Craftsman Toolbox mod for Pit Boss

[Spinner]

I'm loving my pellet grill and have been experimenting all summer. I purchased an A-MAZE-N tube and did my first smoked cheese. I smoked Pepper Jack, Mozzarella and Old Cheddar. After four weeks in the refrigerator, the results were pleasing enough to try some mods to my grill. Using the resources on this forum I decided to do the mailbox mod. I love haunting home improvement stores for items that I can re-purpose. I started with a collection of duct fittings.

I didn't have any flat stock to make the attach flange, so ended up using diamond plate in keeping with my grill look. This will require some sealing method with the end plate.

The end plug is "holed" to match the toolbox lid.

A 4" to 3" reducer made the attachments easier, by allowing some space to screw the end plugs to the toolbox and pellet grill.

I used the "U bolt mod" to attach a handle to place the A-MAZE-N tube into the toolbox after assurances that it is lit.

And the completed assembly. This took just a couple of hours and I'm currently running a test smoke session to make sure that the fresh air holes are big enough.

There's smoke leaking out of every orifice of the pellet grill. I stuffed some stainless steel scrubbies into the adapter that attaches to the grill.

 

[normanaj]

That is freakin' awesome!

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Very nice. Haven't got into cold smoking yet but I like the look of the toolbox a lot

 

[Spinner]

My wife bought that toolbox for me for Christmas 38 years ago. It's become redundant as I gathered enough tools to fill a rolling tool chest. I thought it was a good way to honor an old friend:)

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Ha. Well, excellent repurpose right there. My old metal boxes would need some serious cleaning and probably not worth the effort.

 

[Spinner]

Two hours into the test smoke session and the A-MAZE-N tube is still smoking. Although, I think this looks more like TWS rather than TBS. Comments?

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Definitely white. Possibly it's cause the fire isn't burning hot enough? Maybe needs more airflow? But the smoke/air should be cooling in the vent pipe and preventing an acrid taste. So you should still be good to go. If my understanding of things is correct anyway.

 

[gmc2003]

The tube puts out allot of smoke. It's basically made for gas grills and higher altitudes(less oxygen environments) . Try using a half tube of pellets. Dispersed evenly along the side of the tube when laying flat.

Chris

 

[SmokinAl]

Nice job!
It looks very professional!!
Al

 

[markh024]

You could put a small fat facing the box to allow more forced air into the toolbox. Looks good overall. Nice job.

 

[DrewJ]

I've got an old metal toolbox I've been contemplating doing this with. The one thing holding me back is the paint on the inside of the toolbox. I've just been concerned about the paint giving off some fumes under heat that could be at worse dangerous and at least just give a funky paint flavor to the food. Any thought on this? Am I just being paranoid?

 

[muskyjunky]

Very nice work. Impressive !!!

 

[Bearcarver]

Great Repurposing there, Spinner!!!:)
That's using the Old Noggin!!
Like.

Those Craftsman Toolboxes are good for a lot of things.
A couple years ago, Sprint contacted Bear Jr's Tower Corp, and told him their Copper Bussbars were getting stolen, and asked him what could be done? They had 8 towers in that area, so he went & bought 8 Craftsman Tool boxes. Then he mounted the Bussbars inside the toolboxes, and bolted the boxes to the towers. Wired everything up, and closed & locked the toolboxes with Combo locks, set to Sprint's Secret Combo.
It wasn't so bad the $80 to $100 for each Bussbar, but it was expensive getting new ones rewired every time one was stolen.

Bear

 

[Spinner]

I've got an old metal toolbox I've been contemplating doing this with. The one thing holding me back is the paint on the inside of the toolbox. I've just been concerned about the paint giving off some fumes under heat that could be at worse dangerous and at least just give a funky paint flavor to the food. Any thought on this? Am I just being paranoid?

I was pondering the same thing. I tested the top of the toolbox throughout the test smoke and although hot, never enough to scorch my delicate office hands. The paint is still pristine, albeit with a new coating of black stuff.

I failed to upload a detail of the attach flange to the pellet grill. So...

And here's the rascal that started it all. This is the mozzarella cheese I originally smoked some four weeks ago. Delightful.

 

[Spinner]

Great Repurposing there, Spinner!!!:)
That's using the Old Noggin!!
Like.

Those Craftsman Toolboxes are good for a lot of things.
A couple years ago, Sprint contacted Bear Jr's Tower Corp, and told him their Copper Bussbars were getting stolen, and asked him what could be done? They had 8 towers in that area, so he went & bought 8 Craftsman Tool boxes. Then he mounted the Bussbars inside the toolboxes, and bolted the boxes to the towers. Wired everything up, and closed & locked the toolboxes with Combo locks, set to Sprint's Secret Combo.
It wasn't so bad the $80 to $100 for each Bussbar, but it was expensive getting new ones rewired every time one was stolen.

Bear

I'm missing Craftsman in so many ways. My dad introduced all of his five sons to various tools depending on the soft tissue destroying capabilities. My first powered tool was the "all metal" hand drill, non-grounded of course, which I abused and used as a router and other methods that weren't approved. Graduated to the jig saw which I almost burnt out cutting a cherry wood stock for a crossbow. Finally a table saw with all the guards removed. I still have all my digits:)

 

[Bearcarver]

I'm missing Craftsman in so many ways. My dad introduced all of his five sons to various tools depending on the soft tissue destroying capabilities. My first powered tool was the "all metal" hand drill, non-grounded of course, which I abused and used as a router and other methods that weren't approved. Graduated to the jig saw which I almost burnt out cutting a cherry wood stock for a crossbow. Finally a table saw with all the guards removed. I still have all my digits:)

LOL---25 years in Cabinet shops & still have all my digits too.

Did you see the thing they came out with a few years ago?
Mounts inside a Table Saw, and if your finger touches the spinning blade, it shuts the saw off & the blade drops below the table before it cuts you.
Pretty amazing!!

Bear

 

[Spinner]

LOL---25 years in Cabinet shops & still have all my digits too.

Did you see the thing they came out with a few years ago?
Mounts inside a Table Saw, and if your finger touches the spinning blade, it shuts the saw off & the blade drops below the table before it cuts you.
Pretty amazing!!

Bear

Yes, I've seen it work in videos. If I remember, it throws a soft block of metal at the blade. I wonder who the brave tester was. I've seen it demonstrated with a hotdog wiener.

 

[Bearcarver]

Yes, I've seen it work in videos. If I remember, it throws a soft block of metal at the blade. I wonder who the brave tester was. I've seen it demonstrated with a hotdog wiener.

I saw one time at a Cabinetmaking Convention in King of Prussia a guy used his finger, but all the other times it was with a hot dog. It all happens 10X faster than an Air-Bag. I'd actually rather watch it with the Hot Dog.

Here it is, with a 1 minute Demo Video:
https://www.sawstop.com

Bear

 

[Spinner]

A quick followup to the toolbox mod on my pellet grill. Currently, I'm fascinated with smoked cheese and after a fairly successful first try, I'm going bigger. I purchased a lot of cheese. In fact, more cheese than I've ever bought in my life.
Old Cheddar, Mozzarella, Peppercorn Brick and Jalapeno Jack.

Fired up the A-AMAZE-N smoker while I portioned the cheese.

All portioned and racked in the smoking cavity.

The toolbox is running and all systems are go.

Current temperatures are conducive to cold smoking. Thermometer displaying in Fahrenheit.

Three hours into the process and a small puddle appeared in the area where the stainless steel scrubbies are located. This seems to be condensate, rather than tar. Very bitter, if one was to taste it...

This new setup required some minor adjustments in process. The cold smoke produced, didn't change the color of the cheese like the first attempt with the smoker located "in house". So many variables involved. Different environmental temperatures, new placement of the smoke generator and different cheeses involved. After 3 hours, the cheese had not yet taken on the brownish color of the first attempt. After four hours, the "off the grill flavor" was smoky, but not bitter. After 5.5 hours, there was some color after turning the blocks several times. The flavor is present. Into the vac bags this stuff goes...

I see lots of these pieces as Christmas gifts, after sampling for quality of course.

 

[Bearcarver]

Nice Set-up & Nice Job!!
Bet that's gonna be Awesome!!
Like.

Bear