smoker fuel size

mc1960 · 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?

iddee · January 16, 2015, 12:22:36 PM

I just rip, I don't measure, but they come out about 4 X 12 inches.

BeeMaster2 · 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

mikecva · 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

GSF · January 16, 2015, 08:21:33 PM

Didn't folks use to make clothes out of burlap?

BeeMaster2 · 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

Dallasbeek · 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.

BeeMaster2 · January 17, 2015, 09:01:06 PM

You are right, it was flour sacks and it was up through WW2.
Jim

Dallasbeek · January 17, 2015, 09:14:39 PM

Long-term memory works okay, I guess. Short-term? Not as well, maybe.

jayj200 · 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

craneman54 · 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.

don2 · 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

SCPossum · January 31, 2015, 11:50:14 PM

They were also used to make curtains and anything else in the house requiring cloth.