Collecting smoker fuel

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If your tree surgeon used bio chain oil it shouldn't really be an issue as it should be biodegradable in soil and water,

but that's like saying a squirt of chip oil in the smoker is fine?

 

[Erichalfbee]

If your tree surgeon used bio chain oil it shouldn't really be an issue as it should be biodegradable in soil and water, non-toxic for human or the environment. Look for EU Ecolabel certification on the oil container - makes it simple to know that the product is both environmentally friendly and good quality.

It wound be Stan and I know he would use the cheapest he could find

 

[Murox]

but that's like saying a squirt of chip oil in the smoker is fine?

That depends on the size of the squirt - - i take your point though the quantities of oil on a smoker full of chippings should be minute.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Pine needles. Drop before the other leaves from big Scots pine by the road across the village.

Or punky ie. rotten wood.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Pine needles. Drop before the other leaves from big Scots pine by the road across the village.

Or punky ie. rotten wood.

How much pine oil in pine needles?

 

[Finman]

If your tree surgeon used bio chain oil it shouldn't really be an issue as it should be biodegradable in soil and water, non-toxic for human or the environment. .

In Finland we started to use bio oil in chain saw, but it was noticed that it makes cancer danger in fumes.

 

[Finman]

How much pine oil in pine needles?

Too much. The more smoke, the more tar.
Tar glues the smoker's cap.

 

[drdrday]

I like using pine needles as the main fuel. I clean the smoker once a year, to clean off the tar, but it's never really a problem as far as I'm concerned.
Paper animal feed and potato sacks make a good starter fuel.

 

[user 20297]

How much do you think?

My chainsaw oil feed is designed to have just about the right amount of chain-oil to need topping-up at the same time as the fuel runs out. A litre of oil doesn't last long when you demolish a big tree.

 

[user 20297]

It wound be Stan and I know he would use the cheapest he could find

.....which is probably chip oil....it's not perfect for the job as it has no anti-sling properties....but it works.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Too much. The more smoke, the more tar.
Tar glues the smoker's cap.

My point. Is there likely to be more chainsaw oil in a pile of chipping than in a pile of pine needles?

 

[user 20297]

My point. Is there likely to be more chainsaw oil in a pile of chipping than in a pile of pine needles?

The amount of oil in shavings will be negligible and many of the volatile parts will be gone through evaporation by the time they're used in a smoker.....chainsawing creates a lot of heat which is partly what the oil is for in any case.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

How much pine oil in pine needles?

? Yes, strong smell, tar in smoker but it stays lit.

 

[North End Bees]

Too much. The more smoke, the more tar.
Tar glues the smoker's cap.

I found the lid often stuck when I used to use pine needles/cones.
Now use hay which is much cleaner. If you pack it tight after you've got it well started, it will smoulder for hours.

 

[Finman]

I found the lid often stuck when I used to use pine needles/cones.
Now use hay which is much cleaner. If you pack it tight after you've got it well started, it will smoulder for hours.

You may open the cap and add fuel.
No need to burn the smoker for hours.

 

[Wingy]

I’ve just started cutting all my cardboard packaging into strips & roll it up tightly with a bit of masking tape to hold it. Roll it so it just drops into the smoker

 

[Curly green finger's]

I’ve just started cutting all my cardboard packaging into strips & roll it up tightly with a bit of masking tape to hold it. Roll it so it just drops into the smoker

The masking tape?? In your smoker.

 

[Curly green finger's]

By what I'm reading in this thread we are all either foraging for smoker fuel or recycling eg Egg cartons... Using what is around us rather than buying from the beekeeping suppliers.
I wonder what the wider consensus would be?
Do you buy smoker fuel, are you recycling wood to make alsorts of hive equipment, the more we can do such things the better.
Same goes for growing our own food at home as much as we can.
This is at the for front of my mind more so than ever, David is a right pain in the *** isn't he.

 

[Erichalfbee]

By what I'm reading in this thread we are all either foraging for smoker fuel or recycling eg Egg cartons... Using what is around us rather than buying from the beekeeping suppliers.
I wonder what the wider consensus would be?
Do you buy smoker fuel, are you recycling wood to make alsorts of hive equipment, the more we can do such things the better.
Same goes for growing our own food at home as much as we can.
This is at the for front of my mind more so than ever, David is a right pain in the *** isn't he.

Smoker fuel is a no brainier but we need to support our beekeeping kit suppliers, surely? There are plenty of small local firms that need us to buy from them. You had a good start from Hedgerow Honey who you said did you a really good deal to get you started. Do you still buy from them? I hope so. Ceri has given you a flying start with his queens. When it’s time for more new blood I hope he is your first port of call.
Anyway, I can’t grow polystyrene

 

[Curly green finger's]

Smoker fuel is a no brainier but we need to support our beekeeping kit suppliers, surely? There are plenty of small local firms that need us to buy from them. You had a good start from Hedgerow Honey who you said did you a really good deal to get you started. Do you still buy from them? I hope so. Ceri has given you a flying start with his queens. When it’s time for more new blood I hope he is your first port of call.
Anyway, I can’t grow polystyrene

Yes
And yes