Smoker

[beekeepershens]

rotten hardwood tree.... when you can crumble it in your fingers its just right............ let it dry and keep a stack . woodshavings are too fresh would full of resins

 

[pargyle]

woodshavings are too fresh would full of resins

That's a generalisation that does not always hold true ..

It rather depends on whether the wood is full of resins (Pine etc,) and whether it has been well seasoned. The shavings from my woodturnings that I use come from well seasoned hardwoods and there are precious little resins in them, they burn slowly (mingled with the dust from sanding) don't give the acrid odour you get from pine timber and there are no gummy deposits in my smoker.

 

[The Poot]

I roll corrugated cardboard and hessian sacking together into a smoker sized tube, tied with twine. I start with cardboard packing shreddings to get a fire going then press the tube onto it. The smoke can be a little acrid, so now I have a Dadent smoker, I have space to top off with grass to cool the smoke.

 

[Swarm]

Finman has the best combination: eggbox as a starter and dry rotten birch to burn with least tar.

I use ordinary wood chippings and have tried shavings, and pack it in tight.

Jaymac: what do you use to start? Important to get real, roaring flame going before adding the main fuel, and eggbox (reject the part with label & glue) is best for that.

I'm a label peeler too
Get the flame started with egg box pieces, then add handfuls of rotten wood, bits of egg box, etc as it comes out of the fuel box and stuff it down fairly tight. Lasts for hours.

 

[drdrday]

I use a bit of twisted brown paper (either from an old potato sack, parcel packaging, or the paper bags from fruit and veg shopping) to start my smoker off, then pile on dry pine needles (usually with a few dried leaves mixed in). Don't have any pine trees in the garden but I keep my eyes open for good donor trees on the daily walk and just top up my bag whenever I need too.

I use a blowtorch to get the smoker going (just because it's in the kit bag for the gas-vap), so I guess I should get in the habit of using it to clean up the tar from the smoker, but to be honest I usually just find a quick scrape around the lid with the hive tool does the job, and then I deep clean the smoker at the end of the season.

 

[Buzby]

You are right. There is no difference what the smoker is. All depends on burning material

It is really important that you get the smoker open...

All smokers are not the same. A smoker with an internal firebox which gives good airflow, such as the Rauchboy, will make the continuing burn far easier to achieve.
I use egg boxes to start and then small wood pellets, wood based cat litter, added on top.

 

[madasafish]

All smokers are not the same. A smoker with an internal firebox which gives good airflow, such as the Rauchboy, will make the continuing burn far easier to achieve.
I use egg boxes to start and then small wood pellets, wood based cat litter, added on top.

I converted my two smokers using Rauchboy internals (bought 10 Euros each - then they went bust).

Makes a huge difference
I have drilled two holes for a supporting wire so I light the insert with a blowtorch outside the smoker and then insert into smoker using the wire.

Much easier.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Loving my Rauchboy smoker

 

[Angry_Mob]

All smokers are not the same. A smoker with an internal firebox which gives good airflow, such as the Rauchboy, will make the continuing burn far easier to achieve.
I use egg boxes to start and then small wood pellets, wood based cat litter, added on top.

Almost what I do with my Rauchboy. I add a bit of straw to get things started. I use a Rothenberger Superfire 2 torch to get a good fire going then the cat litter pellets goes on top.

My problem used to be that the smoker always went out before my rounds now it stays lit for a long time after I finish.

 

[holmbee]

Almost what I do with my Rauchboy. I add a bit of straw to get things started. I use a Rothenberger Superfire 2 torch to get a good fire going then the cat litter pellets goes on top.

My problem used to be that the smoker always went out before my rounds now it stays lit for a long time after I finish.

Black Mountain Honey have made a video about the Rauchboy and another comparing the Rauchboy to the Dadant. On YouTube.

 

[Swarm]

My smoker is a combination of parts from three different cheapo types, it never lets me down and burns for hours after fuss free lighting. I'll save my cash.

 

[manek]

Not seen a Rauchboy before. Do you light the combustibles then drop it into the main part of the smoker?

 

[Angry_Mob]

Not seen a Rauchboy before. Do you light the combustibles then drop it into the main part of the smoker?

It has a firebox that you can remove and light outside the smoker or light it in situ. Other nice thing is the bottom of it remains cool so you can set them on poly hives without doing damage.


I thought someone had posted this video earlier in the thread:

 

[beekeepershens]

That's a generalisation that does not always hold true ..

It rather depends on whether the wood is full of resins (Pine etc,) and whether it has been well seasoned. The shavings from my woodturnings that I use come from well seasoned hardwoods and there are precious little resins in them, they burn slowly (mingled with the dust from sanding) don't give the acrid odour you get from pine timber and there are no gummy deposits in my smoker.

fair comment, just not many people using beautiful seasoned hardwood shavings..... but well rotted hardwood is lovely