Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Terry N on June 16, 2012, 04:43:56 pm
-
Best advice on how to keep smoker lit...what is dependable source of fuel?
-
Finish your inspection and set the smoker on the back of your truck. It will stay lit for hours. :evil: :-D
I like hemp baling twine best. NOT the plastic kind.
-
X2 on the baling twine.
-
Packing whatever you are trying to smoke is first, then the material. Over on equipment useage is a thread on this, first page now.
Joe
-
I put a wad of newspapers start that on fire and pack whatever dry material is next to me i.e grass, straw, pine needles, etc. I put whatever in by half a handful and pack it down with hive tool, giving smoker a couple of puffs here and there, I keep doing that until its packed full and tight...So far I have never had the smoker go out or never had not enough smoke. I also have the big smoker.
-
burlap
-
Lighting a smoker with pine straw fuel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDf1Jdj1K-U#ws)
-
start with wood shavings and put in a couple cups of sawdust.
-
i have a small farm and plentyof pine trees. So i just went an got a old burlap sack and fill with pine straw. Works good and cheap and with the bag always have some dry to use just pack it tight.
-
THANKS GUYS FOR ALL ADVICE.......MAY YOUR SUPERS RUNNETH OVER.
-
I use leave and needles straight out of the woods. Get it hot to start with and pile on the fuel.
-
The only thing I found to make a smoker DEPENDABLE is a propane fired torch and some charcoal briscuts.
Mine never really starts smoking well until I'm all done with the bees..... then is smokes for hours :(
-
I use dry pine needles. Keep them in a bag out of the rain. Fill smoker half full, light the needles with a propane torch and then fill smoker the rest of way with needles.
-
Smoke bombs with burlap stuffed around them (I find free burlap bags at my local coffee shop...where they roast their own coffee). I light it all with a propane torch I bought at Home Depot.
There's a picture of a smoke bomb: http://cincinnatibees.com/2011/10/12/cardboard-smoker-bombs/ (http://cincinnatibees.com/2011/10/12/cardboard-smoker-bombs/)
-Liz
-
Can't recommend watching "hardwood's" video enough. I used dry leaves and packed them in TIGHT like he did with the pine needles. After an hour, I had to leave the smoker sitting out to burn itself out. Dunno how long it took. Had to go to bed!
-
Javin, I made a tin foil cover of the lid. When you get through with the smoker put the tin foil on press into place. In a little it will go out and you have some fuel left to start with next time. Happy smokin.
Joe
-
I've found that a small nuclear device works great with getting a smoker lit, if you don't have one of them laying around the shop try pine needles or cotton cloth like old jeans and a propane torch. I have a wooden plug which I stuff in the tip of my smoker when done with it for the day. It is attached to the smoker by a little piece of stainless chain which came from the flapper of a crapper so it won't get lost.
-
I like the crapper flapper chain idea. I'm going to have to try that. I struggled keeping my smoker lit til my inspections were complete until I watched Hardwoods video. It works like a charm every time now(I do use a torch to get started of course.)
-
Get a RAGING INFERNO going with anything - newspaper, pine cones, etc. Then pack your fuel - sawdust, pine needles, burlap, baling twine, sumac seed heads, or whatever - on top of that. When you think you have enough, put some more in. Then finally top it off with a handful of green grass. Mine stays lit for hours. I keep it in a galvanized bucket with more grass stuffed in the spout if I'm driving between bee yards.
-
I start with pine needles. When those get going I plop in rolled cardboard tied off with twine. Sometimes I put burlap or cotton boles in the middle of the cardboard, if I have some. Of course I use the propane torch for a rip roaring heat source.
But I am with BlueBee. My always seems to really start producing continuous smoke about the time I finish my inspections.
-
Just like your wood stove, start small and build up. It's all been discussed here, but I'm finding that my students are just in too big a hurry. To keep it lit for any length of time, you have to let the fire build. You can't just stick in one substance, light it, then expect it to stay lit.