gummed up smoker

[brolib]

I've been beekeeping about 5 years and following this forum about the same time. I've not seen this topic, but it's frustrating me. My smoker gets creosote-gummed up so badly I can't easily remove the top. I end up hammering and banging the top to the point of changing its shape.  Am I the only one with this problem. I could clean the smoker after each use with acetone or some other solvent, but there must be an easier way. Enlighten me. My primary fuel is pine needles.

[rast]

Mine is the same and I use pine needles too.

[beesnweeds]

I use a bernzomatic torch and light the creosote on fire.  Once the fire goes out use a wire brush or plumbers fitting brush and it comes out easily.

[jimineycricket]

I use just plain water on a rag to clean it off.

[William Bagwell]

Wonder if creosote remover like used in wood stoves would work? Obviously not while around your bees!

[Bob Wilson]

Sawdstmakr (Jim) showed me how to use the torch to simply light the gum on fire. It burns to ash and brushes off.

[Acebird]

You can heat the smoker up with a torch around the lip to soften the creosote.  You can further burn it off once open or clean it off with a stick.

[BeeMaster2]

When you use a torch, you need to let it burn long enough to turn the creosote to ash. Bee careful not to over heat the metal with the tip of the torch. Keep it hot enough to let the creosote burn itself to an ash. The tip of the torch is much hotter than the burning creosote.
Jim Altmiller

[brolib]

The torch did the trick! Burnt to ash and scraped off easily. Thanks, all.

[Beeboy01]

Yeah, burn that stuff off with a torch and clean up with a wire brush while still hot. If the lid is stuck I pry it off with a hive tool using the bellows as a fulcrum point.

[guitarstitch]

Another vote for the torch method here.  It's part of my annual preparations for beekeeping season....  paint the boxes, wax the foundations, render my junk combs, and torch the smoker.

[TheHoneyPump]

Fill with dry wood sticks, get it hot to breathing fire, red/white coals in the bottom, then set it upright on a fireproof surface and leave it to self chimney for awhile. Or TORCH it. After it cools down, use a hive tool to wack and chip and scrape off what is left. If your goal is to have a nice shiny polished smoker at the end of it ... you might want to reconsider where best to otherwise be focusing your time.

[Oldbeavo]

If the lid fits and there is a hole for the smoke to come out, all's good.
A shiny smokers makes no difference to the bees.

[guitarstitch]

If the lid fits and there is a hole for the smoke to come out, all's good.
A shiny smokers makes no difference to the bees.

However, OP did state "My smoker gets creosote-gummed up so badly I can't easily remove the top."  That's a good indicator that some maintenance is required.