# Need A-Maze-N Advice in Northern NY



## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

I'm fairly new here but I've been smoking for about three years.  I decided to try my hand at cold smoking cheese with the AMNS (6X6) but I'm having a hard time keeping the dust lit. I used an Akorn Kamado grill and placed the maze on the fire bowl grate (no charcoal), both top and bottom vents wide open.  When that didn't work I removed the ash tray from the grill, leaving the bottom completely open, thinking it was an air flow problem.  That didn't work either.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  Maybe the dust is too tight or too loose in the maze, still need more ventilation, etc.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Oct 2, 2018)

I'm wondering if you've got some moisture in the dust. Check out this thread, https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/warning-sawdust-users.117057/


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## TomKnollRFV (Oct 2, 2018)

As I haven't used dust I can't be sure on it..but I am curious; can you set up a box to increase airflow to see if it does need more air or not? Like a literal cardboard box.


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## fivetricks (Oct 2, 2018)

In my smoker there needs to be a small amount of heat to promote draft. 

From Beckett Corp:

"_Natural Draft_ is thermal draft. It occurs when heated gases expand. A given volume of hot gas will weigh less than an equal volume of the same gas at a cool temperature. Since hot combustion gases weigh less per volume than room air or outdoor air, they tend to rise. The rising is contained and increased by enclosing the gases in a tall chimney. The vacuum is then created throughout this column of hot gases."


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## dwdunlap (Oct 2, 2018)

I don't use dust and no expert but I have faith in the inventor and would call  651.352.2831 and ask for Todd. He is the expert and I'll bet he can help.


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## zwiller (Oct 2, 2018)

I am with 

 fivetricks
 about draft.  I think a little too early yet for cold smoking.  Good draft can be had easily once the temps a little more lower or another member rigged up a PC fan on the exhaust to create draft.  Also wonder if some frozen water bottles would do the trick.


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

KrisUpInSmoke said:


> I'm wondering if you've got some moisture in the dust. Check out this thread, https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/warning-sawdust-users.117057/


I just received the smoker and dust from A-Maze-N, so it should be good to go.


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

zwiller said:


> I am with
> 
> fivetricks
> about draft.  I think a little too early yet for cold smoking.  Good draft can be had easily once the temps a little more lower or another member rigged up a PC fan on the exhaust to create draft.  Also wonder if some frozen water bottles would do the trick.


I'm new to this, so forgive me, but the ambient temperature when I was smoking was approx. 50 degrees.  Is that still too warm?


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

KrisUpInSmoke said:


> I'm wondering if you've got some moisture in the dust. Check out this thread, https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/warning-sawdust-users.117057/


I think to make sure the dust is dry and that I've got a bit of heat to get a draft started, I'll preheat the kamado a bit with the dust filled maze in it before I try lighting it up.  Thanks.


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

zwiller said:


> I am with
> 
> fivetricks
> about draft.  I think a little too early yet for cold smoking.  Good draft can be had easily once the temps a little more lower or another member rigged up a PC fan on the exhaust to create draft.  Also wonder if some frozen water bottles would do the trick.


I'll experiment a bit to see if I can figure it out.  Not sure what benefit the frozen water bottles would be, though.


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

fivetricks said:


> In my smoker there needs to be a small amount of heat to promote draft.
> 
> From Beckett Corp:
> 
> "_Natural Draft_ is thermal draft. It occurs when heated gases expand. A given volume of hot gas will weigh less than an equal volume of the same gas at a cool temperature. Since hot combustion gases weigh less per volume than room air or outdoor air, they tend to rise. The rising is contained and increased by enclosing the gases in a tall chimney. The vacuum is then created throughout this column of hot gases."


I'm going to try preheating the kamado a bit before I light the dust.  Any guesses how much heat a single or maybe a single file string of briquettes will create in an Akorn kamado? Maybe it will be enough to get me through the entire smoke.  Thanks.


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## zwiller (Oct 2, 2018)

I would think 50F would be good.  Frozen water bottles are used to cheat and lower smoker temp.  Maybe you happened to have one of those days where the wind was working against you.  Maybe try a new orientation or location.


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## bmudd14474 (Oct 2, 2018)

Dry your dust out. Also if you leave the lid open will it stay lit?


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## JckDanls 07 (Oct 2, 2018)

Just to check..  when lighting..  are you sure there is a good sized red hot cherry burning/glowing in the sawdust ??  I like to keep blowing on it until there is a nice cherry burning/glowing ...


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

bmudd14474 said:


> Dry your dust out. Also if you leave the lid open will it stay lit?


It would burn with the lid closed for about 20-30 minutes. then go out.  I didn't leave the lid open for more than ten minutes, so I'm not sure.


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 2, 2018)

JckDanls 07 said:


> Just to check..  when lighting..  are you sure there is a good sized red hot cherry burning/glowing in the sawdust ??  I like to keep blowing on it until there is a nice cherry burning/glowing ...


I'm smoking some hard boiled eggs tonight and it seems to be working better.  Made sure the dust was just gently poured in and I placed 3 charcoal briquettes on the bottom grate in a line with their corners touching and lit one.  Maybe just needed a little heat to get a draft going.


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## DanMcG (Oct 3, 2018)

I microwave my dust or pellets on a paper plate for 30 sec. and up to 2 minutes. I makes a big difference...


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## fivetricks (Oct 3, 2018)

You just need warm air low and cooler air up high. However you think is best to achieve that is up to you.

I like the picture in my mind of "three little briquettes all in a row" though :D


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 3, 2018)

danmcg said:


> I microwave my dust or pellets on a paper plate for 30 sec. and up to 2 minutes. I makes a big difference...


I'll try that if I have more problems.  Thanks.


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 3, 2018)

fivetricks said:


> You just need warm air low and cooler air up high. However you think is best to achieve that is up to you.
> 
> I like the picture in my mind of "three little briquettes all in a row" though :D


It actually worked and didn't raise the temp in the grill too much.


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## tallbm (Oct 3, 2018)

Hi there and welcome!

I'm in agreement about this being an airflow issue and that draft helps suck air through your AMNPS and the smoker.
If you are noticing things working better with a charcoal briquette burning then you are creating draft thereby causing more air flow.

Another thing to keep in mind when cold smoking is that without good airflow the smoke will linker and become stale.  Stale smoke gives a strong not so pleasant flavor.  I am convinced that this lack of flow leading to stale smoke is the reason so many talk about having to rest cheese and other cold smoked items for a while to let the smoke flavor "mellow" out.  
I ran into the stale smoke thing and solved it by creating a little contraption that forces a draft while cold smoking.  It fixed my lack of good AMNPS pellet burn AND solved the strong stale smoke on food issue.

My little contraption is basically a cardboard tube with a 12v computer blower fan rigged to the side blowing UP the tube.  When I put the contraption over my vent the upward draft pulls air up and through the smoker circulating the smoke around in the smoker and sucking it out so it never gets stale.  Lack of air flow to AMNPS and stale smoke flavor issues solved!  I hope this info helps :)













ColdSmokeAssistDevice



__ tallbm
__ Dec 21, 2017
__ 2


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## Eaglechaser (Oct 4, 2018)

tallbm said:


> Hi there and welcome!
> 
> I'm in agreement about this being an airflow issue and that draft helps suck air through your AMNPS and the smoker.
> If you are noticing things working better with a charcoal briquette burning then you are creating draft thereby causing more air flow.
> ...


I've got a crap-load of old computers and computer parts laying around, so it looks like a new project to keep me out of trouble for a bit...


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## tallbm (Oct 4, 2018)

Eaglechaser said:


> I've got a crap-load of old computers and computer parts laying around, so it looks like a new project to keep me out of trouble for a bit...



Hahaha yeah it's not a very expensive or difficult one.  you just need a 12V plug (I butched an extra one I had from an old phone), some cardboard, a washed bush's bean tin can, tape, and I used a computer blower fan since it was easier to rig up rather than a flat fan blade computer fan.  

You'll be able to rig one up like mine no problem with little cost :)
It is very satisfying to get it up and running and solving your problems :)


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