Author Topic: Smoker - how to light and keep it going (Read 34733 times)

Jen · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2014, 06:41:41 pm »

I've used burlap, it's okay but not great. I've used pine needles which has been my best source for staying lit. I think I'll follow the instructions of those who use the cardboard and then follow with pine needles. I'll that this summer.

Thanks!

Crofter · « **Reply #21 on:** January 10, 2014, 07:22:38 pm »

Dried horse dung for smoker fuel.

Apisbees, you wouldn't be pulling our leg now would you? "Don't eat that 'arry, thath horth thit!"

I have a good supply but never thought of trying it; will give it a go next summer. Have found some cardboards are near useless; seems to have a high content of clay filler.

Slowmodem · « **Reply #22 on:** January 10, 2014, 08:33:22 pm »

Quote from: Crofter on January 10, 2014, 07:22:38 pm

Dried horse dung for smoker fuel.

Apisbees, you wouldn't be pulling our leg now would you? "Don't eat that 'arry, thath horth thit!"

I have a good supply but never thought of trying it; will give it a go next summer. Have found some cardboards are near useless; seems to have a high content of clay filler.

I have read of the people in eastern Asia in the Gobi desert using manure for heat. I never thought I'd care for it, though.

riverbee · « **Reply #23 on:** January 10, 2014, 09:35:17 pm »

the more i read this the more i laugh.......100 and then some ways to light a smoker and keep it lit.....

Jen · « **Reply #24 on:** January 11, 2014, 12:04:08 am »

Hey! we have burned old dried cow patties in dear camp. Works just fine!

Before putting dung into smoker make sure it's at least one winter old... ya that!

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #25 on:** January 11, 2014, 07:24:25 am »

Quote from: apisbees on January 10, 2014, 01:25:57 pm

Smoker Fuel

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.

Plains Native Americans and settlers used buffalo chips for fuel. Nature's little smoker pellets.

Crofter · « **Reply #26 on:** January 11, 2014, 09:04:19 am »

I have two sizes available; about 7/8" diameter and about 1 1/2". Pictures on request!

blueblood · « **Reply #27 on:** January 11, 2014, 10:14:24 am »

I keep burlap pieces in my pocket but simply stuff my smoker with anything that on the ground in my yard.

tecumseh · « **Reply #28 on:** January 11, 2014, 05:03:54 pm »

I now render out a good bit of wax each year from dead hives and this mess I stuff into burlap bags and boil in a #3 washtub and press out the wax. when done I then allow both the bag and what is left in the bag to dry and I sometimes burn both in my smoker < both of these since they still have a small quantity of bee wax in them produce a very pleasant oder. horse dropping and cow dung when properly dry are both good things to burn, but not really recommended however anytime you are taking off honey < these really don't smell so great but they both smolder well. I prefer a cool smoke to a hot smoke since I think the latter can have the tendency to wind 'the girls' up just a little bit.

efmesch · « **Reply #29 on:** January 12, 2014, 01:55:29 am »

Along the same line as Tecumseh's use of "second hand" bee's wax, I often take the remnants left behind after melting down old frames in my solar wax melter. The filtered wax is collected for the various uses of wax. The left-behinds are saved to be put in my smoker to keep it going. I may be just imagining it, but it seems to me that the smoke it produces is less annoying to and has a more calming effect on the bees.

tecumseh · « **Reply #30 on:** January 14, 2014, 06:43:13 am »

I think you are quite right on that efmesch. I guess folks like myself do notice when a particular smoke calms or revs up 'the girls'. I have often thought that bee waxed based stuff when burned seem to soothe the savage beast. on the other hand we have some lint like product (kind of looks like ground up cloth or something) which is actually sold as smoker fuel which we have at the bee lab that must have something added to it and this stuff really seems to get 'the girls' all wound up.

Jen · « **Reply #31 on:** January 14, 2014, 12:15:24 pm »

Okay ef and tec- when your done with your smoker for the day and it goes out... then there must be a wax sediment of some sort on the floor of the smoker? And if so, should that be cleared out before the next lite?

iddee · « **Reply #32 on:** January 14, 2014, 01:14:31 pm »

Wax is flammable. Why would you throw it out?

Jen · « **Reply #33 on:** January 14, 2014, 02:21:36 pm »

Well.. Iddee! Because pesonally, I haven't burned beeswax in a smoker before... ! So, I don't know what to expect at the bottom of the smoker. Does the wax burn out clean? Does it ALWAYS stay flamable no matter how much it has been lit or burnt? Will the bottom of the smoker turn into a slug of burnt wax and burlap that you have to scrap out cussing thru it all!

Looking at you straight on with half a smile and one eyebrow up

iddee · « **Reply #34 on:** January 14, 2014, 02:39:33 pm »

It burns like a candle. Complete, without ashes or residue.

efmesch · « **Reply #35 on:** January 14, 2014, 04:01:52 pm »

I've never had a wax sediment form in my smoker----but I definitely do get an accumulation of "tar" that collects in the lid and around the barrel of the smoker. I ignore it on both until it gets about 2-3 mm thick. Then it is usually brittle enough to let me peel it off in chunks with the aid of my hive tool. The accumulations around the smoke vent are the most difficult to remove. For them I use the frame lifting edge of my flat hive tool.

tecumseh · « **Reply #36 on:** January 14, 2014, 06:39:04 pm »

well yea... what iddee said.

as a side bar you can go to the facebook link at beeweaver.com and go way down the page and back into late 2013 and the master beekeeper Danny Weaver has a video lighting a smoker.

Jen · « **Reply #37 on:** January 14, 2014, 11:47:42 pm »

Thanks guys!

tbonekel · « **Reply #38 on:** January 18, 2014, 11:05:52 am »

I have read about people using pine shavings and since I use those for chicken and pet bedding, I thought it would be a good fuel. When I first starting using it, for some reason, it would not stay smoking for a long period of time and I really didn't know why. I realized later that I really had to pack that stuff in there once I got it started. I thought it would put out the embers, but no. It's kind of amazing how much of that I can stick in a smoker. Anyway, once I started doing that, that sucker stays lit for a long time after I'm done in the hives.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #39 on:** January 20, 2014, 06:13:51 pm »

I bought a bag of wood stove pellets, and have to say they work really well at keeping the smoker lit, but I am not so sure about the effect on the bees. I puff smoke at them and they set up a pretty good buzz.. Before that I was using chipped wood people use for mulch. it burns up faster so I have to take extra with me, but didnt seem to bother the bees as much.
Pine trees around here are few and far between. We had plenty when we lived in Maine, not so many in Iowa. Gonna collect some road apples and let them dry out well and see how those work next!