# My Version of the Mailbox mod



## Wakulla (Jun 4, 2019)

Took a while to assemble all the parts but here it is. Only things different are i used an electrical pull box instead of a mailbox and i put a damper on it.


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## tallbm (Jun 4, 2019)

I have a feeling that is going to work for you.  Enjoy the amazing BBQ you are about to make :)


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## chopsaw (Jun 4, 2019)

See how it works . You might need one more hole above the tray . Mine didn't want to flow with just the low holes . Dave suggested one above , works great . You may not need it , just FYI .


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## sdkid (Jun 4, 2019)

Nice work Wakulla


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## GaryHibbert (Jun 4, 2019)

That's a good looking unit.  Nicely made.
I agree with Chopsaw about the extra hole above the AMNPS.  You have lots of fresh air under the tray to get a good burn, but a hole above will add an air flow to circulate the smoke into the hose leading to the smoker.  (At least that's what DaveOmak told me and it works very well.  LOL)
Gary


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## Braz (Jun 4, 2019)

There is a ready-made knockout for that upper level hole.


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## Steve H (Jun 5, 2019)

Nicely done. Reminds me of a guy that made a tool box from a safety switch.


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## biteme7951 (Jun 5, 2019)

Braz said:


> There is a ready-made knockout for that upper level hole.



That's a great idea....partially push it open to see it it works. If not, push it back into place.

Barry.


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## Wakulla (Jun 5, 2019)

Doing a test. Please look at the volume of smoke coming out of the chimney. This is with the damper wide open. I expect when it is hooked up to the smoker and the heat in the smoker is rising out the smoker damper the draw will increase. Just asking opinions on the volume of smoke. This is pitmasters blend. Want to season it well before starting a smoke.


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## biteme7951 (Jun 5, 2019)

Will have to see it all hooked up for proper smoke level,  but you are on the right track. You barely want to see the thin blue smoke exiting your wide open smoker vent. If you can smell it but not see it....even better.

Barry.


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## Winterrider (Jun 5, 2019)

I also added a stack to mine to help increase the airflow. You may not need. Trial and error.


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## tallbm (Jun 5, 2019)

Yeah that looks fine.  Once you have heat and a draw you won't get as much lingering smoke.  
When I do cold smokes (no heat on) I created a little draft/draw contraption to ensure the smoke was not hanging around and becoming stale due to no draft.
This fixed my issue with getting some stale smoke taste on my cold smoked salmon lox.  

Enjoy!  :)


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## Wakulla (Jun 6, 2019)

12 hrs later and it is still smoking. I closed the damper down ti about a quarter open.  Guess that  AMPNS tray really works. I will open it up when it gets daylight and see how much of the tray has burned


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## tallbm (Jun 6, 2019)

Wakulla said:


> 12 hrs later and it is still smoking. I closed the damper down ti about a quarter open.  Guess that  AMPNS tray really works. I will open it up when it gets daylight and see how much of the tray has burned
> 
> 
> View attachment 397394



Nice test!

Also you may want to get into a habbit of zapping moisture from the pellets.  Even though they don't ever feel wet they absorb humidity and moisture in the air.  This is enough to cause issues keeping the AMNPS lit.

I always recommend putting on a paper towel on a paper plate and microwaving for 1 min 20 sec.
Stir and let sit with the microwave door open for 2 min.
Zap again for another 1min 20 sec.
Then use!

If you do this approach you won't cause a fire in your microwave and you should zap the moisture out well enough to not have issues.

I would not do more than 2 rounds of zapping.  IF you dry them out to well then a good breeze that comes by could cause them to flame up on you... I know from experience :)


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## Wakulla (Jun 7, 2019)

Well i just pulled a slab of ribs off the smoker. This mailbox mod has exceeded my expactations. After a 6 hr smoke with an internal temp of 185 look at the color of these ribs. Before with the chip loader they would look like a chunk of coal. With the pid controller and the mailbox mod with the AMPNS tray i expect these ribs are going to approach the taste of my old sidebox smoker and the MES is totally set it and forget it.


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## Bearcarver (Jun 7, 2019)

Looks Great, Wakulla !!
You're set-up Awesome now!!
The MES with the AMNPS is a match made in Smoker Heaven, with or without the Mailbox.
And adding the PID is just an outstanding addition.
Now we're ready to see some Fantastic Smoked Meat Pics from You, like those Ribs!!
Nice Job.
Like.

Bear


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## Fueling Around (Jun 7, 2019)

If you smoke it
They will eat it.


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## Wakulla (Jun 8, 2019)

Man that is some nasty stuff settling in the bottom of my mailbox. Stained my fingers brown and it doesn't come off.

I suspect that is what was turning the meat black when using the chip loader

Looks like the mailbox and heater hose is acting like some sort of filter.

Do you clean that mess out of your mailboxes?


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## tallbm (Jun 8, 2019)

Wakulla said:


> Man that is some nasty stuff settling in the bottom of my mailbox. Stained my fingers brown and it doesn't come off.
> 
> I suspect that is what was turning the meat black when using the chip loader
> 
> ...



I think you are seeing the creosote.  You are right that the mailbox mod with that much hose is basically filtering it out as the smoke is traveling through your setup.  

I don't worry about cleaning it out until it clumps up and turns into big flakes in my mailbox mod.  My mailbox mod is very modular and is basically one piece so when I notice that stuff has built up and flaked off I just grab my set up and shake it out in the yard for the big flakes of that stuff to fall out.  Then I just put it back.  
In my setup that stuff can block the airflow on the holes that exist on the underside of my mailbox so that is why I bother with it.

Enjoy the world of the mailbox mod and amazing bbq!!! :)


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## Wakulla (Jun 9, 2019)

I want to thank everyone on this forum for this great idea and todd especially for the tray and pellets.

This has completely changed my opinion of electric smokers. I was about ready to junk mine and go in a different direction. 

As for the stuff in the bottom of my mailbox it is hard as glass and stuck on like epoxy. I thought about burning it out with my torch. But you say it will dry up and flake out so i will just monitor and mull it over for now. Just don't want it to catch fire during a smoke.


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## tallbm (Jun 9, 2019)

If it is creosote then you are ok, if it is something different due to paint or oils or anything like that from your box and hose then feel free to burn it out with the propane torch.  Better safe than sorry :)

If it is just a shiny thin black layer of creosote I don't think you will have to worry, plus with your AMNPS being elevated the only chance anything catches fire in the box is if your pellets flare up... which does happen on occasion due to a gust of wind coming through OR simply opening the door on the smoker really fast which causes an extra suck or air through the system.  If you have over dried your pellets then the door opening can cause a flare up.
Both flare up cases should be on the rare spectrum of things but they do happen every now and again so don't ever leave your setup unattended :)

I hope this info helps :)


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