# Is my 5 x 8 a maze n pellet smoker too small for a masterbuilt 40?



## mrsmoky (May 11, 2012)

Hey everybody,

I just got a masterbuilt 40 and about to do my first smoke. I ordered a #3 package from the a maze n pellet site and thought I was getting a 6x8 but turns out it is a 5x8. Is it too small? can I do with this I really want to get started. I wanna do brisket and pork belly, wings, everything really. Would like to let it sit over night without having to get up and change things around. Lemme know if I should return it. I'd rather not though. I got a cookout plan for monday. What should I do? Thanks everyone!


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## diggingdogfarm (May 11, 2012)

You got the correct smoker, the pellet model, it'll work great with your MES 40.
The 6x8 is a sawdust smoker.



~Martin


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## mrsmoky (May 11, 2012)

ok, thanks for the confidence! That makes sense considering what I was seeing on the website. Thank you DiggingDogFarm


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## greenrn (May 11, 2012)

I have a MES 40 and the 5X8 is exactly what Todd suggested to me. Happy Smoking :sausage:


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## solaryellow (May 11, 2012)

I have been using that same pellet smoker in my plywood smoker which is roughly 3 times as big as yours and it is working great. I don't think you have anything to worry about.


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## diggingdogfarm (May 11, 2012)

I recommend that you give it a test run or two before Monday so that you become familiar with lighting it and such.


~Martin


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## scarbelly (May 11, 2012)

I have been using it in my SmokinTex for a long time with great success and the ST is larger than the MES 40 so you are good


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## mrsmoky (May 14, 2012)

Works great thanks everybody....Just havin a lil trouble gettin my brisket internal temp to above 150 degrees. Its been like that for a couple hrs but I am definitely gettin a bark goin now. cant find where to start a new thread again. put it on at 9am this morn. Its 6pm now. 7lb brisket with Fat on top rack, brisket on the second rack below it, the water pan is filled with tomatos onions garlic celery and fat from the brisket with rub on it and the AMNPS going strong on the 4th rack just above the Chip tray. Any ideas on what I am doing wrong. I dont want to overcook it!!


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## deersmoker58 (May 14, 2012)

not sure what your temp is but just be patient.

btw...most of us MES users putt the AMNPS on the very bottom next to the chip tray..see the pic below of a chuck roast i did.


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## driedstick (May 16, 2012)

so using these amps do you try to cut off most of the combutsion air at bottom and just open chim some, I heard you want to starve the pelletts for air so they burn better??? I am thinking about getting one for my fridge smoker. Thanks Steve


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## barnesski1 (May 16, 2012)

driedstick said:


> so using these amps do you try to cut off most of the combutsion air at bottom and just open chim some, I heard you want to starve the pelletts for air so they burn better??? I am thinking about getting one for my fridge smoker. Thanks Steve


I have to open my bottom vent a little to get a draft to keep my AMNPS going.  I don't know if it's because of the high elevation or what but it seems to work better.


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## deersmoker58 (May 16, 2012)

Actually it is just the opposite...you want to make sure that is has plenty of air.  Pull out the chip tray about and inch or so.  you also might need to pull the chop loader out some, or all the way.  Also make sure the vent on top is fully open and you should consider adding some type of chimney to help it draw better.  Search the site for pics.  I use come PVC, but you can use a can, or duct.  I keep wanting to go by an exhaust shop and get a length of stainless 3 1/2 in pipe to use.


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## rabbithutch (May 16, 2012)

On advice from Mr. Todd Johnson (when I experienced some problems), I remove the chip loader entirely and let the AMNPS get all the air it can.  No more problems!


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## eman (May 16, 2012)

Remove the chip loader and the chip tray and Smoke on.


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## mrsmoky (May 17, 2012)

For some reason i was under the impression that you wanna keep as much smoke inside as possible abd have as little as possible escape. Is that true. Does having the vent on top opend and the chip loader pulled out let too much smoke escape? Does that matter?. Does that also affect the cabinet temeperature? Seems like a lot od variables goin on?


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## rabbithutch (May 17, 2012)

MrSmoky said:


> For some reason i was under the impression that you wanna keep as much smoke inside as possible abd have as little as possible escape. Is that true. Does having the vent on top opend and the chip loader pulled out let too much smoke escape? Does that matter?. Does that also affect the cabinet temeperature? Seems like a lot od variables goin on?



Not to be rude, but, "No!"   The pellets must have oxygen to smoke properly.  They get it from the air intake.  The air comes in through the hole left by removing the chip loader.  Removing the chip tray allows that air to pass more freely.  Most MES users place their AMNPS tray to the left of the heating element near the bottom of the smoker and open up the vent on top to allow the heated air rise and escape - otherwise the chimney draw effect  would not bring in enough air to supply the oxygen.  On advice from Todd J. and others here, I bought a 3" elbow at Lowes and placed it over the vent on the top and directed the escaping air flow at 90* to the vertical.  I'm not sure why this works - I think it has to do with changing the direction from a vertical chimney - but it definitely improved the performance of pellet smoking both in terms of volume and the length of burn.

Look up DaveOmak's thread on mods he has made over time to his MES.  They are tested, tried and true.  The only one of his mods that I have not yet tried is the central smoke stack above the top grill.  Just haven't found my roundtuit yet.

HTH


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## mrsmoky (May 17, 2012)

Ok, all great to know. Hey, that's a big reason I joined this forum. To learn and I'm doing just that. Cheers!


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## tjohnson (Jun 1, 2012)

You need oxygen for the pellets to burn properly.

If you look closely at the AMNPS, when it's burning, you'll notice the pellets in the bottom of the row, are glowing red.  These pellets cause the pellets above them to smolder, and create smoke.  as the smoldering pellets burn up and fall, they add to the burning coals, and the process continues.

It's actually kinda cool how it burns

Starving the AMNPS for oxygen, causes the burning coals to go out, and then the pellets above won't smolder

Todd


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