Mailbox mod?

[hooked on smoke]

Greetings,
I apologize in advance as I know this has been coveredited. I am looking into the mailbox mod for my MES gen2 and I can't for the life of me find a "non" galvanized rural box. I even called on of the manufacturers and the no longer produce non galvanized or aluminum boxes. Stainless is too expensive. I looked at Home Depot and Ace Hardware, no luck. Does anyone know where the heck I can find one??
Would it be safe to sandblast a galvanized box and repaint it with high temp bbq paint?? Please help.

 

[daveomak]

Use the galvanized MB....   I should never get hot enough to cause a problem...  galvanized pipe is used on furnaces, hot water tanks without problem....

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Crazy, I bought mine from Home Depot when I built mine 100 % steel.

The metal is so thin it would be hard to sand blast it off without going through the metal.

Let's think outside the box!

How about a metal tool box? With some mods a small metal tool box would work. Metal lunch box hmmmwhat else...

 

[chipmanbbq]

I had the same problem you are having. I ended up finding an aluminum mailbox at my local hardware store. That being said, I don't think the galvanized stuff becomes toxic until temp hits above 400 degrees. I'm pretty sure my AMNPS doesn't generate that type of heat so I'm sure you'd be OK using almost any mailbox.

Take what I said with a grain of salt as I'm not 100% sure. Someone smarter than me should be along shortly to set the record straight.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Ammo can! That's another!

 

[uzikaduzi]

Zinc doesn't boil till over 1600*f which is where it would be off gassing... even if you wanted to be more conservative it doesn't melt till almost 800*f. I would not recommend building a grill completely out of it or something like that, but as long as it's not in close proximity to high heat, it's nothing to be concerned about... i don't think your AMPNS would get anywhere close to hot enough for it to be an issue.

 

[hooked on smoke]

Crazy, I bought mine from Home Depot when I built mine 100 % steel.

The metal is so thin it would be hard to sand blast it off without going through the metal.

Let's think outside the box!

How about a metal tool box? With some mods a small metal tool box would work. Metal lunch box hmmmwhat else...

 

[hooked on smoke]

 

[hooked on smoke]

Sorry everyone I'm still new. Trying to get this posting and replying figured out.
Thanks for the ideas, being a machinist I was contemplating just fabricating something on my own but if there's something out there already done what the hay, kiss.

 

[johnmeyer]

The "mailbox" mod doesn't have to be made with a mailbox. Any metal container will do.

I too would prefer to avoid the zinc plating (i.e., galvanized). One idea, if you don't have much wind, is to take two disposable aluminum pans and clamp them together with those really big paper fasteners, one on each of the four sides. It will be too light, and I wouldn't want to use it in any wind, but it will work.

Also, if you expand your thinking beyond "mailbox," you'll find lots of other cheap metal boxes that could be used, like this one (available at Amazon and Home Depot):

Metal Box

I think that this one is probably galvanized, so it is probably not the right one, but Amazon has some aluminum metal tool boxes that might work.

 

[SmokyMose]

I got mine at HD, but maybe your store just doesn't have them. I saw one at Meijer last weekend for $16.99.
The cheap steel ones are painted, but I haven't had a problem. I've never used a tray, but the tubes really don't make enough heat to burn the paint, or the galvanize either. A toolbox would work; you'd just have to figure out how to light the end...

 

[hooked on smoke]

Everyone's input is greatly appreciated. I've had a lot of the same ideas even the the Herman Munster lunchbox. Just kind of like the idea of loading from the front. Thanks again. I'll share the final outcome when I finish.