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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: mc1960 on January 16, 2015, 09:09:39 AM

Title: smoker fuel size
Post by: mc1960 on January 16, 2015, 09:09:39 AM
Cleaning out my old barn, I found some old burlap sacks that had been put in a barrel. I was thinking I would go ahead a cut some up and store the pieces in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid so that they would be ready when I need them. My question is, what would be a good size to cut the pieces for the smoker?
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: iddee on January 16, 2015, 12:22:36 PM
I just rip, I don't measure, but they come out about 4 X 12 inches.
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: BeeMaster2 on January 16, 2015, 12:55:12 PM
MC,
What you want to do is make it fit to the size of your smoker and you want it packed in tight so that it acts like a coal and stay lit.

Jim
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: mikecva on January 16, 2015, 02:33:21 PM
I use 4x8" just so I can add a little extra when needed but I just started with that size and have not changed, just habit .  Make sure your sacks were not treated with a rat deterrent or other undesired chemicals.  -Mike
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: GSF on January 16, 2015, 08:21:33 PM
Didn't folks use to make clothes out of burlap?
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: BeeMaster2 on January 17, 2015, 07:36:01 AM
Quote from: GSF on January 16, 2015, 08:21:33 PM
Didn't folks use to make clothes out of burlap?
During the depression. feed sacs were some type of cloth and people started making clothed from them.  One company started adding different prints to their sacks just to get those people to buy their flour because they could make fancy  clothes from the sack. I just saw that on the history channel last week.
Jim
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: Dallasbeek on January 17, 2015, 11:58:10 AM
As I recall, it was flour sacks.  Maybe feed sacks, too, but my parents didn't buy feed, so don't know.  And it was up through WWII, I think.
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: BeeMaster2 on January 17, 2015, 09:01:06 PM
You are right, it was flour sacks and it was up through WW2.
Jim
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: Dallasbeek on January 17, 2015, 09:14:39 PM
Long-term memory works okay, I guess.  Short-term?  Not as well, maybe.
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: jayj200 on January 17, 2015, 10:37:28 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 17, 2015, 09:01:06 PM
You are right, it was flour sacks and it was up through WW2.
Jim

and during the pioner days burlap worked
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: craneman54 on January 23, 2015, 08:09:38 AM
I can remember going to the feed store with my Dad back in the mid 60's. They still sold corn in those flowered prints back then.  Wasn't long after that those flowered sacks disappeared. Yes my Mom used them to make clothes for my sisters.
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: don2 on January 24, 2015, 05:39:09 PM
Burlap may be or had been a good "outer" garment, but I would not want it next my skin. I wore summer shorts made out of the 200 lb. fertilizer sacks. They were stiff enough. Those  sacks was also used for straw ticks, ( bed matras), Filled with wheat straw.
My Wife has a big stack of flower/feed sacks she got off E-Bay. Not able to sew anymore, don't know what she plans to do with them. d2 :sad:
Title: Re: smoker fuel size
Post by: SCPossum on January 31, 2015, 11:50:14 PM
They were also used to make curtains and anything else in the house requiring cloth.