people and smokers

[DanBee]

Many bee equipment suppliers sold bulk packs of cheapo tobacco for detecting varroa mites by knocking them down onto a test tray/card.

Nicotinoids!

 

[Russel]

May take HID's can opener to my smoker today and see if we can do it?

Russ

 

[alldigging]

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...=0CDsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=bees tobacco&f=false

"Varroasis of Bees: Tobacco Smoke Detection"
http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/...id=0664379BC88359527BCB6822B68567CB.tobacco03
From 1985

Baula killed by tobacco smoke
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...cco&pg=PA217#v=onepage&q=bees tobacco&f=false
"Bees will soon recover" ..

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...PA117#v=onepage&q=bees tobacco varroa&f=false

 

[lgrieve91]

thanks!

The amount of replies this post has got really shocked me! So thanks a lot everyone.

Itma, you raise some very good issues, all of which have been swimming around my head already. It's extremely hard to try design something which showcases my skills as a 'designer' and still appeals to the market.

I'm proposing something which may be seen as a little radical, but it eliminates the need for fire at all. This means theres no hot smoke on the bees, no spontaneous smoking in the car, a lot less fuel consumption and a more considered design. Using some cheap technology and liquid smoke. (not as free as cardboard) this can be achieved, yes it is more expensive, but its about getting your money back from the value it adds. (especially for keepers with multiple sites)

Every single reply I got showed me something, I'm meeting with my tutor tomorrow and I'm sure he cant argue I'm going down the wrong route when the masses have spoken. so thank you very much everyone!

I will be keeping you all updated and to get a little bit of a clue where things might go have a look at other things i've done in my university portfolio. typing in leegrievedesign should find me!

 

[sugarbush]

This American design may be of interest. I have never used one but at first glance it seems to sum up all that is wrong with "labor saving" devices... in that the old one works well and having a push-button variant seems like unnecessary complexity combined with laziness.

I have one of these. You don't light it so it never gets hot. It has a rechargeable battery pack, a fan and a heating element. You can only use wood shavings in it. You fill it with wood shavings, Push the button for the heating element and it burns the shavings making the smoke. When you have enough smoke you let go of the heating element button and it stops burning the shavings.

I am not really sure why they put the heat shield around it as it doesn't even get warm enough to burn yourself on the smoker.

It works well as long as it is charged... then I have to switch back to my old AI Root smoker

 

[Drew]

I have one of these. You don't light it so it never gets hot. It has a rechargeable battery pack, a fan and a heating element. You can only use wood shavings in it. You fill it with wood shavings, Push the button for the heating element and it burns the shavings making the smoke. When you have enough smoke you let go of the heating element button and it stops burning the shavings.

I am not really sure why they put the heat shield around it as it doesn't even get warm enough to burn yourself on the smoker.

It works well as long as it is charged... then I have to switch back to my old AI Root smoker

Because it is much cheaper (for them) to convert a standard smoker and "just" nail the gizmo on the back......

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm proposing something which may be seen as a little radical, but it eliminates the need for fire at all. This means theres no hot smoke on the bees, no spontaneous smoking in the car, a lot less fuel consumption and a more considered design. Using some cheap technology and liquid smoke.

Maybe not that radical:

http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-cl...l/smoker-fuel-and-accessories?product_id=1791

http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-cl...l/smoker-fuel-and-accessories?product_id=4858

http://****************/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_60_93&products_id=298

The bottom one is c wynne jones dot com (no spaces)

 

[waverider]

Are there any UK retailers that sell the Vulcan Clockwork Smoker?

 

[Russel]

The amount of replies this post has got really shocked me! So thanks a lot everyone.

Itma, you raise some very good issues, all of which have been swimming around my head already. It's extremely hard to try design something which showcases my skills as a 'designer' and still appeals to the market.

I'm proposing something which may be seen as a little radical, but it eliminates the need for fire at all. This means theres no hot smoke on the bees, no spontaneous smoking in the car, a lot less fuel consumption and a more considered design. Using some cheap technology and liquid smoke. (not as free as cardboard) this can be achieved, yes it is more expensive, but its about getting your money back from the value it adds. (especially for keepers with multiple sites)

Every single reply I got showed me something, I'm meeting with my tutor tomorrow and I'm sure he cant argue I'm going down the wrong route when the masses have spoken. so thank you very much everyone!

I will be keeping you all updated and to get a little bit of a clue where things might go have a look at other things i've done in my university portfolio. typing in leegrievedesign should find me!

If the intention is to use the conventional liquid smoke water combo then it will only be of use on warmer days as it may chill bees etc?

Russ

 

[Hivemaker.]

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/smok.html

 

[lgrieve91]

Its utilises the liquid smoke sachets available on thorne, I don't want to give too much away and I have seen something similar in a concept online, however it wasn't as resolved as it could be.

I understand what you mean by using it on warmer days but the process means its not like spraying water on the actual bees.

Thanks for alerting me about the other sprays and stuff, hadn't came across them yet!

 

[adrian wilford]

same with me

 

[Ely]

Many people including me fix a hook on the back of the bellows. This allows you to hang it on the side of a wooden brood box during inspections instead of having to keep bending down to pick the smoker from the floor

 

[Russel]

Many people including me fix a hook on the back of the bellows. This allows you to hang it on the side of a wooden brood box during inspections instead of having to keep bending down to pick the smoker from the floor

Hook on the fire box is a standard feature, one on the bellows would be handy!

Russ

 

[beebopalula]

Waverider: Big T. but the manufacturer has gone out of business.