Buying a new Smoker

[gingerbees]

It's time to replace the very old smoker that came with our original kit - it keeps going out!
Anyone offer any advice on 'good buys' or 'best avoided'.

I can see prices range from £20 - £60
The budget end of the market is more attractive but I don't want to waste my money on something unreliable.

 

[Meg]

Get one with a decent diameter fire chamber and you won't have problems with it going out (unless they are of your own making ).

Look at the ones issued to the Ispectors - they are good and last well with a lot of heavy use.

Meg

 

[newportbuzz]

get one with a hook on the front. it is so handy for hooking on your kit box of with feisty colonys hook it on the brood box so the smoke wafts over the bees which i find keeps them under control. handy for fences aswell.

 

[Luminos]

I have a big one and a small one (no innuendos, please....) and find that the small one does not stay alight, and does not hold enough "fuel" for a slow newbee like me.
i.e, it's gorn out by the time I need to replace the QE
Size does matter it seems

 

[oliver90owner]

Size does matter it seems

But only until you are better practised!

RAB

 

[Luminos]

Size does matter it seems

But only until you are better practised!

RAB

Indeed, I am a little bit quicker then when I began, in May

 

[enrico]

There is probably a really simple answer. Don't buy another one just clean out all the holes on the old one. They will be all blocked up with tar and crap. No air no smoke!!! Check the top and bottom holes and any in the lid. I bet you they are covered up. There is no other reason for a smoker to go out. Any smoker will go out if they are not looked after!!!
E

 

[sugarbush]

I would like to get my hands on the fumigador, so far no luck locating a dealer willing to ship to the USA.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

As a newbie been looking about and im thinking of getting a rauchboy smoker as they seem to divert the air a bit differently to the standards one (least that's what the marketting says!). Seems to be around £47 for a later one delivery though, but you can get replacement parts should anything go wrong.

 

[psafloyd]

There is probably a really simple answer. Don't buy another one just clean out all the holes on the old one. They will be all blocked up with tar and crap. No air no smoke!!! Check the top and bottom holes and any in the lid. I bet you they are covered up. There is no other reason for a smoker to go out. Any smoker will go out if they are not looked after!!!
E

 

[enrico]

careful, there are some awful reports about that smoker. Put this into google and see what you get! 'not too impressed with Rauchboy smoker'
E

 

[Luminos]

Yes, need to frequently scrape the tar off or the lid won't even close!

 

[Alabamaeee]

You can add your own Rauchboy "inner" to any smoker.

Get an empty tin like a bean tin or processed peas tin, that is a little smaller diameter than the smoker.

Modify it like the pictures here....(Smoker Insert) ...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#smokerinsert

Click on the pics to enlarge.

The idea is that there a always a space around the fuel for air circulation.

Doesn't cost much to try and very eco as you get to recycle your tin

 

[sugarbush]

Swienty sells the insert for 5.25. Then you don't have to spend 300.00 getting your hand stitched back up after attempting to make Micheal Bush's soup can insert.

 

[Alabamaeee]

Hmmm...

Maybe I should have added to my post...

"Don't try this at home unless you are a professional sheet metal worker"

If you do decide to risk it...

Wear your best leather gloves, the ones that are rock solid with propolis, the ones that you first bought as a new beek, then realised they are too cumbersome. At least they will get some use now as you beat the h*ll out of the bean tin

And get one of the automatic can openers for home

 

[The Apprentices]

It's time to replace the very old smoker that came with our original kit - it keeps going out!
Anyone offer any advice on 'good buys' or 'best avoided'.

I can see prices range from £20 - £60
The budget end of the market is more attractive but I don't want to waste my money on something unreliable.

You really get what you pay for, cheap normally means exactly that in the quality stakes.
I made my own from left over projects and even these go out sometimes, Mine has a top which can be turned 360 for various situations and has the hook fitted to the bellows so it rests against the hive or box securely.

The very best smoker in my opinion is the Vulcan clockwork version which I used the other day belonging to a freind, it gives a very steady stream of smoke which can be adjusted down to the very lightest flow and never goes out and has no bellows so is very compact, it also has a decent sized handle.

 

[tonybloke]

my smoker has a 'stand' inside it, to keep the fuel off of the bottom of container, and allow air to circulate

 

[madasafish]

I bought a £25 one a year ago rather like this one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Smoker-Be..._Pet_Supplies_Bee_Keeping&hash=item5ae1db6e26

It's very easy to use and I find lighting with a Wickes blow torch easy.#
Once lit, I pack the wood in vertical strips so one refill lasts around 45minutes..
Top it off with dry bark or rotten wood ..

Detar with a blowtorch at year end..

# no messing with paper.

(and yes it has an internal stand)

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Would people recommend the dadant one then - it's out of stock everywhere so dont know if that's a good sign or bad!

 

[fatshark]

Dadant ... the bizzo. I replaced an old small smoker last year and have been delighted with the Dadant. Easy to light, large volume, stays alight. Cannot be faulted in my mind. I also looked at a Rauchboy at Stoneleigh and thought the Dadant was better quality.

Not much call for a smoker until next season now ... why not wait until some of the vendors have a Christmas sale? I got mine for the VAT-free price from MB ;-)