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Author Topic: pine needles as smoker fuel  (Read 3768 times)

Offline crispy

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pine needles as smoker fuel
« on: January 28, 2020, 09:10:34 pm »
Hi all just asking do any of you use pine needles as smoker fuel and (my vv key isnt vvorking ) vvhat do you think of them as i have a big stash near my home .

Offline Biggles

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2020, 09:19:23 pm »
My fuel of choice!
Keep them dry in a hessian bag, hung up on the shed wall.
Cool, dense smoke.  Do tend to burn a bit quick at times.

Mark.

Offline Beelab

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2020, 07:43:51 am »
I use pine as a starter, but use as many lavender leaves in the mix as possible.
Like start on pine, then a layer of lavender, then pine, and more lavender. Makes for an awesome cool smoke. Smells good too
I just use lavender prunings, so got heaps of them.

Offline Sydney guy

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2020, 10:25:34 am »
I have used pine needles which work really well but I find they burn out to quick. I use dry cow poo now, lasts ages.

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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2020, 01:29:44 pm »
Sydney. Interest choice. Dried cow dung. I might try that. So far I use pine needles, often times with a pine cone stuffed in with it. Nice cool smoke. The pine cone helps it last longer.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2020, 08:16:45 am »
I have tried pine needles, burlap, cardboard, cow patties, and old dungarees. The cow patties helped keep it lit until I learned how to pack pine needles real tight and make them last for up to five hours. Now I only use pine needles. It helps if you use a spray bottle to moisten them up a few hours before you need them.
I will look and see if I can find the procedure and post it.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2020, 08:20:12 am »
I have tried most of the fuels that other beeks recommend. Pine straw works the best for me. I take a small  full and light it and use my hive tool to push it into the smoker. I puff it to get it going real good and then I take a big hand full and roll it up and slowly pack it in the smoker while puffing. I give it a few minutes and then start slowly packing it down with the hive tool until it is tight. All the while I?m puffing it. Then I add more to make it packed full. At this point it should be puffing thick smoke. If it is used lightly, it will last 4 to 5 hours. After it sits without puffing, it quite often is smokeless. Just puff it a few times and it will bee real thick again. Good luck.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Seeb

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2020, 09:10:59 am »
Since burning pine needles is offensive to me, I pack my smoker tight with paper from my shredder and carry a little bag of extra paper in case needed. I've never had more than 10 hives so this worked well for me.

Beelab - I like your use of lavender trimmings

Offline crispy

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2020, 03:22:07 am »
Hi all vvell a good spread of ideas here the covv poo one is interesting as vvell as the old dungarees ,vve have pine needles every vvhere problem is i forget to take me bag vvith me to collect em . I remember a long time ago i asked a friend i vvorked vvith to get me some horse poo for my garden ,anyvvay she gives me tvvo bags of it and i put in my car and of vve go into vvork ,i came out at the end of shift and holy molly i had to stand outside the car for about an hour vvith all the doors open just so i could drive home 5555 so the covv poo ideas out the vvindovv man , might go needle hunting tommorovv .   

Offline Seeb

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2020, 08:19:22 am »
LOL Crispy!

Offline KD4MOJ

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2020, 04:00:57 pm »
I have used pine needles which work really well but I find they burn out to quick. I use dry cow poo now, lasts ages.
After I light the smoke with some paper and small, dried out twigs, I roll the pine needles into a big ball and stuff it in the smoker. Usually last more than an hour.

...DOUG
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2020, 09:23:18 pm »
The tighter you pack the pine needles the longer they last. Even as long as 4 to 5 hours.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Online Ben Framed

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2020, 09:51:29 pm »
The tighter you pack the pine needles the longer they last. Even as long as 4 to 5 hours.
Jim Altmiller

Jim good post, I agree with you 100%.  Let me go a little further and share with you what I learned last summer. I do not have pine trees handy. When I need pine needles I load up the rake and a few 5 gallon buckets and tops and drive to the closest pine area.  I was very happy and satisfied with the results that I was obtaining with the pine needle fuel. However, one day while in the middle of inspections,I ran out! I did not want to stop everything and pack up the pine gathering gear, interrupting my pleasant inspection session. So here is what I did, and found by accident a fuel that I love 2-1 better than my once treasured pine needles. We have a zoysia lawn. I simply retrieved some of the fine clippings from the last  mowing and begin stuffing and lighting.  I will never go back! Love it! Smells much better, a very cool smoke that is very thick and pleasant. Hope that helps.
Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline crispy

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #13 on: February 04, 2020, 04:58:00 pm »
Well while out and about the other day i took a couple of plastic bags with me found a nice nest of pine needles and bagged up , really easy to come across where i live so ill be back out next week scavenging again .

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2020, 08:58:29 am »
Ben,
Dried grass is one fuel I have never tried. I will have to steal some from my cows and try it.
How long did it last?
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Online Ben Framed

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Re: pine needles as smoker fuel
« Reply #15 on: February 09, 2020, 09:03:49 pm »
Actually I do not know as smoker does not run out. Let me explain. This is what I learned. Gather your grass clippings from your bagger. We have a Kobota which actually mulches the grass to very fine  pieces.  Which adds to the quaintly of smoker fuel n my opinion. Lay out the amount that you would like to keep for storage. Let cure same as you would hay. ( when the exposed outer portion is dry enough,  flip it over and let the underside that was protected from the suns heat and is still wet, cure also.  Do not let it over cure. (over-dry). Just dry enough that it will not mold when placed in a sealed bucket. I light it just as I would pine straw and stuff  and puff again stuff and puff until completely packed pretty tight. Once every hour of so, I simply top it off. Jim it smells so much better, not nearly as harsh. Makes a very thick white COOL  smoke. I usually do enough to STUFF 3 five gallon buckets  with sealed tops always keeping it fresh and ready to go.  I keep one bucket for my home yard, one bucket at my parents garden spot yard a few miles away, and the third is for reserve when one of the others starts getting low. When I go to the reserve bucket I know it is time to start (hay season) again lol. These buckets are stuffed absolutely as tight as I can stuff them and yet get the sealed top on yet they are lite and easy to handle. I venture to say when done in this way you will be happy.  Let me know how you like it if you try this.
Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

 

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