Lidl mini blowlamp (Mon 24th)

[itma]

Just a heads up that next Monday, among Lidl's specials will be their "culinary blowlamp" for £11.99

It runs on lighter gas.
And has an inbuilt piezo igniter.

Its small and ideal for lighting your smoker quickly with a minimum of fuss.


I've got one, and it does that job really rather well. It is small enough to live in my bee-tool-box.
BUT it is sadly underpowered for hive scorching and suchlike.
Its even smaller (and less powerful) than their previous version. In the kitchen it could do individual creme brulées, but it struggles to provide enough heat to melt thick cheese (it'll burn the surface easily enough).
Smoker-lighting is quite possibly what it is best at …

 

[BrianO]

Now theres a good heads up... all those times spent crouching down feckin around with matches and lighters. Could use the power in the flame to light through the underside vent holes very effectively and quickly methinks !!!

 

[Torq]

We got that offer here a few days ago and I got one just for lighting the smoker, it's much better than the jumbo lighter I've been using.

 

[itma]

Now theres a good heads up... all those times spent crouching down feckin around with matches and lighters. Could use the power in the flame to light through the underside vent holes very effectively and quickly methinks !!!

No idea if/when it might be available in Eire. (Its along with some 'kitchen' stuff next Monday in the UK.)
And I've only used it 'firing' down the inside. Being only a small flame, while it is much better than matches and lighters, it does appreciate a bit of shelter, and you can snuff it out with a big blast of smoke!
Nevertheless, a really valuable tool.

 

[Hivemaker.]

while it is much better than matches and lighters, it does appreciate a bit of shelter, and you can snuff it out with a big blast of smoke!

That is the good thing about a Zippo petrol lighter, works really well in windy conditions.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That is the good thing about a Zippo petrol lighter, works really well in windy conditions.

Yes, unfortunately if I dust down one of mine, SWMBO will be convinced I'm back on the smokes again!

 

[REDWOOD]

Until it runs out of gas just when you need it, I'll stick with a few disposable lighters from the £1 shop although I can see the advantage for a new beekeeper who has problems lighting a smoker.

 

[theeggman]

We use a similar torch, it's great if the smoker goes out, you can relight without having to remove gloves etc. Shove some more fuel in, hit the button and off you go.

Tim.

 

[REDWOOD]

We use a similar torch, it's great if the smoker goes out, you can relight without having to remove gloves etc. Shove some more fuel in, hit the button and off you go.

Tim.

tut tut smoker going out

 

[Swarm]

tut tut smoker going out

 

[theeggman]

tut tut smoker going out

We don't have an issue with it going out through not needing to use it.

IF we need it to push bees down to stop squashing then we'll relight, other than that it stays out.

Tim.

 

[alanf]

...IF we need it to push bees down to stop squashing then we'll relight, other than that it stays out...

Indeed. Depends what you expect to do, but much of the time it's primed and ready but on standby. When needed a blowlamp gets it going in 15 seconds.

I know, burn the heretic...

 

[REDWOOD]

In 15 seconds you can get a lot of stings, who knows when a delightful colony turns horrid. Something new beekeepers should always master

 

[Fahey]

I use a butane blow torch with a piezo ignition (about 15 quid from Wickes). Can't imagine why anyone would mess about with lighters and matches in the middle of a field. I keep a spare cartridge in my tool kit, (they cost about three quid). Cardboard to start, dry ash windfall branches and then oak chippings from my woodturner colleague, stays lighting for ages. I use a paired down wine cork as a stopper.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Can't imagine why anyone would mess about with lighters and matches in the middle of a field.

I agree, sounds like a daft place to site beehives, most people put them around the outside of a field.

 

[Fahey]

"in the middle of a field", exaggeration for the sake of emphasis as my old man used to say.

 

[beeno]

Thanks itma, I was hoping for a heads up on this as I would like a refill canister.

 

[madasafish]

I use a proper gas blowlamp.. Lights anything in five seconds, will scorch hives and ideal for disposing of the odd wasp...Refills cheap and available anywhere..

I also have a small one which is refilled with lighter fluid.. More portable but takes longer.

Woodshavings at the bottom of a canister ## insert , dried wood, remove from smoker on a piece of wire, balance on smoker, set blowlamp to underneath.

## Baked bean can with holes drilled in it.


Cheap, simple... just like me.

 

[JohnyP]

Now theres a good heads up... all those times spent crouching down feckin around with matches and lighters. Could use the power in the flame to light through the underside vent holes very effectively and quickly methinks !!!

Admin (and Dara O Briain): Just 'cos you spell it and say it differently, doesn't make it OK to use on a well mannered and august forum such as this, for feck sake..

te he

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

doesn't make it OK to use on a well mannered and august forum such as this,

But it's not August IT'S NOVEMBER!