Tricks to getting cool smoke from a smoker

[JamezF]

I'm finding that dried rotted sycamore is producing huge amounts of tar, to the point where I might have to stop using it because it glues my smoker shut

James

 

[Antipodes]

It is, in fact so are other pine and conifer needles when dry and collected from under a mature tree, but they do produce a lot of tar.

Absolutely... lots of tar. You have to burn it off with a blowtorch fairly regularly.

 

[ericbeaumont]

The prof lighter is £3.99 but postage is £6.99!!

Buy a lot and sell them on.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hello everyone, first post here - I have been training up as a beekeeper and will have my own hive within the next couple of weeks (so excited!)

The smokers I've used belonging to my association's training apiary and didn't have a little grate on the lid like my own does so I can't fill the nozzle with wet grass as I have done there. Practicing to light mine today I've had issue with the smoke coming out being a bit too hot (from about 6-7cms away). Things that I have tried to keep the smoke cool:
- Packing some straw/grass on top of the wood shavings I've been using
- Going lighter on the bellows so I don't supply too much air

Am I on the right track here, and are there any tips on what else I could be doing? Am I just putting my hand too close to the nozzle when I'm checking the heat?

Hold the smoker further away from what you aim it at, it's not intended for use as a plasma cutter

 

[user 20297]

Not unexpectedly, we have a lot of opinions and recommendations between us.
It mystifies me that it's being stated that slightly damp wood over the well-lit fire in my smoker will result in a blistering jet of steam.
What I see really happening is that the moisture is slowly removed from the wood/grass/leaves, this obviously absorbs heat from the fire and creates billows of water vapour mixed with the products of burning.
I have a bin full of rotten wood; the lumps can be easily pulled apart by hand. Occasionally, I leave the lid off in the rain to stop it drying out.

 

[polymath]

Hello everyone, first post here - I have been training up as a beekeeper and will have my own hive within the next couple of weeks (so excited!)

The smokers I've used belonging to my association's training apiary and didn't have a little grate on the lid like my own does so I can't fill the nozzle with wet grass as I have done there. Practicing to light mine today I've had issue with the smoke coming out being a bit too hot (from about 6-7cms away). Things that I have tried to keep the smoke cool:
- Packing some straw/grass on top of the wood shavings I've been using
- Going lighter on the bellows so I don't supply too much air

Am I on the right track here, and are there any tips on what else I could be doing? Am I just putting my hand too close to the nozzle when I'm checking the heat?

If you want cool smoke use whatever you want to light and fuel the smoker, just grab a handful of grass roll it into a ball and place in lid, you will get cool smoke for about 2 hrs. Then replace. Taught on an NBU course i did and very effective.

 

[Ian123]

Haylage is great and I have an endless supply, rotten wood chip is also good. I normally start the smoker with some egg box type material and once a good roar is going add your weapon of choice. As suggest above if your concerned about the temperature just hold further away

 

[bigadg]

I purchased a large bale of shredded egg trays yesterday £3.50 gives off nice cool smoke

 

[Norton Caff]

I start with a little newspaper and egg carton, light with a blow torch (!) and have hay, gleaned from hayfields after the bailer has been round.
Puts me in mind of a chap that used to teach beekeeping who used to say "Bees, not kippers!"

 

[user 20297]

For your amusement and mockery....

 

[blackcloud]

Funny it's always the folk with brand new suits and smokers that broadcast invaluable advice.

 

[Peter]

Funny it's always the folk with brand new suits and smokers that broadcast invaluable advice.

We just get everyone talking

 

[Skinfaxi]

I use this kind of mushroom for smoke(Fomes fomentarius ).Beekeepers use dried tinder fungus to kindle smokers.

Cool do you break it up into small pieces . How do you prepare it for use.

 

[Cooperman]

If such a tree is found, it is also suitable.

 

[wbchive]

I favour those small, grass pellets that are intended for feeding horses. Light a bundle of hessian and puff it till it’s well alight then drop a handful of horsey food on top and keep puffing for a bit. This will give you a full Flying Scotsman and it’s cool and won’t make your eyes water when you’re trying to see eggs and it blows in your mush. The downside is that it does produce a lot of tar.

 

[joebeewhisperer]

Hello everyone, first post here - I have been training up as a beekeeper and will have my own hive within the next couple of weeks (so excited!)

The smokers I've used belonging to my association's training apiary and didn't have a little grate on the lid like my own does so I can't fill the nozzle with wet grass as I have done there. Practicing to light mine today I've had issue with the smoke coming out being a bit too hot (from about 6-7cms away). Things that I have tried to keep the smoke cool:
- Packing some straw/grass on top of the wood shavings I've been using
- Going lighter on the bellows so I don't supply too much air

Am I on the right track here, and are there any tips on what else I could be doing? Am I just putting my hand too close to the nozzle when I'm checking the heat?

I sometimes do the grass thing if I have something particularly volatile (pine shavings or pine needles with heavy coals started). But 90+% of the time I find it does not matter. I generally open a lid, puff 2 very light puffs under it, set the smoker aside and begin.

The smoker rarely gets closer the 3-4” from a bee, and that really only when I’m prying 2 deep boxes apart. I run Russians and work them in short sleeves. When checking a nuc it’s not uncommon to build a cloud with 2-3 light puffs 10-12” from the top bars of the frames.

Light puffs, good distance, one man’s opinion.