# Mail Box Mod question



## jp71291 (Oct 14, 2019)

I've searched all over and can't find a tutorial on how to do this.  I'm trying to figure out how the elbow is attached to the mailbox.  I'm a newbie to this site been lurking for a long time.  I guess people are using a 3" hole saw?  Then not sure how to attach.  Thank you for any feedback.


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## fivetricks (Oct 14, 2019)

Here you go. This site explains the required cut very well. Everything other than that is your choice to do/not do or how you want to set it up.

Cheers

http://www.kevinsworkbench.com/smoker_mailbox_mod/index.html


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## tallbm (Oct 14, 2019)

jp71291 said:


> I've searched all over and can't find a tutorial on how to do this.  I'm trying to figure out how the elbow is attached to the mailbox.  I'm a newbie to this site been lurking for a long time.  I guess people are using a 3" hole saw?  Then not sure how to attach.  Thank you for any feedback.


Hi there and welcome!

My mailbox mod was done with a wall hanging mailbox so I can't speak to traditional mailboxes.
In any case If you have a pair of hardcore pointed snips I'm sure you can drill a hole in your mailbox and then use the snips to cut out a large hole.  The other option would be to draw a circle on the mailbox and then draw dividing lines in/on the circle so then it looks like pie/pizza triangle slices.  Then then drill the hole in the center of the pizza slices where they intersect and use the snips to cut along the lines leaving cut triangles you can bend UP with a pair of needle nose pliers.

Then you keep bending open the triangles until the elbow joint fits in them.  Then take a 2.5-3.5 inch worm gear hose clamp and clamp those triangles to the elbow joint.  Finish it all up by taping around the triangles with metal flue tape to seal up any gaps.

Clamp here (much much cheaper at a local hardware store): 

This is what I did with my wall hanging mailbox mod and it works like a champ.  The only difference is I used a dremel with a metal cutting wheel to slice my triangle/pizza slices lol.

There are a few ways to skin this cat.  I'm sure more will chime in but this approach would be a simple one to consider and with the clamp nothing is shaking loose or falling apart on that end :)


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## chopsaw (Oct 14, 2019)

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/cutting-hole-mailbox.285303/
Go buy a fitting that has a shoulder and fingers on it . Use that to lay out the hole . I use snips , but you can use a hole saw , or several other methods . 
Look at the link above , I showed pics of using snips to cut the hole . I think it's post 14 . Cut the hole , put the fitting thru the hole against the stop , and bend the fingers over . 
If you get a fitting with fingers only , you bend every other finger out , put it thru the hole and then bend the rest to hold it in place .


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## daveomak (Oct 15, 2019)

The upper hole "stops" recirculating air in the MB, which has no oxygen left for proper combustion and creosote consumption....  Drill a hole and use airplane snips to cut the hole for the elbow...

..


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Oct 15, 2019)

Good luck.  That hole gave me some grief.  Don't buy your shears from harbor freight.  They won't cut butter.  I had used a knock off to get hole started then tried to use hole saw.  Nothing for drill bit to keep it from sliding around.  Gave to a friend and he used some kind of torch.    I had a galvanized mailbox.  Wish you luck!


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## jmorey (Oct 15, 2019)

I used my dremel to cut it. Traced the hole where I wanted it. Then drew lines to make it look like how you would cut a pie. Cut them all and bent them up/outward to wrap around the elbow.


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## Winterrider (Oct 15, 2019)

Dave and chop  got you covered. That's what I did also.


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