# My take on the mailbox mod.



## jcemt72 (Apr 10, 2021)

Here is my take on the mailbox mod for the master built 40 inch electric smoker. Are used a 50 caliber ammo cans purchased at the local Walmart cut a 3 inch hole in it and just attached it right to the side of the smoker and it works perfectly with the AMNPS. 13 hours of light and forget smoke!


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## bill1 (Apr 10, 2021)

Love it!  Looks clean and neat.  Plus, it comes with a beer shelf.  It's hard to balance a tall cool one on the conventional mail box.  

But seriously, I don't see a separate air intake.  Do you leave the ammo can lid/door ajar when it's running?  Or is your air supply counter-streaming in the same large hole as the smoke exhaust _into _the Masterbuilt cabinet?


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## MJB05615 (Apr 10, 2021)

That looks like a really good easy idea.  How is the Ammo box attached to the Smoker?  And like Bill asked, don't you need to drill some holes in it for air flow?  Thanks for any info.


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## jcemt72 (Apr 10, 2021)

bill1 said:


> Love it!  Looks clean and neat.  Plus, it comes with a beer shelf.  It's hard to balance a tall cool one on the conventional mail box.
> 
> But seriously, I don't see a separate air intake.  Do you leave the ammo can lid/door ajar when it's running?  Or is your air supply counter-streaming in the same large hole as the smoke exhaust _into _the Masterbuilt cabinet?


Yah has an air intake on back side. I couldn’t put it in the front because of the handles and I couldn’t put the handles in the back because the hinge would be situated where it would come off. And from my testing it’s added only about 5° over ambient temperature when the smoker is off so hopefully cold smoking won’t be a problem on a day less than 70° The air and take his crudely done for the moment I’m going to clean it up with my Dremel


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## jcemt72 (Apr 10, 2021)

MJB05615 said:


> That looks like a really good easy idea.  How is the Ammo box attached to the Smoker?  And like Bill asked, don't you need to drill some holes in it for air flow?  Thanks for any info.


Small stainless bolts ran through the body. Vent is in back.


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## tallbm (Apr 11, 2021)

Hi there and welcome!!!

Wow man I love it as well!
Good thinking.  It gives me a ton of ideas should I want to do the same :)


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## JLeonard (Apr 11, 2021)

Nice setup. Looks like it works like a charm.
Jim


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## bill1 (Apr 11, 2021)

tallbm said:


> ...Good thinking.  It gives me a ton of ideas should I want to do the same :)


And the *Walmart price for that 50-cal *is tough to beat.  
Kinda' funny...my Walmart doesn't sell guns  any more (except pellet/BB) but they've got the ammo cases!  
But then again, ammo cases don't smoke pellets, BBQ cooks do.


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## tallbm (Apr 11, 2021)

bill1 said:


> And the *Walmart price for that 50-cal *is tough to beat.
> Kinda' funny...my Walmart doesn't sell guns  any more (except pellet/BB) but they've got the ammo cases!
> But then again, ammo cases don't smoke pellets, BBQ cooks do.


Never knew walmart sold the ammo cans either. 
I picked up a 20 pound bag of the Pit Boss char oak from there a long while back though :D


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## mneeley490 (Apr 11, 2021)

Great idea and nice ingenuity. It's getting harder to find metal ammo cans in this area. Plastic seems to be taking over.


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## Winterrider (Apr 11, 2021)

Nice . . .
Wouldn't get warm enough in there to affect the rubber seals on lid would it ? May off odder some if it did. Just a thought.


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## jcemt72 (Apr 11, 2021)

Winterrider said:


> Nice . . .
> Wouldn't get warm enough in there to affect the rubber seals on lid would it ? May off odder some if it did. Just a thought.


It hasn’t yet there’s very little heat generated inside that box when it gets to the center section and you put your hand on the ammo box it’s warm but not uncomfortable enough to remove your hand immediately. Another words it hasn’t seem to get hot enough to cause any segregation or damage to the existing seal.


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## jcemt72 (Apr 11, 2021)

jcemt72 said:


> It hasn’t yet there’s very little heat generated inside that box when it gets to the center section and you put your hand on the ammo box it’s warm but not uncomfortable enough to remove your hand immediately. Another words it hasn’t seem to get hot enough to cause any segregation or damage to the existing seal.


Also I apologize for any misspellings in that previous message I normally post stuff on Facebook and proofread after I post it and I don’t know how to do that on this forum.


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## bill1 (Apr 11, 2021)

jcemt72 said:


> ...I don’t know how to do that on this forum.


Click the Edit button underneath your post....look for the pencil icon.


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## steves8860 (Sep 6, 2021)

jcemt72 said:


> Here is my take on the mailbox mod for the master built 40 inch electric smoker. Are used a 50 caliber ammo cans purchased at the local Walmart cut a 3 inch hole in it and just attached it right to the side of the smoker and it works perfectly with the AMNPS. 13 hours of light and forget smoke!



I saw your idea a couple days ago and started looking for a metal ammo box. Wal Mart site says they are out of stock, but I knew I saw some there maybe 2 months ago. Sure enough they had 3.  Got one today.

Also, Harbor Freight site says they have them. 

My smoker has a 3 by 4 opening. I thinking I will set it up and prop the door open.  I'd rather wait before I take the chip door off. It may work fine with it on.

Any thoughts or ideas that you've had since last April? Is the seal still okay? I figure it might be able to be taken out and use some lava lock if needed.

Anyhow, I'm glad you shared this.


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## jcemt72 (Sep 6, 2021)

steves8860 said:


> I saw your idea a couple days ago and started looking for a metal ammo box. Wal Mart site says they are out of stock, but I knew I saw some there maybe 2 months ago. Sure enough they had 3.  Got one today.
> 
> Also, Harbor Freight site says they have them.
> 
> ...


I’m a constant tinkerer that smoker is now a pellet smoker with a GMG Davy Crockett setup


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