Winter Tip for newcomers - smoker

[Norton Caff]

Just a thought, learnt the hard way. When you're done for winter and don't intend to carry out any more inspections make sure you leave the lid of your smoker open. Better still take the opportunity to clean it. Come the spring, if you've left it closed, you may have difficulties in prising the lid off. I leave mine open after every use but that might say more about me not cleaning my smoker regularly during the season!

 

[drex]

What are you burning in yours then. I use hay, which are sweepings from my friends animal sanctuary. Smoker gets a clean in spring, but even then not much rubbish in it

 

[The Poot]

Good advice methinks. I often struggle to open mine between inspections. I think burning corrugated cardboard gunks it up.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I just give mine a quick blast with my flamer occasionally and brush out all the remaining cinders

 

[Murox]

Good advice methinks. I often struggle to open mine between inspections. I think burning corrugated cardboard gunks it up.

It does. I find a quick scrub with washing soda solution cleans away most of it.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I've found my smoker lid sticking loads this season, and the holes in the lid have been a nightmare to clean.

I wonder though if using my blow torch to clean it, wouldn't that make the metal brittle eventually @JBM?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've found my smoker lid sticking loads this season, and the holes in the lid have been a nightmare to clean.

Only hole I have in my lid is where the smoke comes out

I wonder though if using my blow torch to clean it, wouldn't that make the metal brittle eventually @JBM?

Stainless steel? what about the intense constant heat from the lit fuel inside?

 

[Curly green finger's]

True, in the lid of mine there is a thin peace of tin with round 8mm holes in it.. I've just been to look and I couldn't open it, thanks to the op for the heads up I'll be cleaning it tomorrow.

Back to the lid the tin is quite thin and I was wondering if I heated it up could this make it brittle.?
I've got my grandads and that's made of brass or something like that, it's alot easier to clean and it doesn't have the round holes in the lid.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

True, in the lid of mine there is a thin peace of tin with round 8mm holes in it.. I've just been to look and I couldn't open it, thanks to the op for the heads up I'll be cleaning it tomorrow.

Back to the lid the tin is quite thin and I was wondering if I heated it up could this make it brittle.?
I've got my grandads and that's made of brass or something like that, it's alot easier to clean and it doesn't have the round holes in the lid.

Save up and treat yourself to a Dadant, it's a must for anyone with more than a handful of hives

 

[Norton Caff]

I burn hay and it's not too bad but I used to use cardboard. The hinges on my old battered smoker needed spot welding back on this year after too much prising in the past

 

[Curly green finger's]

Save up and treat yourself to a Dadant, it's a must for anyone with more than a handful of hives

I do need something better than using both.
I'll have a look at the dadant smoker cheers jbm.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Save up and treat yourself to a Dadant, it's a must for anyone with more than a handful of hives

Make sure to buy the tall one.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Make sure to buy the tall one.

Thanks Eric for the link.. That looks more the ticket

 

[GuyNir]

Save up and treat yourself to a Dadant, it's a must for anyone with more than a handful of hives

Thinking about it myself. Not cheap, but I keep hearing how good those are.
I use hemp bedding in my smoker. Keep going for very long time and produce nice cool smoke. A bag last me for a season +

 

[madasafish]

I clean mine (flame with blowlamp).
And cover joint with Copperease. Lasts for about a month.

Makes opening/closing easy.

 

[Apiarisnt]

Save up and treat yourself to a Dadant, it's a must for anyone with more than a handful of hives

Agreed wholeheartedly

I tried various before converting to Dadant. Their premium price is justified. However, ever the skinflint, and noticing that they are very, very much cheaper in the US than here, I bought a big one and a little one (and a spare set of bellows) on a business trip to the US a couple of years back. I brought them back in hand luggage and found it a tad disconcerting that my bag went through the X - ray machine at Chicago O'Hare and produced not a murmur of interest from security.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Was probably a beekeeper operating the scanner..... we've had every other occupation

 

[Swarm]

Thinking about it myself. Not cheap, but I keep hearing how good those are.
I use hemp bedding in my smoker. Keep going for very long time and produce nice cool smoke. A bag last me for a season +

Save your cash, my smoker is an assembly of parts and will stay alight for hours. I wouldn't be gaining much other than an opportunity to flash that 'D' on the bellows
The most I do is scrape away excess carbon build up, but not all of it as it's beneficial to the smoker operation.

 

[gmonag]

After you finish with the bees, get the smoker nice and hot then add a teaspoon of this stuff:

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thinking about it myself. Not cheap, but I keep hearing how good those are.

Best thing I ever did - lights with no problem at all, forget your poncy chef's blowtorches etc, just move the remaining scorched fuel of the last session to one side, put in a lit piece of newspaper (a scrap of a page from a tabloid newspaper is ample) then sprinkle a pinch of loose stuff from whatever fuel you use and it's away, stays lit for ages ( it's a job getting it to go out sometimes unless you bung the nozzle properly or lay it on its side) I have before now forgotten the smoker on top of a hive and gone home for lunch, remembered as I was about to set out late in the afternoon so as I was passing that apiary popped in to get it, and it was still smoking away.