -3/4 inch holes in the front door of yours. Would you recommend doing this? Does it help keep things going? I also did mine with the hole for the vent coming out the top of the mailbox, so does that change things? Should I go get another mailbox and do it differently?

I plugged the holes in the door using aluminum tape....  I use the opening at the bottom of the door for air supply.....   If you look, where the door hinges on the bottom, it's not air tight...   about a 1/8" gap....   My AMNPS goes out off and on.... I think good dry pellets is the answer....   The exhaust opening in the mailbox shouldn't make any difference...  I put mine in the back so it fit better at my installation, on the shelves....

Dave

 

[chappy4o]

Beauty. . . Thanks a ton for the link now I have a better idea on how to do this thanks

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[1chaos52]

Thanks for the info. My mailbox does not seem to have much of a gap at the bottom of the door. May make some slightly larger holes in the bottom to see if that helps the airflow a little.

Here are pics of what I have done. I trimmed the elbow going into the smoker to fit around the lip that is there to lock in the chip loader so that I can still use that if need be, and can put the elbow in without it falling out or leaking at all.

smokermod.JPG

• 1chaos52
• May 22, 2013

 

[chappy4o]

so, DaveOmak, that is just dryer ducting in 3" eh?

 

[njfoses]

so, DaveOmak, that is just dryer ducting in 3" eh?

At least for me finding 3" aluminum elbows locally was a bit of a challenge. I ended up ordering them online and should be putting together my mailbox mod for my mes 30 on Friday.

 

[njfoses]

I plugged the holes in the door using aluminum tape....  I use the opening at the bottom of the door for air supply.....   If you look, where the door hinges on the bottom, it's not air tight...   about a 1/8" gap....   My AMNPS goes out off and on.... I think good dry pellets is the answer....   The exhaust opening in the mailbox shouldn't make any difference...  I put mine in the back so it fit better at my installation, on the shelves....

Dave

I'm thinking on drilling a single 1/2 hole in the front of my mailbox mod I'm putting together Friday. I don't want to have to deal with the amps going out during a smoke.

 

[daveomak]

Dry the pellets and drill a hole....  Let us know how it works for you so others can learn.....  

Dave

 

[chappy4o]

Another question Dave, that shelving unit you have the mes on. . . Is that the 4 self one from lows? And how long have you had it outside? How does it fair w/ the weather? Think it would need some sort of anchor or some form of securing it from high winds?? Sorry about all the ?'s

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[chappy4o]

Haha just realized the title to this thread is mas. . . Not mes. . . Lol oops

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[1chaos52]

The shelving that I bought I actually found at Target and is a 5 shelf one that was a little less expensive than the ones at Lowes and actually rated for more weight. Mine went through severe wind and thunderstorms last night and did not budge at all and it is not anchored down at all. The roof I put on did not stop the horizontal rain obviously, but did keep the top of the smoker dry for the most part. I actually remove the electronic part when the smoker is not in use anyway.

 

[chappy4o]

The shelving that I bought I actually found at Target and is a 5 shelf one that was a little less expensive than the ones at Lowes and actually rated for more weight. Mine went through severe wind and thunderstorms last night and did not budge at all and it is not anchored down at all. The roof I put on did not stop the horizontal rain obviously, but did keep the top of the smoker dry for the most part. I actually remove the electronic part when the smoker is not in use anyway.

Well checked the target and they didn't have it. . . So looks like I'm going to get the four tier

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[daveomak]

Chappy, morning.... Sorry about the delay...    My MES and rack are on the covered porch...  For a cover on the MES, I have a huge plastic bag from the tire shop guys...

 

[chappy4o]

Chappy, morning.... Sorry about the delay...    My MES and rack are on the covered porch...  For a cover on the MES, I have a huge plastic bag from the tire shop guys...

I see. . . I went with the cover from masterbuilt

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[fwismoker]

If it's going to be an outside mounted smoke generator imo the Smoke Daddy is the appropriate choice....choice of fuels like chips, chunks, pellets, charcoal.  A 1 inch hole is all that's needed. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139474/understanding-smoke-management-updated-5-18-13

 

[mcgallimore]

Thanks for the info. My mailbox does not seem to have much of a gap at the bottom of the door. May make some slightly larger holes in the bottom to see if that helps the airflow a little.

Here are pics of what I have done. I trimmed the elbow going into the smoker to fit around the lip that is there to lock in the chip loader so that I can still use that if need be, and can put the elbow in without it falling out or leaking at all.

smokermod.JPG

• 1chaos52
• May 22, 2013

I want to so this! can I buy this shelf online from target? What did u use fe the roof?

 

[chappy4o]

About how much does the mes 40 weigh? I can't find any info anywhere. . . Not even masterbuilts website

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[daveomak]

maybe 40#'s....   Those shelves will hold a lot more than a smoker....  Dave