New MES clone

[nanuk]

a couple things I noted right away

the OverTemp disc is on the LH side
the Temp probe is slightly to the RH side, almost in line with the element/vent line
there appears to be no option for a remote temp probe to control temps

I'm going to use it as manufactured for a bit till I get my ducks in a row

I will have to watch the temp gauges in the meat to know when to.... do stuff!

I have a multi probe temp gauge, and two spear style ones as well, so monitoring the meat temps should be OK, and I plan to follow published instructions until I have a better grasp of this unit.

I has been 35 years since I learned how to smoke meat in a commercial training school.
And in the field, I never used one.
I have a friend who has a big one, and will be using him as a resource as well.

I'm getting hungry!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

 

[tallbm]

a couple things I noted right away

the OverTemp disc is on the LH side
the Temp probe is slightly to the RH side, almost in line with the element/vent line
there appears to be no option for a remote temp probe to control temps

I'm going to use it as manufactured for a bit till I get my ducks in a row

I will have to watch the temp gauges in the meat to know when to.... do stuff!

I have a multi probe temp gauge, and two spear style ones as well, so monitoring the meat temps should be OK, and I plan to follow published instructions until I have a better grasp of this unit.

I has been 35 years since I learned how to smoke meat in a commercial training school.
And in the field, I never used one.
I have a friend who has a big one, and will be using him as a resource as well.

I'm getting hungry!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

You've got temp probes to rely on, that is one of the initial major hurdles when dealing with an MES (or clone). The next you are aware of which is the A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) tray. That thing makes life easy.

After those changes you just play around with your factory setup and from there determine if you want to go the PID route for your smoking needs. That's basically it. You are ahead of the curve!!

 

[SonnyE]

I plan on doing some mods without altering the factory.... then when I get a handle on it, I may do more.

One thing I worry about is the vent being in the same corner as the chip burner.

Does the mailbox mod and stack cause enough draw to disrupt the smoke flow inside to cover every inch?
If not, could an extension tube be made for inside to get the smoke to center or just past?



I "THINK" it is a MasterBuilt factory, then rebranded to a specific brand name... sorta "No Name"

Well, I don't seem to have any evidence of any patterning inside my box. It has grown a very consistent coating inside.
So to me, that's a good sign that it is getting a full head of smoke everywhere inside. (Even in the corners, which don't usually get smoke patterning.)
In thinking on it, if one was to use more of the 200° - 275°, then it would be reasonable to get a different patterning. Maybe a sort of flow evident. Wouldn't you think?
Like Adam said, use it and grow slowly. I had specific wants, and box stock, 200° was too hot for my Salmon smoking. That was more akin to cooking my fish.

With the mod controlling and feeding the smoke, anytime I have opened my smoker it has a full cloud of smoke inside it.
And the smoke drifts very lazily out the stack I put on mine. Even doing 3,2,1 Ribs at 225°, the smoke is a nice lazy exit.
The things I've smoked in mine all seem to come out with an even finish on all surfaces. Granted that I do not load my smoker up like the ad writers do in the pictures.
I never put the entire refrigerator in my smoker, never have, never will.
Also, I tend to only use one, or two racks at a time, in the middle area.
A picture is worth a thousand words....



Like this, most of the time. And this also shows the patterning inside my smoker, which is still relatively new compared to many. And I hadn't really thought about it before, but the heating element is fairly well centered in my copy of smoker.
I bet yours is exactly the same.



I think I'm getting a fairly consistent result anyway.
I like mine, I hope you like yours as well.
I'm betting you do.

And I'm betting they all come out of the same plant.

I wanted basic, but with a digital temperature control. And I decided on no probe.
My reckoning was to use an external, BBQ type thermometer anyway.
Have fun with yours!

 

[SonnyE]

a couple things I noted right away

the OverTemp disc is on the LH side
the Temp probe is slightly to the RH side, almost in line with the element/vent line
there appears to be no option for a remote temp probe to control temps

I'm going to use it as manufactured for a bit till I get my ducks in a row

I will have to watch the temp gauges in the meat to know when to.... do stuff!

I have a multi probe temp gauge, and two spear style ones as well, so monitoring the meat temps should be OK, and I plan to follow published instructions until I have a better grasp of this unit.

I has been 35 years since I learned how to smoke meat in a commercial training school.
And in the field, I never used one.
I have a friend who has a big one, and will be using him as a resource as well.

I'm getting hungry!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

That all sounds exactly the same as my copy, nanook.
I was just thinking... in mine, with the sheet metal removed like it is, I'm wondering about turning the water pan around to put the slope towards the wall away from the chip feeder side. :confused:
But either way, the pan has a basic oval shape, which probably disperses the heat towards the corners.

 

[nanuk]

You've got temp probes to rely on, that is one of the initial major hurdles when dealing with an MES (or clone). The next you are aware of which is the A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) tray. That thing makes life easy.

After those changes you just play around with your factory setup and from there determine if you want to go the PID route for your smoking needs. That's basically it. You are ahead of the curve!!

I have read that the preferred method is the APS put inside the MES and forgo the chip loader/tray altogether, using the loader to control combustion air.
The next step up from that is the MailBox mod I guess

 

[nanuk]

Even doing 3,2,1 Ribs at 225°, the smoke is a nice lazy exit.
The things I've smoked in mine all seem to come out with an even finish on all surfaces.
I like mine, I hope you like yours as well.
I'm betting you do.

And I'm betting they all come out of the same plant.

I wanted basic, but with a digital temperature control. And I decided on no probe.
My reckoning was to use an external, BBQ type thermometer anyway.
Have fun with yours!

I am thinking I am really going to like this
and Yeah, I think they all come out of the same Chicom plant!

Sonny, do you use your mailbox mod even when cooking ribs at 225 degrees?

 

[nanuk]

I was just thinking... in mine, with the sheet metal removed like it is, I'm wondering about turning the water pan around to put the slope towards the wall away from the chip feeder side. :confused:
But either way, the pan has a basic oval shape, which probably disperses the heat towards the corners.

I would guess if it fits in backwards, it would probably disperse the heat a bit better.
And with the vent in the right rear, having heat flow out to the left side and front/back would seem to make sense to me.

 

[Bearcarver]

I just got here, but I can see that is a Hybrid, with the Gen #1 exterior & the Gen #2.5 inside.
The only weakness it could have is the top vent and the heating element are both on the right side.
However it might not be that bad in an MES 30 size, because the box isn't as wide as the MES 40, meaning the heat will be coming from closer to the middle.

If you have that trouble, which I doubt, let me know & i'll show you the best way to balance that right to left heat out.

Meanwhile try it the way it is, and see if everything works ok.
I would recommend you get an AMNPS if you don't already have one.

Bear

 

[nanuk]

Hey Bear, and good morning.

I am unable to turn my element over as it is spot welded in, so I, not wanting to monkey with grinding, would be using the "Stuff" like you did to move heat around. As my 4 probe temp gauge is accurate to within 1* using boiling water as a test, I think I can map out the interior if I need to.

Also, DaveO had a mod where he made a plate to move the exhaust starting point to mid cabin, so to speak.

Lots of great help on here, so I think I should be able to get it where I need it over the summer!

and Hey! I get to eat the mistakes, Right?

Your BearLoaf is going to be my first 'spearment! I have sourced some Morton's TQ so have been reading your SbS tutorials A LOT!
Thanks for the contribution!

Brad.

 

[Bearcarver]

Hey Bear, and good morning.

I am unable to turn my element over as it is spot welded in, so I, not wanting to monkey with grinding, would be using the "Stuff" like you did to move heat around. As my 4 probe temp gauge is accurate to within 1* using boiling water as a test, I think I can map out the interior if I need to.

Also, DaveO had a mod where he made a plate to move the exhaust starting point to mid cabin, so to speak.

Lots of great help on here, so I think I should be able to get it where I need it over the summer!

and Hey! I get to eat the mistakes, Right?

Your BearLoaf is going to be my first 'spearment! I have sourced some Morton's TQ so have been reading your SbS tutorials A LOT!
Thanks for the contribution!

Brad.

No need to change your element.
Like I said, I doubt that you'll have much difference from right to left with a meds 30 size, but if you do, let me know.
I'll show you how to push heat from right to left before it goes up through the smoker. Doing that at the top with a tunnel is not as good.

Bear Loaf is Really Good Stuff.
Thanks forv trying it out!

Bear

 

[nanuk]

SonnyE, my unit did not come with any recipe/cookbook. just a basic user manual.

But with the resources on SMF, I don't think I need to get too excited. a Search will provide ample reading, is my guess

 

[nanuk]

BearCarver, I'll let you know when I get a reading on it, and will ask for help if I need guidance!

Thanks for the offer!

 

[nanuk]

OK, I'm gonna drop the hammer on an A-MAZE-N Product.

What unit(s) are recommended?

I'm only gonna do this once, as shipping is probably going to kill me.

 

[Bearcarver]

SonnyE, my unit did not come with any recipe/cookbook. just a basic user manual.

But with the resources on SMF, I don't think I need to get too excited. a Search will provide ample reading, is my guess

Here's a Recipe Book for you:
Just click on "Bear's Step by Steps".

Bear

 

[SonnyE]

Sonny, do you use your mailbox mod even when cooking ribs at 225 degrees?

Yes I do. It is an appendage to my smoker. LOL! :D
The meat doesn't care if the smoke enters hot or cool, the smoke is going to become the temperature inside the smoker.
So the electric element controls the internal temperature of the box, and my Mod is a separate entity feeding smoke to the process.
Having the smoke source separate like that allows me to check, adjust, fiddle, fret, and revamp the smoke source without opening or disturbing what is going on inside the smoker. And thus, not lose the heat inside it. ;)

So with that metamorphosis to my copy of the smoker, the sheet metal became somewhat excess baggage to me. So I removed it and have it stored away if I ever happen to want to put it back into the smoker.
All of the changes I've made are completely reversible.

No structures were harmed in the making of this Movie. Any animals were consumed to hide the evidence. :confused:o_O;)

 

[nanuk]

Oh... Trust me Bear... I have spent a few hours reading and collating data from you.

I put together a small spreadsheet to allow for differing weights of meat, with a few extra notes tagged.
You are a great resource!

 

[SonnyE]

OK, I'm gonna drop the hammer on an A-MAZE-N Product.

What unit(s) are recommended?

I'm only gonna do this once, as shipping is probably going to kill me.

(Psst... If you order through Home Depot, the shipping is free. Todd still makes the sale.) ;)

I got the AMNPS. That is the Pellet Smoker tray. It can burn up to 11 hours for me.
And that is long enough for anything I've smoked so far, even cold smoking overnight.

Bonus is it can burn sawdust if you ever want to swing that way. I lay in a half deep row of pellets, and cover that with my home made oak sawdust.
The pellets act as a fuse and keep my sawdust smolderin along.

 

[Bearcarver]

OK, I'm gonna drop the hammer on an A-MAZE-N Product.

What unit(s) are recommended?

I'm only gonna do this once, as shipping is probably going to kill me.

As long as you don't live at a high altitude;
You want an AMNPS ---Only comes in one size 5" X 8".
Get some Pellets & some Dust. Hickory, And whatever else you want to try.
If you want some Cherry, get Dust---Cherry pellets don't work so good.
I would get them right from Todd @ Amazing Smoker, and over $50 gives you free shipping.

Bear

 

[nanuk]

Yes I do.

Having the smoke source separate like that allows me to check, adjust, fiddle, fret, and revamp the smoke source without opening or disturbing what is going on inside the smoker. And thus, not lose the heat inside it. ;)

No structures were harmed in the making of this Movie. Any animals were consumed to hide the evidence. :confused:o_O;)

Eat the Evidence!

as I don't have a fiddle (which are fretless anyways) I'll have to use my old guitar... it has frets and I can rosen up a bow and fiddle it hard!
I saw a metal rocker do that to an electric guitar... sounded OK.

I like the idea of having an outboard smoke generator. As you say... you can leave the smoke/cook chamber closed to save the heat!

 

[nanuk]

No free shipping to Canada....

I'll check HD to see what they have. Often we cannot get the same products you folks south of the 49th can.