Dadant or Thorne Empire

[Murox]

............................. Handly calming.
you would not puff smoke into a dog’s face to calm it.
a fine water spray clears top bars beautifully.

Oddly enough many people do spray water into a dogs face whether as a deterrent or a calmative I'm not sure. I've given my inquisitive pooch the occasional light puff, he just backed off a bit like bees do. A fine misting of water certainly helps prevent bees from coming up and out of the frames. I have noticed that having the smoker going and just sitting next to the hive with smoke moving on the breeze does seem to reduce arial activity, or maybe thats just my imagination.

 

[Zaak OConan]

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.

Interesting, I'll try this on next week's inspection.

 

[Rory Fields]

Just revisiting this - my faithful cheap large dadant has died - it had the build of a coke can, and that useless hook of bent tin to prize it open; the stapled together and rusted on bellows did for it. Not looking to splash the cash unnecessarily, but with colony numbers hopefully getting back upto circa the 100 mark, is there a supplier anyone would recommend for as big as possible a smoker with guard, that I'd hope to last? I've seen Laurence at BMH is v fond of his Rauchboy but they're too small for my liking, and I'd probably only get one if the build quality is streets ahead of any large dadants. Thanks!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The larger Dadant every time, my mother bought mine for me ten years ago, it gets lit almost every day during the season, has been used and abused, left out in the rain a few times. It's still going strong with all its original components.

 

[Buzby]

I would have said the Rauchboy a couple of years ago BUT the original manufacturer ceased and they are now made by AN Other. I have a large Dadant and the new Rauchboy and I think the Dadant pips it. I don't think the Thornes Empire comes close to either.

 

[Rory Fields]

The larger Dadant every time, my mother bought mine for me ten years ago, it gets lit almost every day during the season, has been used and abused, left out in the rain a few times. It's still going strong with all its original components.

Glad to hear it's you're preference too - where did you get yours please? I've got about 5 different smokers, all variously useless and can't recall where I bought my poor build but useful large dadant, though I imagine we can all make an educated guess...

 

[Rory Fields]

I would have said the Rauchboy a couple of years ago BUT the original manufacturer ceased and they are now made by AN Other. I have a large Dadant and the new Rauchboy and I think the Dadant pips it. I don't think the Thornes Empire comes close to either.

Awesome, thanks - the Empire was one I'd indecisively wondered about as it looks good quality but just too small

 

[rolande]

Glad to hear it's you're preference too - where did you get yours please? I've got about 5 different smokers, all variously useless and can't recall where I bought my poor build but useful large dadant, though I imagine we can all make an educated guess...

Was this poor quality smoker actually a dadant or a totally different make? I only ask as I've never come across such a poor example from dadant.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Glad to hear it's you're preference too - where did you get yours please? I've got about 5 different smokers, all variously useless and can't recall where I bought my poor build but useful large dadant, though I imagine we can all make an educated guess...

got mine from Thornes, National bee supplies sell them too

 

[Rory Fields]

Was this poor quality smoker actually a dadant or a totally different make? I only ask as I've never come across such a poor example from dadant.

It was a dadant-style, identical dimensions, just v poor quality from a certain company notorious for poor kit and poorer service - in fairness it's served me well and not been treat kindly in it's 4 or 5yrs.

 

[ericbeaumont]

supplier anyone would recommend

https://www.modernbeekeeping.co.uk/the-original-dadant-smoker

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

https://www.modernbeekeeping.co.uk/the-original-dadant-smoker

If that's their price still, it's a bargain - £14.00 cheaper than the others

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Large Dadant for us, we each have one of our own to look after but I will not be allowed to forget for many years that I ran over Wendy's last year, luckily there's always a spare on the shelf.
We did get a freebie recently from Murray but it's only use has been for school talks.
Modern Beekeeping or Gruff would be our chosen supplier.

 

[Rory Fields]

Just as an addendum to the conversation - my new large dadant from modern beekeeping has just arrived and it must have 3 x as much metal and be several times the build quality of my previous imitation, so much more robust - I almost want to polish it and just look at it, it's beautiful! Thanks for everyone's sage advice yet again!

 

[Buzby]

Large Dadant for us, we each have one of our own to look after but I will not be allowed to forget for many years that I ran over Wendy's last year, luckily there's always a spare on the shelf.
We did get a freebie recently from Murray but it's only use has been for school talks.
Modern Beekeeping or Gruff would be our chosen supplier.

Gruff has sold out.

 

[Swarm]

Just as an addendum to the conversation - my new large dadant from modern beekeeping has just arrived and it must have 3 x as much metal and be several times the build quality of my previous imitation, so much more robust - I almost want to polish it and just look at it, it's beautiful! Thanks for everyone's sage advice yet again!

It'll be stinking, sticky and covered in tar in no time

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I don't doubt that the Dadant is a good buy and possibly the best smoker - even though I don't own one. But I don't understand how some users claim that it stays lit longer. I think most smokers available have basically the same design.

Today, I discovered how my smoker can stay lit all day. Sometimes I do a 7 hour shift so this will help. I was given a pointer to using wood pellets as smoker fuel, the stuff used for pizza ovens etc. They are 100% wood - so I guess they must commandeer a natural ingredient (like water?) to hold the pellets in shape. They need help to light initially, so I'll hang on to my wood shavings (pet bedding) for that.

But when properly lit, the smoker just kept going. I didn't do 7 hours today, but I think the smoker was up to it.

 

[The Poot]

I put a big dent in my Dadent recently- a wheelbarrow mishap of majestic proportions….

 

[Buzby]

I don't doubt that the Dadant is a good buy and possibly the best smoker - even though I don't own one. But I don't understand how some users claim that it stays lit longer. I think most smokers available have basically the same design.

Today, I discovered how my smoker can stay lit all day. Sometimes I do a 7 hour shift so this will help. I was given a pointer to using wood pellets as smoker fuel, the stuff used for pizza ovens etc. They are 100% wood - so I guess they must commandeer a natural ingredient (like water?) to hold the pellets in shape. They need help to light initially, so I'll hang on to my wood shavings (pet bedding) for that.

But when properly lit, the smoker just kept going. I didn't do 7 hours today, but I think the smoker was up to it.

Try wood based Cat litter pellets, cheaper than BBQ fuel.

 

[rolande]

I don't doubt that the Dadant is a good buy and possibly the best smoker - even though I don't own one. But I don't understand how some users claim that it stays lit longer. I think most smokers available have basically the same design.

I think the design advantage that the dadant has is the air feed into the centre of the chamber, I'm totally convinced that the dadant is easier to run than the average competition and that air tube is the only difference I can see.