Little things, tiny minds

[megadyptes]

Had a go at lighting the new smoker for the first time at the weekend - suppose I'd better get some practice before any bees turn up...

A sheet of red top rescued from the recycling box, a few torn bits of pizza box from the same, and then a few handfuls of wood chips freshly prepared by running some old pruning remnants through the shredder and it was producing smoke for 4 hours before being snuffed out. Even after being neglected for an hour, a few puffs on the bellows and it seemed as good as new.

Having tipped it out today, it looks as if about a quarter of the wood chips hadn't turned to ash. and were still in good enough nick to be reused.

If it always works that well, then at least I'll have got a handle on the first part of beekeeping practical skills.

As the saying goes, little things please tiny minds....

Also good to also have found a more useful purpose for the recycling/gardening detritus!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Here's my recipe
A little shredded newspaper to light, topped up with a mixture of dry rotten wood,dry lavender clippings and dried orange peel. Heavenly smoke, little tar.
For a quick smoke I use hessian sacking.

 

[B+.]

For a quick smoke I use hessian sacking.

No trendy e-cigs?

 

[Arfermo]

No trendy e-cigs?

Or weed?

 

[dexter's shed]

I have used many things over the years, dried grass,newspaper,woodchips,sacking etc, followed a tip from you tube and tried rolled up corrigated cardboard, lit the bottom and it was puffing away, left it for 3 hours, still smoking gently, few pumps of the bellows and it was away again, and on tipping out, only half burnt, will use from now on, so simple

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Had a go at lighting the new smoker for the first time at the weekend - suppose I'd better get some practice before any bees turn up...

A sheet of red top rescued from the recycling box, a few torn bits of pizza box from the same, and then a few handfuls of wood chips freshly prepared by running some old pruning remnants through the shredder and it was producing smoke for 4 hours before being snuffed out. Even after being neglected for an hour, a few puffs on the bellows and it seemed as good as new.

Having tipped it out today, it looks as if about a quarter of the wood chips hadn't turned to ash. and were still in good enough nick to be reused.

If it always works that well, then at least I'll have got a handle on the first part of beekeeping practical skills.

As the saying goes, little things please tiny minds....

Also good to also have found a more useful purpose for the recycling/gardening detritus!

I've never seen one but has a smoker with a bottom lighting door ever been marketed? I've been tempted on a few occasions to try modifying one but the thing seems to be made from very thin sheet and welding could be extremely difficult

 

[B+.]

I rarely use my smoker anymore but, on the odd occassion that I light it, I use lavender scented wood shavings. We buy a huge bag for lining the floor/nest boxes of our 6 hens. It costs about £8.

 

[alldigging]

I've never seen one but has a smoker with a bottom lighting door ever been marketed? I've been tempted on a few occasions to try modifying one but the thing seems to be made from very thin sheet and welding could be extremely difficult

I don't remember if there is one on this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR3U523TLgI

 

[megadyptes]

I've never seen one but has a smoker with a bottom lighting door ever been marketed? I've been tempted on a few occasions to try modifying one but the thing seems to be made from very thin sheet and welding could be extremely difficult

Drill a hole in the side and then cover it with a button magnet...?

 

[pargyle]

Drill a hole in the side and then cover it with a button magnet...?

Nice idea ... mine is stainless steel and magnets don't stick to it ...but you are on to a good idea - need to think it through a bit more ... a small steel flanged tube held in place with a nut with you magnet idea to close it up.

Personally ... with a cuisine type gas blow torch I never have any trouble lighting my smoker from above.

 

[megadyptes]

Nice idea ... mine is stainless steel and magnets don't stick to it ...but you are on to a good idea

Two button magnets.. stick one with a hole in it on the outside of the smoker where you've drilled the hole and then use a solid one to seal the hole. Not sure what you'd have to use to stick the first magnet on though given it'll get a bit warm.

Mind you, if you're going to the trouble of fixing a tube in place but sandwiching the smoker case between a couple of nuts, you could always just have a threaded cap on the external opening.

 

[jonnybeegood]

why light them from above? What ever you are burning you light & put in the smoker so it burns up? If its a struggle to keep lit then theres something wrong with what you are burning or how you use it. I dont see any reason for a door at the bottom, just a waste of your time trying to do it.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

why light them from above? What ever you are burning you light & put in the smoker so it burns up? If its a struggle to keep lit then theres something wrong with what you are burning or how you use it. I dont see any reason for a door at the bottom, just a waste of your time trying to do it.

Given the worldwide clamour to give money to the flow hive idea, I suspect it might be interesting to see how many people would want to support the development costs and maybe trial the bottom lighting door smoker.
Oops I should have tried to get it crowdfunded

 

[madasafish]

I always use an insert - can with holes in it and a wire hangar. Fill it with dry/rotten wood, remove from smoker and place side on top of open smoker. Blowlamp to bottom and it lights. Lift with wire and place in smoker.

Easy. NEVER fails.

No hassle. Cost? Nil..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just take the top layer of scorched wood out, push the rest to one side, pinch of wood shavings, light either with a twist of newspaper or a long lighter, few puffs to get some flames - top up with fresh wood and it's good to go.

 

[jonnybeegood]

I use this rotted ash tree dried in the greenhouse, light one end with a small soldering blow torch for 3 seconds, drop it into the smoker, burns for about an hour, or light a small bit, drop it in, fill the smoker with all the small bits or crumbled lumps & burns great. Remember some cardboard these days is treated so it is hard to burn to reduce fires maybe thats your problem if it wont stay lit..

 

[jonnybeegood]

 

[OursonAnglaise]

Thank guys, I like this thread a LOT!

Lit my smoker for the third time last weekend and it was a total disaster ...didn't even last till the end of the inspection. (first 2 times were OKish). Luckily my bees are very docile & don't seem to mind being handled too much.

Following your advice I will try with another method - I have some wood 'bits' left over from our wood delivery, with that and some cardboard, I will try again this weekend & hopefully do better.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Thank guys, I like this thread a LOT!

Lit my smoker for the third time last weekend and it was a total disaster ...didn't even last till the end of the inspection. (first 2 times were OKish). Luckily my bees are very docile & don't seem to mind being handled too much.

Following your advice I will try with another method - I have some wood 'bits' left over from our wood delivery, with that and some cardboard, I will try again this weekend & hopefully do better.

Just burning wood wont work, it needs to be sawdust, shavings or rotten wood thats dried which dries almost like balsa wood, normal bits of wood will just go out.

 

[Dishmop]

View attachment 11813

Chicken breast?