Gutting the MES when doing the mailbox mod?

[cmayna]

Do most of you who do the mailbox mod remove the chip tray, box and chip loader tube all together?   Any purpose in keeping it installed?  We all know that DaveOmak gutted his MES and it looks very roomy.  I'm finishing up a major mod on my MES40 and need to decide if I should put most of the tray related items back into position.

If you are removing everything,  any fancy heat deflector / element protector residing above the element? Maybe just a water or drip pan big enough to umbrella most of the element?

 

[dr k]

Do most of you who do the mailbox mod remove the chip tray, box and chip loader tube all together?   Any purpose in keeping it installed?  We all know that DaveOmak gutted his MES and it looks very roomy.  I'm finishing up a major mod on my MES40 and need to decide if I should put most of the tray related items back into position.

If you are removing everything,  any fancy heat deflector residing above the element? Maybe just a water or drip pan big enough to umbrella most of the element?

Good question. I am wondering the same thing. I've got even heating across the second from the top rack with a little deflection and raising the water pan up to the second from the bottom level on my Gen 1 40. I didn't want t mess that up so I left the chip housing/tray/ loader tunnel in the smoker. I still add a couple briquettes to the chip tray at the beginning of the smoke for a smoke ring.
-Kurt

 

[cmayna]

Kurt,

At least you have a pretty valid excuse in keeping your tray intact since you are using briquettes.  Since I am reserving this smoker for fish, I don't plan on using any briquettes.

 

[tropics]

Craig I left every thing inside mine the 3" ell fits perfectly 

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• tropics
• Feb 23, 2016

Plenty of TBS

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• tropics
• Feb 23, 2016

Richie