cooper smoker

[Stephenw]

Hi guys,

Just wondering does anyone know the type, age and todays worth of this copper smoker?

Thanks

Steve

 

[The Cumbrian]

No idea of type or worth but I do own one which I got about 20+ years ago from an 80+ year old when he died, so it probably has a little bit of age about it.

 

[Stephenw]

Thanks very much cumbrian, just wondering cause got this in a charity shop.

Steve

 

[VEG]

£4.75 per Kg scrap but worth more as it is.

 

[Stephenw]

Thanks for that VEG

Steve

 

[VEG]

Couldn't help it as I have been weighing in a lot of stuff lately

 

[Stephenw]

Don't worry, copper looks great just after you tidy it up just like the smoker above.

Steve

 

[MartinL]

Couldn't help it as I have been weighing in a lot of stuff lately

mmmmm any idea what happened to our church roof then???

 

[VEG]

nope lol just moved the in laws and we stripped out the old heating system.

 

[DanBee]

Erm, you might not want to hear this since the tone of your question suggests you may have found something valuable, but it's nothing special, better for its decorative abilities after a good polish than for beekeeping i'm afraid. Not that it won't work as a smoker, just that it's not a good 'un, since far better ones are available.

Copper conducts the heat away from the fuel, and as a side effect is much better than steel at melting surfaces you put it onto. Without a wire guard, it's a liability in the apiary - too easy to grasp the hot bit by mistake - and without a hook it's not so easy to keep within reach. The conical top is also prone to distortion when you drop it. On the positive side, it looks as if the firebox is of a reasonable size... some of the old smokers' fireboxes are smaller than a tin of baked beans.

This is more what I would recommend as a practical smoker:

 

[Stephenw]

Thanks for that dan, but am not bothered about its speciality or practical use cause I dont intend to use it. Was just curious because I had it .

Steve

 

[MJBee]

I have had one of those since 1980. It works well and I have had no problems with heat transfer, it has the original bellows but has lost the knob from the lid which makes it difficult to open ( hive tool solves that problem) I have recently upgraded to a model similar to that displayed by Dan because with 10+ colonies I was running out of fuel half way through. But still use it if only looking at one or two

PS mine doesn't look so clean and pretty

 

[Stephenw]

Thanks MJBE,

Are these smokers worth anything nowadays?

Steve

 

[The Cumbrian]

I must be a collector of antique smokers as I have one of those as well.