Smoker - how to light and keep it going

[Jen]

I have a nice smoker from dadant, got it off of ebay. I think it's a good one, but I have trouble keeping it lit?

[Walt B]

Well, here's what I do...and some of this information came from tec's beekeeping class a few years back. I mentioned that if there is an arsonist on the loose, the police won't come looking for me.  What was suggested is:

1. Start with shreds of paper, not a ball (I use stuff from a shredder)
2. Light the paper and add a small amount of fuel (I use wood shavings from a planer)
3. Use the bellows until the fuel is lit
4. Tap it down and add more
5. Keep bellows, adding, tapping until the smoker is as full as you want it, and is staying lit
    (You are essentially lighting the new fuel with the embers of the old)
6. While working, get in the habit of giving the smoker a couple of squeezes with the bellows to keep it going
7. When finished, cork it and hang it in a metal bucket (That's the "Smokey the Bear" in me  )

This method takes several minutes, but it ends up doing a fine job. There are probably many better methods, but this is how I do it.

Walt

[efmesch]

That's a great question Jaybird.  Lots of keeps find their smokers as frustrating as they are essential.  There are probably as many different methods used as there are beekeepers---everyone settling down eventually to a method that serves reliably and well.
The method I prefer goes as follows.
1. Take a strip of corrugated cardboard and roll it up so that it fits comfortably inside the cannister---with the corrugations lined up vertically (creating a lot of little chimneys inside).  Tie it with a string so it doesn't unravel.
2. Take some crumpled newspaper, light it at a corner and stuff it inside the smoker.
3.Puff up the flame ans slowly insert the rolled cardboard inside--but not all the way (or you'll put out the flame).
4. As the bottem of the cardboard catches on fire, push it it, puffing away all the time to make sure it catches well.  You can make it easier for the cardboard to catch on fire by tearing apart the bottom corner of the corrugations, thus giving a thinner piece of paper to catch fire.
5.  Once the cardboard is burning well, push it down alll the way and close the smoker.

This should give you a nice dependable smoke.  As the fuel burns down, it can be replenished with more carton but my personal preferrence is to use dried leaves or grass packed on top of the carton.  once they catch fire, they burn well and long.

[Slowmodem]

Pine needles work well as fuel.  I have used wood pellets (the kind that is used in stoves), but you must put a screen in the smoker outlet so the lit pellets don't roll out of the smoker and into the hive.  You can roll up some cardboard and stick that into the smoker then light it with a torch.  You can use any combination of the above, too.  Green grass can be put on top to help cool the smoke.  Green grass tends to smoke a lot, too.

Experiment with it and have fun.  Beware, though, it will get very very hot.  The times I have been burnt is when I was trying to get the top on after lighting.

Also, if you wear a bee suit, the smoker will melt the fabric.

Just a few random thoughts.  Hope it helps.

[G3farms]

I use pine needles now and love it.

1. Take a small wad of needles and stick it in the smoker.
2. I use a propane torch, lite the small wad of needles and puff the bellows a little until lit.
3. pack in another larger wad of needles and puff the bellows until the fire starts to grow.
4. PACK the smoker SOLID with needles all the while puffing the bellows.

Just a few puffs every now and then will keep it going. I use a big stick that is whittled down on the end to put in the snout to snuff out the fire.  wad of green grass works very good also and is always handy, no stick to keep up with.

The fire needs to be in the bottom of the smoker, so lighting the top of a packed smoker will not last very long.

[efmesch]

The fire needs to be in the bottom of the smoker, so lighting the top of a packed smoker will not last very long.

G3 made a very important comment there.  Try to light your smoker from the top and you are doomed to failure or to a very short lived smoke!!

[BoilerJim]

I, too, use a propane torch and use pine needles. Like Walt I also use wood shavings but I like what Ef says. Sounds like he has it down to a science. I may incorporate using a strip of corrugated cardboard vertically along with my pine needles and wood shavings. Using the propane torch has saved me many headaches. I started using one about a year ago after watching another keep use his.

[riverbee]

i posted this elsewhere, but will paste and copy here:

jen put some starter material in the smoker first. (don't fill it)  for example i use crumpled paper, loosely set it in, shove it down a little with a hive tool, and hit the paper with a propane torch. squeeze the bellows a couple times and add your burning material.  i use cedar chips.  i add a little at a time, and puff, until i get the smoke effect, then continue to add what i need, again puffing it as i do.  it stays lit. i use a 4 x 10 domed smoker.  every once in awhile i just puff it good to make sure it doesn't go out on me, or add a few more cedar chips to it.

[Moots]

I use pine needles now and love it.

1. Take a small wad of needles and stick it in the smoker.
2. I use a propane torch, lite the small wad of needles and puff the bellows a little until lit.
3. pack in another larger wad of needles and puff the bellows until the fire starts to grow.
4. PACK the smoker SOLID with needles all the while puffing the bellows.

Just a few puffs every now and then will keep it going. I use a big stick that is whittled down on the end to put in the snout to snuff out the fire.  wad of green grass works very good also and is always handy, no stick to keep up with.

The fire needs to be in the bottom of the smoker, so lighting the top of a packed smoker will not last very long.

I'm sure all the methods mentioned work fine...but I'll put a +1 on the above from G3farms.  It's as good of a description of exactly what I do as if I had written it. 

One other fuel that I have used that I also like is burlap.  However, you have to be careful when collecting burlap sacks that it hasn't been treated with something that could harm your bees.

Also, while using pine needles...If you really pack the smoker, it'll last a lot longer.

Good Luck! 

[riverbee]

hey, some of us beeks don't have pine needles...... or very few.

another material i use is dried sage brush, we don't have it here, but when i'm in montana, i collect it and bring it back, dry it out and use it in my smoker, and it smells real nice too!

[mamapoppybee]

I think she sould pour it afew more drinks

[Perry]

I'm with Moots and G3, it is exactly what I do. Pine needles and propane torch. 

[tecumseh]

I have a reputation amongst folks of being one of those people that can keep a smoker going all day long < if there is a trick here it is in reproducing the sound produced at a black smith's forge.  once you have the smoker lit work the bellows until you get a good constant 'woof' each and every time you pump the bellows.  then tamp down and add some more fuel then work the bellows again until you once again produce the same constant 'woof'.  once you have tuned you ear to the proper sound your problems in keeping the lighter lit will be no more.

[efmesch]

Meow! 

[Bakersdozen]

Someone in this thread mentioned burlap.  I pick an occasional burlap bag up at a local coffee shop that roasts their own coffee beans.  There aren't any chemicals on those bags.  I think I gave them $1.00 for a bag last time.

[Bakersdozen]

For a  beekeeping club activity, I think it would be fun and educational for new beekeepers to have a smoker challenge.  Contestants could be a mix of seasoned and beginner beekeepers.  This could be done at a beginning beekeepers class or at a casual outdoor club activity.  Contestants could line up with their smokers and combustibles of choice.  You could have winners in different categories like first puff of smoke, who produced the largest cloud of smoke and who's smoker stays lit the longest.  On lookers could observe the techniques used for fire starting and materials used.  I would call it a smoke-off or smoke-out...something catchy.  The winner could explain in detail or demonstrate their technique for long lasting smoke.
I have seen other "talks" about lighting a smoker.  All done indoors.  They didn't help me much.  Some of us aren't natural born boy scouts.

[iddee]

One session of our beginners class is an outside demo of lighting smokers by 5 or 6 different people showing different fuels and methods.

[Bakersdozen]

One session of our beginners class is an outside demo of lighting smokers by 5 or 6 different people showing different fuels and methods.

That's good.  Hearing how to do it during a lecture just isn't the same.

[efmesch]

How's about some of our more experienced video posters filming a demonstration of lighting smokers  that could go on-line?

[apisbees]

Smoker  Fuel
If it will burn by smoldering it can be used as smoker full I never carry any with me but scrounge what is available. Pine cones, pine needles, straw, Hay, dried grass, wood chips, bark mulch, rotten wood. The easiest to light is rolled up cardboard, a roll of cardboard can be used without a smoker if needed and you don't have a smoker with you. take a piece of cardboard 12 " square and roll it up, light one end them put out the flame and let it smolder blow though the cardboard and the smoke will be carried into the hive, I have used this on a few occasions.
One of the best and longest burning smoker fuels I have come across and used is dry horse manure find dry in the field or spread out the dollops and let dry. They smolder for a very long time once lit they stay lit if they are dry all the way thru. When dry they are light in weight produce a cool clean smoke and a small smoker will stay lit and burn all day without having to continuously add smoker fuel.