# Garage Smoking Station for my MES 30



## toby bryant (Jan 2, 2013)

Tore down the old workbench in the garage today, and started on a smoking station for the MES 30.













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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 2, 2013






The plan is to place the mailbox on a cinder block to the right of the smoker.  I found a sheet of laminate at Lowe's that was cracked down the middle and they were willing to part with it for $5.  I will cover the upper bench with the laminate for a food prep area.   













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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 2, 2013
__ 1






Placed a 4" starting collar over the exhaust vent in the MES 30, will run 4" pipe vertically and elbow to a 4" dryer vent through the side of the garage to the outside.  Back to work tomorrow thru Sunday, am off Monday and Tuesday will finish then.  I will post more pictures when finished.


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## deltadude (Jan 2, 2013)

Looks like your well on your way to a MES smoking cave.  Dang, too bad you had to tear down the workbench though.

Thanks for taking the time to take some pictures and post them for us.


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## toby bryant (Jan 5, 2013)

deltadude said:


> Looks like your well on your way to a MES smoking cave.  Dang, too bad you had to tear down the workbench though.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to take some pictures and post them for us.


Thanks, I am looking forward to Monday & Tuesday when I get some time off to finish this project. I hope that the dryer vent works to take the smoke out of the garage. I will post more pics when complete.


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## toby bryant (Jan 6, 2013)

Had to replace the element in the MES 30 tonight, so while had it apart I did a little modification.













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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 6, 2013






Since I use the AMNPS and mailbox for smoke generation, I did not bother putting the chip chute back in.  I have always used a 12x12 ceramic tile to help even out the hot spot in the back right corner, so I added some "L" brackets to hold it in place.













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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 6, 2013






Now the ceramic tile protects the element as well as evening out the heat.













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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 6, 2013
__ 1






Fired it up, new element is working fine.  Moved the Maverick probe around the smoker and temps are within 10° top to bottom and front to back.  Time to get some sleep, tomorrow I get to continue setting up the garage for smoking convenience. More pics by Tuesday.


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## texacajun (Jan 8, 2013)

Nice pic. Looks like a nice shelf for your AMNPS.


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## mike johnson (Jan 8, 2013)

Id put the 90 on as soon as possible because if there is too much verticle pipe it will condensate on the inside and drip back down into your MES. A hood with a bathroom exaust over the MES might work better for the moisture.


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## frosty (Jan 8, 2013)

Like the modifications a lot!  Great so far.  Keep up the good work.


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## smoke happens (Jan 8, 2013)




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## wazzuqer (Jan 8, 2013)

I like the tile idea, I think that is what I need to do mine to help even out the temps ...


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## smokinhusker (Jan 8, 2013)

Great start!


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## toby bryant (Jan 8, 2013)

Mike Johnson said:


> Id put the 90 on as soon as possible because if there is too much verticle pipe it will condensate on the inside and drip back down into your MES. A hood with a bathroom exaust over the MES might work better for the moisture.


Mike, I was planning on using a 2 foot vertical pipe then the elbow.  Do you think 2 feet is too much? I could elbow it from the starting collar, but I worry about draw to get smoke out. Any thoughts? All comments are welcomed!


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## toby bryant (Jan 8, 2013)

wazzuqer said:


> I like the tile idea, I think that is what I need to do mine to help even out the temps ...


The tile works great.  I used to just slide it on top of the chip chute housing.  Takes care of the hot spot in the back right corner.  The hot spot doesn't really affect large cuts of meat, but when I started to do jerky and snack sticks it was a nightmare.  If you really want to fine tune your MES take a look at some of Dave Omak's mods.  He has a heat tunnel constructed out of aluminum flashing and a mod to draw from the center rathen than the back right at the top.


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## toby bryant (Jan 9, 2013)

It is finished, it does not draw with the garage door completely closed the smoke from the AMNPS backs up out of the front of the mailbox.  But with the garage door open only 6 inches,it works like a champ.












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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 9, 2013






Here is the MES 30 completely vented.












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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 9, 2013


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## toby bryant (Jan 10, 2013)

Here are a couple of videos I made that show everything in action:


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## toby bryant (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks for looking everyone, here is the cheese I smoked while testing the mod. Didn't want to waste any of those PMC pellets, lol.












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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 10, 2013






Overall I am pleased with the new setup. It is much more comfortable in the garage this time of year with the door open 8 to 10 inches rather than a 16' x 7' hole, brrrrr.


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## mossymo (Jan 10, 2013)

Nice set up!
I think for under $10 you could add an aquarium air pump to where your chip drawer was and then could fully close your garage door. It may be well worth it in the cold climate we live in!


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## tjohnson (Jan 10, 2013)

Videos are private

Setup looks pretty darn cool!

TJ


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## baba bones (Jan 10, 2013)

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__ baba bones
__ Jan 10, 2013






The smoke in the garage is do to not enough pipe out side of your chimny it shoud be at least 2 ft above your roof top to draw the smoke out of the unit. Just  like a wood burner in your home . It works for me anyway...


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## toby bryant (Jan 10, 2013)

TJohnson said:


> Videos are private
> 
> Setup looks pretty darn cool!
> 
> ...


The videos should be viewable now.


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## linguica (Jan 10, 2013)

BaBa Bones said:


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It will be clear to your neighbors when to pick up a case of beer and just happen to stop by and knock on your door.


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## toby bryant (Jan 10, 2013)

BaBa Bones said:


> PB120302.JPG
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I was kinda expecting that to be the case. I would have to run another 25 feet of pipe to achieve that situation. I am in a two story home, plus I was trying to stay under the home owners association's radar, lol.


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## texacajun (Jan 12, 2013)

Toby Bryant said:


> I was kinda expecting that to be the case. I would have to run another 25 feet of pipe to achieve that situation. I am in a two story home, plus I was trying to stay under the home owners association's radar, lol.


I just used an over the range microwave that had a built in vent-a-hood and vented it out the side of the house no smoke stack needed. I just turn the fan on low and placed my MES under it.


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## yardbird (Jan 12, 2013)

If you don't mind another hole in the wall, just make a fresh air intake down low and behind the smoker. You can either run it into the smoker or into the mailbox. If you only have a 4 inch pipe exhaust, you'd only need a 4 inch pipe intake, but I'd put a damper in it in case you don't need that much draft.


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## baba bones (Jan 14, 2013)

Tthats about right , Good friends are always welcome to my smokin shack ,with a cold One that is...Happy Smokin...


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## baba bones (Jan 14, 2013)

Linguica said:


> BaBa Bones said:
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> > PB120302.JPG
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good friends and some cold ones aaaaare always welcome here.... At the Bone"A"Fied smoke shack...


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## toby bryant (Jan 21, 2013)

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__ toby bryant
__ Jan 21, 2013






Finally was able to install the countertop in the garage this weekend.  Stuffed some snack sticks and summer sausage on Sunday.  I am really happy with the new setup, it is nice to have my own work area.  I need a light source over the bench though, I stuffed the snack sticks while wearing my hunting headlamp, lol.


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## smoke happens (Jan 22, 2013)

Looks awesome, I'm jealous of the dedicated space you have!


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## wolfpackpilot (Jan 27, 2013)

That is awesome!  I just showed this to my brother... he could use something like this in his house.


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## toby bryant (Jan 27, 2013)

Thanks everyone!  I appreciate the kind comments, and have really been enjoying this setup since it's completion.  

An update on the garage door, I originally thought it had to be open 6 to 8 inches to avoid smoke backing up out of the mailbox.  After several smokes I have discovered that as long as the seal is broken between the rubber gasket on the bottom of the roll up door and the garage floor it works like a champ.  I have been opening the garage door less than 1 inch and the smoke draws out perfectly.


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## fuzzyfishin (Jan 31, 2013)

Yup thats a mancave, makin us all jealous


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## driedstick (Feb 5, 2013)

Yep that looks great. good job.


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