How to clean a smoker?

[RichardK]

Mine's fairly black around the lip now, bad enough that closing it is becoming tricky and hence smoke escapes from places it shouldn't when lit.

How do you clean your smoker?

 

[madasafish]

Blowlamp crusty bits, when stopped flaming leave to cool and wirebrush.
Apply Copperease (or similar) round lip and top sparingly - will eventually burn off but makes opening easier for a while,

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Mine's fairly black around the lip now, bad enough that closing it is becoming tricky and hence smoke escapes from places it shouldn't when lit.

How do you clean your smoker?

Blast it with a BFO blowlamp

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes torch for me too. Tip out the ashes once it’s it’s stopped burning

 

[Buzby]

Blowlamp.
Or if you're particularly fussy remove the bellows and soak in washing soda, rinse, dry and polish. Then Blowlamp

 

[Finman]

Use such fuel, which do not generate tar.

 

[The Poot]

Use such fuel, which do not generate tar.

Like a smokeless fuel, perhaps

 

[Finman]

Like a smokeless fuel, perhaps

A beekeeper learn every day something...
And there is no stupid questions for beekeepers.

 

[blackcloud]

Leave the chamber alone - stinkier and filthier the better.

As previous,blowlamp inside the lid and both rims to turn the tar to ash.
Get rid of all residue

Polish mating surfaces of rims with wire wool.

Ceramic Brake Caliper Grease (designed for high temps) on the now bare shiny metal.
It will last a bit longer than other special greases

Do it regularly or the tar will run down between the rims,and you will resort to prising it off with the hive tool mid session,bending it out of shape so it never fits properly again.

Get a spare smoker....

 

[Ian123]

People clean their smoker?………surely you just give it a bang/scrape with a hive tool

 

[enrico]

Fill it with petrol and throw a match in! AAAAHHHHHH

 

[pargyle]

People clean their smoker?………surely you just give it a bang/scrape with a hive tool

Of course, once every five years whether it needs it or not ! Poke the hook end of the hive tool through the spout when it gets totally blocked otherwise it will go out.

I covet one of those lovely copper and brass smokers of yesteryear with real leather bellows ... If I had one of those I would polish it to extinction but I rather doubt it would ever get used in anger !

 

[pargyle]

Fill it with petrol and throw a match in! AAAAHHHHHH

I do worry about you at times Eric ....

 

[JamezF]

I covet one of those lovely copper and brass smokers of yesteryear with real leather bellows ... If I had one of those I would polish it to extinction but I rather doubt it would ever get used in anger !

I have a copper smoker. Use it all the time, though it has had a temporary patch of insulting tape over a split in the bellows for the last three years. I've no idea where I got it from now, but it has a bit of a home-made feel to it. Sadly it might be rather more practical to buy a new smoker than to take the bellows apart to repair it properly.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Fill it with petrol and throw a match in! AAAAHHHHHH

I remember somebody here once did something similar with a wasp nest in the ground.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have a copper smoker. Use it all the time, though it has had a temporary patch of insulting tape over a split in the bellows for the last three years. I've no idea where I got it from now, but it has a bit of a home-made feel to it. Sadly it might be rather more practical to buy a new smoker than to take the bellows apart to repair it properly.

James

I have two, the only problem with them is they don't have mesh guards to protect you knees from the heat (I've already got my tin hat on ) My other 4 all have mesh guards which make handling easier.

 

[JamezF]

I have two, the only problem with them is they don't have mesh guards to protect you knees from the heat (I've already got my tin hat on )

You probably need two tin hats, one for each knee. Then you'd be fine.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they don't have mesh guards to protect you knees from the heat

Don't kneel on them then

 

[Sutty]

I have a copper smoker. Use it all the time, though it has had a temporary patch of insulting tape over a split in the bellows for the last three years. I've no idea where I got it from now, but it has a bit of a home-made feel to it. Sadly it might be rather more practical to buy a new smoker than to take the bellows apart to repair it properly.

James

You can buy replacement bellows if you don't fancy repairing it.

 

[JamezF]

You can buy replacement bellows if you don't fancy repairing it.

I wasn't aware of that. I'll look into it. Thanks.

James