arthritis and the smoker

[slacker361]

I have artritis in the saddle joint of both thumbs and flair after working on the hives. I have narrowed it down to the bellows on the smoker that aggravate the arthritis. Beside the $150 automatic smoke does anyone have any other ideas?

[jmblakeney]

You could try taking a couple stings in that area to see if helps any, or a couple Ibuprofen half an hour before heading to the bee yard.
James

[greenbtree]

I have used a very large tin can when I have misplaced my smoker :roll:  Just carry a small piece of cardboard or something to fan it up or in the direction you want it to go.

JC

[jtow]

You could try giving up the smoker. I'm a second year beek, only have 4 hives, but have never fired up my smoker, bees aren't smokers either!   :)

[AllenF]

Compressed air can to the bottom hole of the smoker.   Or there are pics of older smokers have you would blow with a tube to smoke the bees.

[AllenF]

And I would never advise anyone to go without smoke except under a few conditions. 

[Robo]

I agree with James,  try a few stings in the area and see if the arthritis gets better. Make sure you take plenty of vitamin C before and after.

Other option is to get one of those German mouth smokers.

Beekeeper

[jredburn]

You can get help from a Dr.  He can prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs.  i have found that if I keep the swelling down I do a lot better.
Three or four full strength aspirin keep me pretty limber.

Take the bellows off the smoker and make a hanger to hang it on your belt.  Run a rubber tube to the smoker and push the bellows with the edge of your hand.
Regards
Joe

[slacker361]

Thanks for all the great ideas guys/gals, i will have to give them a try.... if that auto blow machine was under a buck i miohg think about it but over 100 is just a little to steep

[Kathyp]

aspirin.  that's what i live on.

[iddee]

maybe my hands are extra large, but I can operate the bellows between the palm of my hand and my three fingers. The pinkie, ring, and middle finger. I operate it about half way down, not from the top.A sting or two does help my arthritis.

Jtow, let us know how long you spend at the hospital when you get 50 to 250 stings the first 2 seconds after you open the hive. It's not if it will happen, only when. Unless you go full suited every time you open the hives, then you will kill that many bees needlessly, and have all that guard smell in your suit.

[Kathyp]

lots of people go without smoking hives....until they don't  :-D

[slacker361]

maybe my hands are extra large, but I can operate the bellows between the palm of my hand and my three fingers. The pinkie, ring, and middle finger. I operate it about half way down, not from the top.A sting or two does help my arthritis.

Jtow, let us know how long you spend at the hospital when you get 50 to 250 stings the first 2 seconds after you open the hive. It's not if it will happen, only when. Unless you go full suited every time you open the hives, then you will kill that many bees needlessly, and have all that guard smell in your suit.

Iddee once i get er lit I can use it that way , but until I do that is what kills me......

[Michael Bush]

You could try one of these:

Other names:
beekeepers' Dathe pipe
beekeeper mouth smoker
Pfeife (beekeeper's pipe)
Imker Pfeife


You can buy several here:
http://www.bees-and-things.com/C11_1.htm
http://www.bienen-voigt.de/de/Arbeitsgeraete/Smoker-/-Rauchstoff
http://www.bienenzuchtbedarf-geller.de/shop/index.php?cat=c61_Imkerpfeifen.html&XTCsid=c1e722833e62c473aed9f8301a7f51c6
http://www.bienenzuchtbedarf-geller.de/shop/product_info.php?info=p111_Imkerpfeife-Filius.html
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bienen-meier.ch%2Fdefault.htm&lp=de_en&btnTrUrl=Translate

a veil with a hole for them here:
http://www.bienen-voigt.de/de/Stichschutz/Hut-/-Schleier/Amischleier-mit-Pfeifenffnung1


http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/api99.htm
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/smok.html

[Jim134]

 I have use Kingsford Match Light Charcoal to get it going.


  BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[BoBn]

You could replace the bellows with a blower motor from a laptop like this:

http://www.amazon.com/60mm-15mm-Motor-Blower-Wires/dp/B004JPPTSK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_pc_3

I wouldn't buy a new one.  Find someone who tears apart computers.

I would run a 12 volt blower at 9 volts or maybe 6 or 7 volts and a momentary contact switch.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062510&filterName=Type&filterValue=SPST
You could probably use 6 AA batteries, or for heavy use you could use a rechargeable battery designed for one of those remote control toys.
I think that 6 AA batteries would probably last me all season.  The blower motor uses very little power to operate.  The heating element in the automatic smoker is what uses a lot more power.

[Jim134]

http://www.thorne.co.uk/image/data/catalogue/2012-catalogue.pdf



CLOCKWORK SMOKER                    
 Look at Pg 24                                              



              BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[jtow]

maybe my hands are extra large, but I can operate the bellows between the palm of my hand and my three fingers. The pinkie, ring, and middle finger. I operate it about half way down, not from the top.A sting or two does help my arthritis.

Jtow, let us know how long you spend at the hospital when you get 50 to 250 stings the first 2 seconds after you open the hive. It's not if it will happen, only when. Unless you go full suited every time you open the hives, then you will kill that many bees needlessly, and have all that guard smell in your suit.

:)  That day may come, but have only been charged by the bees once, and 3 or 4 went straight for my hair, I managed to brush or kill them all, not one sting from that episode!

[slacker361]

You could replace the bellows with a blower motor from a laptop like this:

http://www.amazon.com/60mm-15mm-Motor-Blower-Wires/dp/B004JPPTSK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_pc_3

I wouldn't buy a new one.  Find someone who tears apart computers.

I would run a 12 volt blower at 9 volts or maybe 6 or 7 volts and a momentary contact switch.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062510&filterName=Type&filterValue=SPST
You could probably use 6 AA batteries, or for heavy use you could use a rechargeable battery designed for one of those remote control toys.
I think that 6 AA batteries would probably last me all season.  The blower motor uses very little power to operate.  The heating element in the automatic smoker is what uses a lot more power.

I like this one.....

[AllenF]

Get us some pics when you have it built.   Document it for the patent office.