Cold smoking with amazn and mailbox mod?

[lowcountrygamecock]

Anybody had any luck cold smoking with the mes and an amazn pellet tray using the mailbox mod? I couldn't keep the tray lit no matter what I did so I added a mailbox yesterday and it worked. Fired up the smoker and once it got hot it started drafting well and the tray finally stayed lit. But when I killed the element it went out after a few minutes. Figure that means it still won't work for cold smoking and I'm looking at cold smoking some bacon thanksgiving weekend. Any ideas?

 

[greasemonger]

I'm about as far away from being an expert among this bunch, but I've had a couple of wildy differing experiences with my mailbox (keeping in mind, you're low country and Im ATL which have both seen record moisture this year). The first: easily lit one row of amnps hickory after cooling from a 3.5 hr smoke, and burned flawlessy for 4hrs of cheese. THE OTHER: lit one row cherry on amnps and spent an hour and a half trying to figure out where the tray liked to be sitting in the box, how much to open the vent (from a crusty old grille) in the mailbox door, and how much to open the exhaust on the MES. Once I found what it liked it worked like a champ for 5 more hrs. Both sets of cold smoke cheese were less than 70°F for 3-4hrs, and both were done with the MES completely off. From what I've read here you need some air flow to the pellets, but where they burn the best on your getup is entirely up for experiment by your said getup. I'd also bet it varies greatly per pellet type, outdoor temp/humidity, wind, etc. It frustrated me to no end, but then went like crazy when it found what it liked.

 

[tropics]

Pictures would really help. Your location in your profile 

Richie

 

[mowin]

I don't have a MES, but I did a mailbox mod for my masterbuilt propane smoker. I drilled a bunch of 1" holes in the bottom of the mailbox and in the door. I also put something under the mailbox to aid in air flow. I always microwave my pellets for 30 second or so to dry them out. DON'T walk away when in the nuker, as they can and will catch on fire.

 

[bmaddox]

I have a hard time cold smoking with my AMNPS and mailbox when the humidity is high or when the wind is blowing. My two work arounds are use my AMNTS (tube smoker) or I have a small AC powered computer fan that I place at the door of the mailbox to lightly blow across the AMNPS and keep it lit. 

 

[goliath]

i have off and on luck with my AMNPS so i bought the tube smoker. IT DOESNT GO OUT !!!!!

the other option i tried was putting a couple large bolts on the bottom of my mod so the tray is up off the ground. works better. i have actually welded 2 tubes length ways together as they sit in the bottom of my fridge smoker perfectly !!!! great for the over night smokes. again i set the tube on a couple bolts. i  lent out an aquarium air pump to a buddy and that also seems to give that extra airflow needed on cold smokes for his bradley.

just keep playing around and you will get it tweeked perfectly in time.

i am in an awful damp spot, close to the ocean and maybe 200' above sea level..

pellet storage is important. i tape the bags up tight after every use and keep them in a pretty well sealed up garbage can.

GOOD LUCK

Goliath

 

[lowcountrygamecock]

Humidity may have been the culprit. I was crazy humid that day. I still call test one a success because it stayed lit for hot smoking. I'll take the advice here and see if I can get the cold smoke working.

 

[daveomak]

Morning.... it would help if you clicked on "My Profile" and added your location....

 

[driedstick]

got mine going right now I nuke mine for two min and works awesome 

Good luck

DS

 

[solvangsmoker]

First post here.  I got the A-Maze-N 12" tube smoker and tried in in my Bradley.  Cheese got too hot so I came up with the Elephant Smoker.  Light the tube, put it in the end of the 4" dryer tube and the smoke heads right on up into the Bradly.  (I actually put it all the way in the tube, left it out a little bit

photo-10.JPG

• solvangsmoker
• Jan 24, 2016

for the pic.)  Only had about a 5 degree temperature increase.

 

[usaftrevor87]

got mine going right now I nuke mine for two min and works awesome 

Good luck

DS

I also find this is the best way to do it.
I made a vintage fridge turned smoker and used an ammo can instead of mailbox. Works great!,