JoeSchmoker,
The AMNS is just another tool to help guys produce good BBQ and Smoked Foods. It's not necessary, but does make life a little easier!
The MES and other electric smokers have an inherent problem with with generating smoke. Electric smokers use an electric element to heat the smoker, and when the element turns off, you lose the ability to burn/smolder chips or chunks. I purchased my 1st MES 40 in December 2009 and was incredibly frustrated with generating consistent smoke. Once the smoker got to temp, the 1200 watt element turned off, and I could not get any more smoke. The smoker cycled on/off quickly with the 1200 watt element, and the chips have little chance to ignite. If I did get the chips to ignite, I got plenty of billowing white smoke, but could not achieve the TBS we all strive for. Also, I would have to feed the smoker every 30 minutes or so.
The AMNS was born out of my frustration and tested by 15 guys on SMF last March - April. Their feedback was incorporated in the 1st version we produced in April 2010. As more and more people began to use it, we made a few more changes to accommodate their needs. Guys were adapting it for use during "Hot Smoking" and some units were warping. Even though it was not designed for "Hot Smoking", we made a change to the base, to keep it from warping. The added benefit is that this change improved air flow and the unit smoked even better.
I've been at this for over a year and a half now and I've tested just about every type of sawdust that's available. I know what works and does not work, and so do my customers!!!. The sawdust that comes from PS Seasonings is too coarse to burn properly in the AMNS. They use small sawdust chips that come from a sawmill, and the size is approx. 1/8" x 1/8". This sawdust is meant for guys with commercial smoke generators in a smoke house. The smaller "Fines" are screened and used in floor sweep and other products. If you read the entire thread you posted in your previous thread, you'll notice more failures than successes, when using sawdust from PS Seasonings. If this stuff worked, more guys would be using it.
Again, you can get sawdust from a local cabinet shop or a buddy who does woodworking Some guys make their own by using a miter saw and sawing up a tree limb.
Todd