Dadant or Thorne Empire

[Gubby_uk]

Hi all,
I'm in need of a new smoker as my Amazon special is not the best I've narrowed it down to a choice of the Dadant or the Thorne Empire. Any thoughts on which one and which size please? 7 or 10 inch? In the Thorne, galvy, stainless or copper? All thoughts greatly appreciated.
Thank you

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

10" Dadant without a doubt
as for the others
Galv is not going to last five minutes
Copper is just an affectation to keep the dinosaurs/gullible happy

 

[Ian123]

Just get the big dadant if you have more than a couple of hives and forget the rest.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. Dadant here too

 

[deemann1]

Dadant

 

[drex]

Copper is just an affectation to keep the dinosaurs/gullible happy

I was recently given a very old, small, copper smoker. It is fast becoming my favourite. Due to its size it is light, and I am surprised at how long it burns for.
Content to be a happy dinosaur

 

[Newbeeneil]

I was recently given a very old, small, copper smoker. It is fast becoming my favourite. Due to its size it is light, and I am surprised at how long it burns for.
Content to be a happy dinosaur

I also have one that is lovely to handle when I only have a few hives to do. The only problem with this lovely little copper thing is it has no guard and keeps burning my knees!

 

[rdartington]

Just get the big dadant if you have more than a couple of hives and forget the rest.

Better not to get any smoker.
puffing smoke into a colony panics the bees with threat of a forest fire. Handly calming.
you would not puff smoke into a dog’s face to calm it.
a fine water spray clears top bars beautifully.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi all,
I'm in need of a new smoker as my Amazon special is not the best I've narrowed it down to a choice of the Dadant or the Thorne Empire. Any thoughts on which one and which size please? 7 or 10 inch? In the Thorne, galvy, stainless or copper? All thoughts greatly appreciated.
Thank you

I bought an El cheapo stainless steel smoker from the old Simon the Beekeeper site about 8 years ago. It's still going strong despite regular use. Decoke with a plumbers blowlamp whenever it tars up from burning wood shavings. From memory it was around ten pounds Sterling.

 

[Lisbanoe]

Decoke with a plumbers blowlamp whenever it tars up from burning wood shavings

Wish I knew this before I stank out my kitchen sink washing mine out. That one's up there with using one of my good saucepans for melting wax..

 

[Ian123]

Better not to get any smoker.
puffing smoke into a colony panics the bees with threat of a forest fire. Handly calming.
you would not puff smoke into a dog’s face to calm it.
a fine water spray clears top bars beautifully.

Water spray works to a point. However I would not send any beginner out to look at bees without a smoker. Sensible use of smoke is far more effective and has proved so for hundreds of years.
If it’s not escaped your notice bees are not dogs!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Ah yes, the old 'forest fire' myth

 

[Ian123]

Ah yes, the old 'forest fire' myth

Tropical forest down pour with a spray gun!

 

[Swarm]

Hi all,
I'm in need of a new smoker as my Amazon special is not the best I've narrowed it down to a choice of the Dadant or the Thorne Empire. Any thoughts on which one and which size please? 7 or 10 inch? In the Thorne, galvy, stainless or copper? All thoughts greatly appreciated.
Thank you

How many hives do you intend to have? Your profile says two, a ten inch Dadant will burn for hours.

 

[Gubby_uk]

How many hives do you intend to have? Your profile says two, a ten inch Dadant will burn for hours.

Hi.
Only two at the moment. I've just started but I can see it growing

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

always makes sense to go for the larger one - it will do the job if you only have a few colonies, but if you go for the smaller one just to save a tenner and then expand it would be a foolish decision

 

[ericbeaumont]

puffing smoke into a colony

A light and gentle drift at the entrance or across top bars is enough.

Sensible use of smoke is far more effective

Like this.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The trouble is, some people see smoke as a weapon not a tool.
But then again, the only tool they probably possess is a hammer and consider every problem a nail
I would never go into the bees without a smoker handy, although often, a light puff at the entrance is the only thing I'd give them.
The one time you don't have a smoker is the one and only time you desparately need it.

 

[JamezF]

I no longer use smoke at the entrance at all. I realised that I didn't actually understand what it might achieve other than pushing bees up towards the top of the frames that I'm about to expose when I take off the roof and crownboard.

Wouldn't want to be without my smoker however, though once in a while it has gone out through lack of use if the bees are very calm.

James

 

[drex]

One thing I agree on. In the bbka basic assessment candidates may use a water spray but must always have a smoker lit.