Favorite smoker fuel

[Royall]

When I started clearing the jungle to build my home I found a couple of old rotted hives that were still full of bees. I had a young man come over to take the bees and when he fired up the smoker, he added a handful of pakalolo (marijuana) stems and leaves to it!! Did a fine job calming the bee down and smelled mighty fine! lol

[Jim134]

Welcome to Beemaster forums hope you have a good time hear.
Well I see you on the Big Island




     BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[Royall]

Thanks Jim, just have to pace myself.... so many questions to ask but trying to find them with out asking all the "newbee" type questions!! lol

Yep, Big Island Just a little ways away from Pahoa  town.

[JackM]

Well interesting, will try some of my pakalolo scrap from medication stuff to see if there is a difference, any smoke really calms my bees.  Doesn't take much at all.  I am lucky to have such happy little campers.  My state allows medical, so don't go and freak out.

[scdw43]

Pine straw and cardboard it start it.

[syphon1]

I've tried several different things for fuel (burlap, wood shavings and dry hay) but none of them lasted for more than four or five hives.  Then a friend showed me how he uses alfalfa pellets.  He puts about an inch of shavings into his smoker, lights it, pumps it to get the shaving going,then adds the pellets.  Once the pellets are smoking he puts grass in the top to keep the pellets from falling out.  Takes about five minutes to light it properly, but then you can use it all day. A bag of alfalfa pellets will last a long, long time.

[asprince]

Pine straw is so abundant around here that I would not dream of using anything else. If you pack it tight after it is lit, it will burn for awhile.


Steve

[Danpunch]

I found a saw mill close to one of my apiaries and they let me fill 5 gal buckets with shavings from their planer for free. I've also been known to throw in a couple of horse apples after I get it going. Lasts a long time. I also carry a torch for lighting and have found that to be a very useful tool to keep with me. Will have to try the soup can method, but will drill two small holes close to the top rim and attach some baling wire for easy removal.

[RHBee]

I got a tip from a guy that has been keeping bees for 40yrs. He said hay, bought a bale and couldn't bee happier. Cheap, lights easy, likes to be packed and as long as it as packd  well produces cool thick smoke.

[saperica]

for smoker fuel i use a wraped cardborad paper and pine cones.
in summer time my favorite is a water sprayer mix 1 liter of water and 30 ml of aplle vinegar.

[Lovett]

Pine straw is so abundant around here that I would not dream of using anything else. If you pack it tight after it is lit, it will burn for awhile.


Steve

Ditto!

[Foxhound]

I will stuff a paper grocery bag full of pine needles. When it comes to lighting, i'll rip the bag into light the torn paper bag, then add pine needles to it. Works for me.

[Satch]

I use a mixture of shredded paper and hickory bark to get a good smoke and it last for a while as well.

[max2]

I use burlap and I'm happy with it. Dried cow manure also works well. The best is the leaves ( they are needle like) from the Casuarina tree ( I think it is called Ironwood in your part of the world) - excellent!

[BGhoney]

Went over last year to a nursery and picked up 3 totes of burlap. I rolled it up in 10 bag bundles, i have about 100 bundles, think im covered for about 9 lifetimes.  Just hope mass amounts of mice dont move in..

[Wonga]

I use she-oak needles, so do plenty of other bee keepers in my part of the world. Plenty on the ground in the bush nearby, I keep a bag of them ready. Great smoker fuel.

It's called Casuarina, and Americans call it "Australian pine", its a pest species in southern USA, I hear. Looks like dry land version of a pine tree, with thick corrugated bark.

[gefdef]

I use the corrugated cardboard that is used to separate stone fruit ( peaches, plums etc) in the trays.

Provides a good smoke and is not harsh.

Geoff

[Moots]

Do you mean that orange twine? Isn't that to plasticy? The stuff I'm thinking of seems as if it would gunk up the smoker.

Beth

No, I use the twine made out of fibers from the sisal plant.  This is still commonly used by the farmers around here.  I believe the orange stuff you refer to is some type of nylon.  I wouldn't suggest using it. I imagine the fumes aren't to healthy.

robo...

Robo,
Does the Sisal twine you use have any color to it?  I have a buddy that raises horses and gave me an entire sack of the stuff which comes off his hay bales.  It burns great and makes a ton of smoke.  This Sisal twin is green in color...However, after doing some research I'm thinking I shouldn't use it but wanted to confirm my concerns.  First, because of the green color, I'm assuming it's been died and that's not a natural color.  Second, I've read that it's common now for these twins being used in such applications have been treated with rodenticides to prevent rats/mice from chewing through the twine.

Thoughts?

[indypartridge]

Second, I've read that it's common now for these twines being used in such applications have been treated with rodenticides to prevent rats/mice from chewing through the twine.

I stopped using twine in my smoker for exactly that reason. Not only rodenticides, but insecticides as well. It's getting difficult to find baling twine that isn't chemically treated. Used to be you could tell it was treated if it was green or orange, but now even the un-dyed twine is treated.

[capt44]

When I'm going to inspect 4 or 5 hives I use wood shavings from my wood planner.
I usually have a large box of it from planning rough lumber.
If I'm going to inspect several hives I use the wood pellets with the fire starter pellets.
It smokes for 3 or 4 hours.