Mailbox/ammo box mod question

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Canadagrown

Fire Starter
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Feb 5, 2019
64
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I see lots of posts on builds where guys vent smoke from the mailbox into the fridge with piping of some kind. My question is, why not mount the mailbox to the fridge and drill holes allowing the smoke to travel directly from the mailbox into the smoker. To be more specific, drilling holes from the mailbox into the smoker where it is attached? This seems more simple but I’m guessing there is a reason for the more complicated piping system
 
I see lots of posts on builds where guys vent smoke from the mailbox into the fridge with piping of some kind. My question is, why not mount the mailbox to the fridge and drill holes allowing the smoke to travel directly from the mailbox into the smoker. To be more specific, drilling holes from the mailbox into the smoker where it is attached? This seems more simple but I’m guessing there is a reason for the more complicated piping system

Hi there and welcome!

I think there is nothing wrong with your approach. I feel like most people fall into 2 categories with the piping:

1. They want a longer travel for the smoke to reduce the amount of heat and creosote that makes it into the smoker
2. Its easier to set on the ground and they don't want to drill into their smoker.


I fall into a #3 other category. Mine is super compact, efficient, and one piece i can move with ease which really helps when a flame up happens. I can just put on an oven mitt and remove my whole mailbox mod unit in one shot and let if flame out on the porch away from the smoker.
Plus i love how modular and easy it is to remove and add mine since i built it that way :)

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i used 2.5 feet of ducting so that the temp would drop enough to easily do cheese.
 
How do some of you attach the ducting or pipes to the smoker? And what do you use fit the pipe/ducts? I’m looking for something that looks good and is functional.
 
The exhaust pipe I used was a real tight friction fit. I did use some red high temp silicone gasket maker to seal it also.
 
Not sure if dust was available at the time the mailbox box was created but I ran several cold smoking tests with the AMNPS tray running dust inside the MES I found it added no heat. The tray running pellets added about 25F. So there is no real need for the mod. That being said, I wanted a way to manage the tray without cracking the smoker so I decided to mod but I mounted my mailbox directly to me MES. I used the 3 screws that held the loader assembly (no drilling into MES) and works great. I made a cardboard template to line things up before drilling the holes in the MB. Funny now that I just typed this I should probably test and see what the temp difference is...
 
Not sure if dust was available at the time the mailbox box was created but I ran several cold smoking tests with the AMNPS tray running dust inside the MES I found it added no heat. The tray running pellets added about 25F. So there is no real need for the mod. That being said, I wanted a way to manage the tray without cracking the smoker so I decided to mod but I mounted my mailbox directly to me MES. I used the 3 screws that held the loader assembly (no drilling into MES) and works great. I made a cardboard template to line things up before drilling the holes in the MB. Funny now that I just typed this I should probably test and see what the temp difference is...

do you have any pictures of your setup? Sounds cool.
 
Could be wrong but I dont think there would be enough draft from a couple of holes to keep amnps lit,
I’m not sure. I’ve never seen a mailbox mod in action. I just got the idea from on here but it sounds like many have done it successfully. I haven’t got to that point in planning yet but I have a lot of questions about that. Also about ensuring there is enough airflow through the whole cabinet, etc
 
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No pics here but can snap one for you later. Not that impressive really.

Took some trial and error on my part to get it dialed in. My mailbox had 12 small drainage holes that I opened up to 5/8" and then added a large 1" hole in the center before it worked they I wanted. From memory I think it was suggested to drill 2-3 1" holes. Hole in smoker is 3".
 
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Mine runs fine and it only has the 7 small mounting holes it came with. It probably depends a lot on the elevation you live at though. My original intention was to drill extra holes but it has never went out and Han nice looking smoke
 
Mine runs fine and it only has the 7 small mounting holes it came with. It probably depends a lot on the elevation you live at though. My original intention was to drill extra holes but it has never went out and Han nice looking smoke
Can you explain what you mean by mounting holes? Or if you have any pics?
 
Can you explain what you mean by mounting holes? Or if you have any pics?
The mailbox has some small holes in the btm of it for hooking it to pole maybe I’m not sure what they are for but it came like that
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How do some of you attach the ducting or pipes to the smoker? And what do you use fit the pipe/ducts? I’m looking for something that looks good and is functional.

Here is my compact and all 1 piece mailbox mod using only a 3inch elbow joint and a wall hanging mailbox as the main parts:

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The elbow joint tapers so no need to "fasten" it to the MES it just plugs in and stops when the taper of the end gets big enough.

The hole on my mailbox is but like a pizza is cut where I bend the "triangle slices" upwards then I use a "pipe" clamp type work tape thingy that fastens those cut pieces metal tightly against the end of the elbow joint that goes into the mailbox. Then I just use high temp foil fluetape to seal it so its air/smoke tight.

I hope this info helps :)
 
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