# NASCAR Mailbox Mod



## dr k (Jan 2, 2016)

The pics below speak for themselves.  Started with a 4" diameter aluminum dryer coupling and cut out the riveted strip with tin snips and over lapped the coupling to reduce to the opening of the Mes chip loader hole for a custom fit.  Secured with two screws.  Traced the tapered end of the coupling to the top rear of the mailbox and punched a hole in the center and cut out hole with tin snips.  Everything fits tightly together.  One hour max to fabricate and well under $20.  With jack $35 (but I already had it.)  I may make a permanent stand.  The jack can be positioned anywhere out of the way.  I mocked everything up indoors on my spare Mes. 













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The mailbox came with four holes and a slit in the bottom rear half and four on the front half.  Before cutting three holes in the front door in an equilateral triangle I'll put business card magnets over the rear bottom holes and slit and keep open the front bottom four to see how it breathes since there's less volume for drafting outside the MES than with the snorkel aluminum flex tubing.  I'll put the AMNPS in the middle of the mailbox right behind the front four bottom holes.













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Time to test the ventilation with a full AMNPS on a store bought flat corned beef for pastrami.  It's a bit nippily out so I may have to wait. 
-Kurt


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## smokingbro (Jan 2, 2016)

After a first test run on my mailbox mod, I sealed all the holes on the bottom of the box. Once I start the AMNPS, I want to control the venting with the holes I drilled on the front door. I can't do that with the holes on the bottom, once smoke has started.


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## smokingbro (Jan 2, 2016)

I see you have a MES stand on your smoker. I was able to rig a mount for my mailbox using aluminum channel rails and u-bolts. You can see the rails in the picture below. In the future, I might do an additional mode to have the ducting enter into the top of the box instead of the back, for a more compact fit.













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__ smokingbro
__ Dec 31, 2015


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## dr k (Jan 2, 2016)

SmokingBro said:


> After a first test run on my mailbox mod, I sealed all the holes on the bottom of the box. Once I start the AMNPS, I want to control the venting with the holes I drilled on the front door. I can't do that with the holes on the bottom, once smoke has started.


I wanted to see how these four small bottom holes (similar to the three holes in the chip loader tube) work before sealing them and drilling the door.  I have magnet sheets.  Do you have to cover any of the holes in your door since they are smaller than the one's shown in the DaveOmak mod?

-Kurt


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## dr k (Jan 2, 2016)

SmokingBro said:


> I see you have a MES stand on your smoker. I was able to rig a mount for my mailbox using aluminum channel rails and u-bolts. You can see the rails in the picture below. In the future, I might do an additional mode to have the ducting enter into the top of the box instead of the back, for a more compact fit.
> 
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> 
> ...


I saw that and it made me think of using a couple of peg board tool hooks to hang the mailbox on the leg extension kit.  I want to try this perpendicular attachment I saw another member post first and can always ad the snorkel with a 90* elbow.  I wanted to try the minimalist method first.  The Snuffelupagus/Will Rogers robot look hasn't grabbed me yet. LOL But it may.  You never know.

-Kurt


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## smokingbro (Jan 2, 2016)

Dr K said:


> I wanted to see how these four small bottom holes (similar to the three holes in the chip loader tube) work before sealing them and drilling the door.  I have magnet sheets.  Do you have to cover any of the holes in your door since they are smaller than the one's shown in the DaveOmak mod?
> 
> -Kurt


With the holes on bottom sealed and the 3 1/2" holes on the door, the mailbox worked perfect on a 15 hour pork butt smoke yesterday. I got a good 11-12 hours of TBS out of the mailbox with the AMNPS. There was still some smoke coming off of it when I pulled the butt at 15 hours.

The heat and top vent on the MES pulls air from the large duct into the smoker. This helps to draw fresh air in from the 3 holes on the front. So it creates a nice flow across the AMNPS. You can see the effect when you open the door on the MES and the air flow reverses direction, with some smoke coming out of the front vent holes on the mailbox.


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## smokingbro (Jan 2, 2016)

Dr K said:


> I saw that and it made me think of using a couple of peg board tool hooks to hang the mailbox on the leg extension kit.  I want to try this perpendicular attachment I saw another member post first and can always ad the snorkel with a 90* elbow.  I wanted to try the minimalist method first.  The Snuffelupagus/Will Rogers robot look hasn't grabbed me yet. LOL But it may.  You never know.
> 
> -Kurt


I have limited space in my patio, so I needed to reduce footprint of smoker.


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## kovaku (Jan 8, 2016)

This is on my list to do.  I like the way you hung your box on the stand.


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## morkfrompork (Jan 8, 2016)

SmokingBro said:


> I see you have a MES stand on your smoker. I was able to rig a mount for my mailbox using aluminum channel rails and u-bolts. You can see the rails in the picture below. In the future, I might do an additional mode to have the ducting enter into the top of the box instead of the back, for a more compact fit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Mas Cool Job....
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






That`s just about the cleanest mod I`ve seen.

Well Done.


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## dr k (Jan 14, 2016)

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A simple permanent wire stand for the mailbox. Made from the center part of a tomato cage. Six cuts with a bolt cutter. 
-Kurt


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## morkfrompork (Jan 15, 2016)

Dr K said:


> CAM00727.jpg
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It works....right up until it gets hit.

One slip on the deck and the box will be sitting on the deck mocking you.

I mean I like the whole idea of simple and cheap, but dude........


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## mr t 59874 (Jan 15, 2016)

Good job guy's. I like them both as the run on both can easily be extended for a cooler cleaner smoke when smoking cheese.







T


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## dr k (Jan 15, 2016)

MorkFromPork said:


> It works....right up until it gets hit.
> One slip on the deck and the box will be sitting on the deck mocking you.
> I mean I like the whole idea of simple and cheap, but dude........


Damn it!  Now I'm going to have to put the flag back on my mailbox to keep people that dont watch where they go from kicking my mailbox. Lol It's not going anywhere. The mailbox isn't just sitting on top of the stand so it can't be blown or kicked over. On the contrary, they are solidly connected together.  The coupling into the smoker is a solid, tight, custom fit. These are pics of my mod not the location where my smoker is when it's smoking.  People can walk up to the smoker. Not around it.  Anyone with their outstretched flex hose with their mailbox on the ground should have more potential damage concerns than me. I'm sure they don't. 
-Kurt


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## morkfrompork (Jan 15, 2016)

Dr K said:


> Damn it! Now I'm going to have to put the flag back on my mailbox to keep people that dont watch where they go from kicking my mailbox. Lol It's not going anywhere. The mailbox isn't just sitting on top of the stand so it can't be blown or kicked over. On the contrary, they are solidly connected together. The coupling into the smoker is a solid, tight, custom fit. These are pics of my mod not the location where my smoker is when it's smoking. People can walk up to the smoker. Not around it. Anyone with their outstretched flex hose with their mailbox on the ground should have more potential damage concerns than me. I'm sure they don't.
> -Kurt


Ok--I got it now.

You were shooting for a Rat Rod Mod look 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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LOL.....

Of course if it works for you, that`s all that matters, eh?

Gotta admit, running an AMNPS in a mailbox adds so much to the MES and so many people do it..

A guy kind of wonders why Masterbulit dosen`t offer it as a kit-add on.

Happy smoking.


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## dr k (Jan 15, 2016)

MorkFromPork said:


> Ok--I got it now.
> 
> You were shooting for a Rat Rod Mod look
> 
> ...


With all the fires posted recently whether grease on the pellets or proximity to the heating element, I want all combustibles on the outside of my smoker regardless of the Generation or size. Even with the Gen 1 40" I had to learn that some days were better than others on keeping the AMNPS lit.  Opening the smoker once to relight is one too many times as well as when your done with smoke just open and close the mailbox to remove the AMNPS instead of the smoker and start another series of heating cycles.   I just want to open the smoker to foil, unfoil and finish in the smoker to harden bark or just remove what ever it is I'm smoking (open smoker 3X's max.)  Bear has a great step-up reheating system when a smoker is opened and the heat is let out to get the heating cycles stabilized more quickly.  I want to keep those to a minimum as well.

-Kurt


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## morkfrompork (Jan 16, 2016)

Right on the money Kurt.

What`s the saying---If you`re looking, you`re not cooking
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Guess pretty much all systems have a flaw or two..

With my ECB the flaws kinda out did the benefits, but glad I had it at the time.

Cool that the biggest flaw in the MES is so easily worked around, without any cutting, drilling, or mods to the MES.

Besides, what fun would it be if a guy couldn`t tinker with their toys..

John


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## dr k (Feb 22, 2016)

I made this rack for the AMNPS and AMNTS for my mailbox mod before I went out to buy a step drill bit to drill ventilation holes in the door.  I had the parts and thought I'd use them and save $20.00 on the drill bit.  I noticed I was getting plenty of air through the bottom of the door where it hinges with all the holes in the bottom of the mailbox sealed with magnets.  Even with the top smoker exhaust vent half closed the smoke was moving through the smoker out the exhaust vent fast.  Since my mod just has a mailbox and a short 3-4" run to the smoker there's not much room for leaks especially since the coupling is sealed to the mailbox with 700*F RTV sealant.  I figured there would be no concerns about the pellets going out at the first bend being elevated in the air steam and getting plenty of air from underneath the AMNPS and I can lay the AMNTS on the rack if I want to use it for more smoke.













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Notched heavy paint stirrers and RTV sealant to hold the chrome plated steel rods. 

-Kurt


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## cvn71saltydog (Feb 22, 2016)

Here's a crazy question. What is a AMNPS and what does it do? The mods look great. I'd put one on my Smokey Mountain Series 32950 electric smoker just because it looks Bad A**.


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## mr t 59874 (Feb 23, 2016)

The AMNPS is a tray type smoke generator. The purpose of a external firebox is to cool smoke and collect impurities before entering the food chamber/smoker.

T


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## dr k (Feb 23, 2016)

Mr T 59874 said:


> The AMNPS is a tray type smoke generator. The purpose of a external firebox is to cool smoke and collect impurities before entering the food chamber/smoker.
> 
> T


I picked up a 3"X 2' solid aluminum extension and the eight foot aluminum flex pipe for cold smoking. I have a hatch in my deck up against my house. I have a large Kamado with an additional elevated rack and a removable bottom ash pan. I'll probably steal your idea I've seen in your pics and pipe it straight up from below from the mailbox. 
-Kurt


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## mr t 59874 (Feb 23, 2016)

Dr K said:


> I picked up a 3"X 2' solid aluminum extension and the eight foot aluminum flex pipe for cold smoking. I have a hatch in my deck up against my house. I have a large Kamado with an additional elevated rack and a removable bottom ash pan. I'll probably steal your idea I've seen in your pics and pipe it straight up from below from the mailbox.
> -Kurt


Kurt, you will find that single wall stove pipe will dissipate heat much better than the flex. You are doing fine, now some fine tuning. Put enough slope on the run to the foodbox so the condensed liquids will flow toward the firebox.

T


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## cmayna (Feb 23, 2016)

Dr K,  I have a similar issue with the possibility of accidently kicking over the mail box.   I like SmokingBro's set up.

SmokingBro,

I agree that connecting the tube to the top of the mailbox would help eliminate that curve big time.


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## mr t 59874 (Feb 23, 2016)

cmayna said:


> Dr K,  I have a similar issue with the possibility of accidently kicking over the mail box.   I like SmokingBro's set up.
> 
> SmokingBro,
> 
> I agree that connecting the tube to the top of the mailbox would help eliminate that curve big time.


One purpose of an external firebox is to cool the exiting smoke as much as possible. Placing the vent on top would decrease the cooling area and speed the smoke to the food box. Something to consider when building, convenience over practicality.

T


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## cmayna (Feb 23, 2016)

Mr T 59874 said:


> One purpose of an external firebox is to cool the exiting smoke as much as possible. Placing the vent on top would decrease the cooling area and speed the smoke to the food box. Something to consider when building, convenience over practicality.
> 
> T


Which is what I would want since I have no plans to cold smoke in this smoker.  Hot fish smoking only.


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## mr t 59874 (Feb 23, 2016)

cmayna said:


> Which is what I would want since I have no plans to cold smoke in this smoker.  Hot fish smoking only.


They clean the smoke equally for hot or cold smoking.  The difference is more pronounced when cold smoking due to the cooler product collecting more smoke in the same amount of time.

T


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## cmayna (Feb 23, 2016)

Definite good food for thought.  Thanks


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## mr t 59874 (Feb 23, 2016)

cmayna said:


> Definite good food for thought.  Thanks


Teamwork, my friend.

T


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