New Smoker Concept

[theengraver]

I take a guess the smoker fuel is a PG VG mix to produce cool smoke?
You could reduce the price by selling the unit without a battery or built in charger
and the buyer could source there own 18650 batteries and charger as there can be bought on ebay the atomiser is that replacable? or can it be removed and rewicked and wired as this would vastly reduce the running costs.

 

[madasafish]

Keep dreaming ... we all long for those balmy summer days of our youth when you could lay on your back in a meadow full of long grass and wildflowers, watching skylarks overhead and listening to the constant hum of insects. And that was in the middle of South Yorkshire, surrounded by mines, steelworls and heavy industry !

I'm old enough to remember them and they DID exist - just what the hell has happened ?

I used to fall asleep in the heather on days like that - when grousebeating# miles away from civilisation. People got left behind due to that and had to walk home. never happened to me - thank goodness...

# waving a white flag at anything , making a noise and hoping to drive the grouse to the guns who had paid loadsofmoney for the privilege... (just in case I am accused of beating grouse)

 

[alanf]

Like the idea. Many people are trying to use as little smoke as possible so having a 'standby' smoker which doesn't need priming is a big plus. Couple of thoughts:

The one example on the market that I'm aware of (the MB marketed one) uses sawdust as a fuel. Has there been any work on the smoke source? Is there a liquid smoke fuel as or more effective than real wood/vegetable matter smoke? If we're off in the direction of "liquid smoke" vapour should leave less residue than spray, potentially lower consumption. I wouldn't be too wedded to the visuals of smoke, if it works it could be a clear vapour. The people who want to use a traditional smoker are the same ones who want to see traditional smoke; if we're departing from the smoker, the smoke can go too.

There's been considerable effort to make it look like an existing smoker, but that's based on a hot firebox and pumping bellows. There's room for a more radical redesign when the body is cool. I could see an external shape more like a hot air gun, the "standard" design for rechargeable drills puts the batteries at the base for stability, in many designs it's effectively a heavy stand. There might be some mileage (and cost saving) in using off-the-shelf battery packs and chargers, a ready source of parts and potential for more than one battery pack to extend the working day.

 

[psafloyd]

It looks like an advert, but it looks...expensive. Also, my bees prefer a cool smoke with pistachio shells, orange peel and lavender stalks and flowers...

 

[For want of a better word]

It looks like an advert, but it looks...expensive. Also, my bees prefer a cool smoke with pistachio shells, orange peel and lavender stalks and flowers...

Lighted with a page from the Financial Times of course!

 

[lgrieve91]

It's a little pricey but you could have a ready market with urban beekeepers like myself. Most of urban England including almost all of London is designated as "Smoke Control Zones" and smokers aren't on the exempted appliances list so this device with it's vapour would be a way round this. Assuming the vapour dissipates faster than smoke it'll be more neighbour friendly too. I suggest you maybe use that as a marketing angle.

I was completely unaware of this! thanks for the heads up, I'll be dropping that bombshell when I present my concept to my tutors tomorrow.

 

[lgrieve91]

I enjoy using my smoker too, and wouldn't pay £150.00- but that doesn't mean there's not a market for it. There are people who are happy to pay a lot for their kit (see the Highgrove top-bar hive), and people who aren't so old fashioned, or into playing with matches.

I think this is a brilliant idea, and could take off. As regards the possibility of liquid smoke being withdrawn this could work very well with other things such as peppermint or lavender oil.

My concern is- how is the liquid held? If the smoker falls over, does it all spill out of the container, or is there some sort of drip system?

.

The liquid smoke is held within a internal vessel that is sealed by a butterfly valve. The internal shape aims to reduce condensation build up as well.

 

[lgrieve91]

For the beek's convinced this is an advert, I HAVE NO intention of selling this product. it looks like an advert because thats the submission requirements for the course.

I totally agree that it could be completely smaller and really radical, but it aims to act as a stepping stone to show what is possible with the technology. The design has a minimum amount of clip fittings and no glue to aid the maintenance and upkeep of the unit. I know from experience that beek's love to repair rather then replace, and thats the aim behind this design.

-SMOKA- also has the ability to be cleaned after every use with a small amount of water and a few minutes on full power.

I like the controversy too, I love the tradition of lighting the smoker so this product isn't designed for me either, its just an idea.

 

[einsteinagogo]

£39.95 max!

You'll then probably sell them, but electronics goes wrong, a stainless steel smoker "lasts forever", batteries, electronics, goes wrong, and then you have to throw it away, and nobody garantees batteries! (and you probably need to have 2 batteries at more cost), just in case one fails you when you are out in the field!


(and then can you make a profit on that!)

Just my £0.01p, as a designer of electronic devices!

 

[lgrieve91]

£39.95 max!

You'll then probably sell them, but electronics goes wrong, a stainless steel smoker "lasts forever", batteries, electronics, goes wrong, and then you have to throw it away, and nobody garantees batteries! (and you probably need to have 2 batteries at more cost), just in case one fails you when you are out in the field!


(and then can you make a profit on that!)

Just my £0.01p, as a designer of electronic devices!

They probably do go wrong when you purchase them in a £39.95 product. Hence the expensive, but a lot more honest estimate of £100-£150.

If you refer to my earlier posts you'll also see 'throwing it away' isn't something to be encouraged, with a assembly which allows parts to be replaced when broken.

 

[psafloyd]

Lighted with a page from the Financial Times of course!

Yes, when I have it, or Financial Adviser, which uses the same unbleached paper. Alternatively, I will use the Ilford Recorder, icanhopit.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Really impressive concept and artwork! I did notice a few typos in the text though:

1 "contain" should be "contains"
3 "its" should be "it's"
5 "hive. A noise" should be "hive - a noise"
6 "holding options" - would "holding positions" be better?
8 "out the spout" should be "out of the spout". Is "intaking" a proper word?
10 "effecient" should be "efficient"

Second page - "effecient" should be "efficient", "bee's" should be "bees"

Sincere apologies for nit-picking, but I thought it might get you a few extra marks if this is going to be assessed as coursework!

Alternatively, leave it as it is and have it assessed as coarse work.

Dusty

 

[BeeJayBee]

Alternatively, leave it as it is and have it assessed as coarse work.

Ruff round the edges?

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Ruff round the edges?

Do I detect a professional reference?

If so, that comment is of ac-choir-ed taste and probably surplice to requirements. Just sti cassock in it.

Dusty.

 

[flemage]

having driven over my old smoker i can teld you smokers do not last forever.....

they also go out, its almost always raining when you try and light them.

So i like this idea.

however i dont think i will be changing any time soon the challanges of the smoker is all part of it for me!

 

[madasafish]

having driven over my old smoker i can teld you smokers do not last forever.....

they also go out, its almost always raining when you try and light them.

So i like this idea.

however i dont think i will be changing any time soon the challanges of the smoker is all part of it for me!

A blowtorch light almost anything.

And dry rotten wood lights in 5 seconds and smoulders for hours...

 

[Hombre]

Sorry Winker, but Ollie holds the prize as champion vehicle burner here.

While we are at it, the cost of keyfob video cameras is very cheap these days to get the whole zombie diesel beets hedgerow (not Pete) scene in full HD.

Was that really 2011 and hopefully Ollie has put it all behind him. So if you put a lighted smoker in your vehicle, keep a keyfob camera handy. it won't put the fire out, but will maybe get your story into competition with that great saga.
= = =
Very nice project by the way, and the literature explaining it's operation is quite nice, but the target market is pretty much resistant to change and not a lot of loose change for such a device.

Best to note that it is aimed at the up-market enthusiast market, rather than the well grounded beekeepers though.

 

[user 6228]

have you tested the ultrasonics with bees?... They may either like it or hate it.

 

[lgrieve91]

Hombre, thanks for that.

It is a very resistant market, and thats what made me take up the challenge. Theres millions of consumer electronics out there, each one a slight improvement on the other. For me, this was a challenge which had links to something very topical and very crucial to our ecosystem.

I was definitely torn between something that would make a great portfolio piece, portraying my skills as a designer, and the real needs (and wants) of a beekeeper. Hopefully I've struck a middle ground.

 

[BKF Admin]

What is the difference between using misted Propylene Glycol and using a water spray bottle ?