Best advice on how to keep smoker lit...what is dependable source of fuel?
Finish your inspection and set the smoker on the back of your truck. It will stay lit for hours. :evil: :-D
I like hemp baling twine best. NOT the plastic kind.
X2 on the baling twine.
Packing whatever you are trying to smoke is first, then the material. Over on equipment useage is a thread on this, first page now.
Joe
I put a wad of newspapers start that on fire and pack whatever dry material is next to me i.e grass, straw, pine needles, etc. I put whatever in by half a handful and pack it down with hive tool, giving smoker a couple of puffs here and there, I keep doing that until its packed full and tight...So far I have never had the smoker go out or never had not enough smoke. I also have the big smoker.
burlap
Lighting a smoker with pine straw fuel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDf1Jdj1K-U#ws)
start with wood shavings and put in a couple cups of sawdust.
i have a small farm and plentyof pine trees. So i just went an got a old burlap sack and fill with pine straw. Works good and cheap and with the bag always have some dry to use just pack it tight.
THANKS GUYS FOR ALL ADVICE.......MAY YOUR SUPERS RUNNETH OVER.
I use leave and needles straight out of the woods. Get it hot to start with and pile on the fuel.
The only thing I found to make a smoker DEPENDABLE is a propane fired torch and some charcoal briscuts.
Mine never really starts smoking well until I'm all done with the bees..... then is smokes for hours :(
I use dry pine needles. Keep them in a bag out of the rain. Fill smoker half full, light the needles with a propane torch and then fill smoker the rest of way with needles.
Smoke bombs with burlap stuffed around them (I find free burlap bags at my local coffee shop...where they roast their own coffee). I light it all with a propane torch I bought at Home Depot.
There's a picture of a smoke bomb: http://cincinnatibees.com/2011/10/12/cardboard-smoker-bombs/ (http://cincinnatibees.com/2011/10/12/cardboard-smoker-bombs/)
-Liz
Can't recommend watching "hardwood's" video enough. I used dry leaves and packed them in TIGHT like he did with the pine needles. After an hour, I had to leave the smoker sitting out to burn itself out. Dunno how long it took. Had to go to bed!
Javin, I made a tin foil cover of the lid. When you get through with the smoker put the tin foil on press into place. In a little it will go out and you have some fuel left to start with next time. Happy smokin.
Joe
I've found that a small nuclear device works great with getting a smoker lit, if you don't have one of them laying around the shop try pine needles or cotton cloth like old jeans and a propane torch. I have a wooden plug which I stuff in the tip of my smoker when done with it for the day. It is attached to the smoker by a little piece of stainless chain which came from the flapper of a crapper so it won't get lost.
I like the crapper flapper chain idea. I'm going to have to try that. I struggled keeping my smoker lit til my inspections were complete until I watched Hardwoods video. It works like a charm every time now(I do use a torch to get started of course.)
Get a RAGING INFERNO going with anything - newspaper, pine cones, etc. Then pack your fuel - sawdust, pine needles, burlap, baling twine, sumac seed heads, or whatever - on top of that. When you think you have enough, put some more in. Then finally top it off with a handful of green grass. Mine stays lit for hours. I keep it in a galvanized bucket with more grass stuffed in the spout if I'm driving between bee yards.
I start with pine needles. When those get going I plop in rolled cardboard tied off with twine. Sometimes I put burlap or cotton boles in the middle of the cardboard, if I have some. Of course I use the propane torch for a rip roaring heat source.
But I am with BlueBee. My always seems to really start producing continuous smoke about the time I finish my inspections.
Just like your wood stove, start small and build up. It's all been discussed here, but I'm finding that my students are just in too big a hurry. To keep it lit for any length of time, you have to let the fire build. You can't just stick in one substance, light it, then expect it to stay lit.