Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.

[Rurification]

After seeing Linda use hive drapes instead of a smoker for inspections, we tried it.   Here's the link to my post. [It has a link to Linda's, too.]

http://rurification.blogspot.com/2012/09/hive-drapes.html

and here's one of the pics:

[BeeMaster2]

Robbin,
Go on utube and look up "Lighting smoker with pine straw".
Scott and Schawee did a great training video on how to light a smoker that lasts about 4-5 hours.
I held a class for our club after contestants lit their smokers for a smoker contest using their technique.
After 2 hours of sitting the other smokers were either close to being empty or only had about 30 minutes left at most. Then I opened up the smoker I did the training on. It looker like it had gone out, no smoke coming out. After a couple of puffs it was billowing smoke. I opened it up and showed that it was full of unburnt pine straw and put my hand in and touched the needles with the back of my fingers. They were only warm. I have found that after 4 hours you need to open it up and pack the needles back down again, there were still on lit needles in the top, if you still need it to keep smoking.
Try it I think you will like it. Every time I light a smoker with this technique, I have to put it out when I am done.
Jim

[annette]

Robin

I was going to mention that I finally learned to light a smoker that lasts for a very long time just from watching Scott's video on how to do this.

Watch this video. (anyone know where the link is??)

Annette

[kaz052]

 Here's the link: Lighting a smoker

[hardwood]

Thanks for the link kaz! I'm so glad that folks are finding this video helpful!!

Scott

[Rurification]

Thanks for the link!!

[tillie]

I just read your blog post and wanted to comment that I always light the smoker and use it to puff a hello at the front door of the hive.  Then I put it down and never pick it up again.  I believe in your post about the hive drapes, you did not use a smoker at all.  The bees could get testy for some reason or another so it's important to light the smoker, but it is equally important not to disrupt them any more than is necessary.

The hive drape allows minimal disruption.  If yours blow up or off, put dowels in the sides of the pillow cases to weight them down.  I wrote a short article on how to use the hive drape for the Georgia Beekeepers Association newsletter.  Here's alink to read how to use hive drapes.

Hope that helps,

Linda T

[Jim134]

This is MHO light the smoker and use it not if at just when this will happen 1 day you get 15 -20 sting in about 5 sec.




      BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[Sparky]

Try and find some construction going on in your area and ask someone for a couple pieces of silt fence. I made mine to hang about 4" on all sides of the box with a piece of 1/2" rope sewn in a seam around the edges for weight and with its black color the girls settle down between the frames.  It is so cool to roll it back and see all the heads facing up just sitting calmly looking up. Put one on the boxes you set off also but I would always give them a small puff.

[Rurification]

Try and find some construction going on in your area and ask someone for a couple pieces of silt fence. I made mine to hang about 4" on all sides of the box with a piece of 1/2" rope sewn in a seam around the edges for weight and with its black color the girls settle down between the frames.  It is so cool to roll it back and see all the heads facing up just sitting calmly looking up. Put one on the boxes you set off also but I would always give them a small puff.

I just read your blog post and wanted to comment that I always light the smoker and use it to puff a hello at the front door of the hive.  Then I put it down and never pick it up again.  I believe in your post about the hive drapes, you did not use a smoker at all.  The bees could get testy for some reason or another so it's important to light the smoker, but it is equally important not to disrupt them any more than is necessary.

The hive drape allows minimal disruption.  If yours blow up or off, put dowels in the sides of the pillow cases to weight them down.  I wrote a short article on how to use the hive drape for the Georgia Beekeepers Association newsletter.  Here's alink to read how to use hive drapes.

Hope that helps,

Linda T

Thanks for these extra tips, you guys!   I really appreciate it!

[S.Rummings]

If I know that I am not going to need 4 hours of smoke is it OK to use the technique in the video and stop with the first ball of pine straw or is there some reason the smoker needs to be packed full to stay lit? I do have a pretty much unlimited supply of pine straw but I don't want to make more fire than I need and then deal with putting it out.

[BeeMaster2]

The important thing is to have the pine straw packed in tight. If it is not packed in tight, there is a high chance of it going out. So yes if you pack the first ball in tight and then after it is lit, pack it down, it will stay lit. Remember the more unlit pine straw you have above the hit material, the cooler the smoke and it also filters the ash from coming out of your smoker.
Jim

[Kathyp]

and then deal with putting it out.

anything that plugs the hole will smother the fire.  since we have tons of green grass here almost all of the time, i grab a wad of grass and twist it into the spout.  just set it somewhere to cool.

[S.Rummings]

Ah... good advice. Looks like I will be packing my smoker full. Cool filtered smoke sounds like a good idea to me.   8-)

[Sparky]

Ah... good advice. Looks like I will be packing my smoker full. Cool filtered smoke sounds like a good idea to me.   8-)

Like Kathy said to just plug it up on top and if you have the type of smoker that has a big space between the back of the bellow and the intake hole you can stuff some grass there also. It will then go out quicker to lay it on its side on the ground providing the grass is green and will not catch fire before it cools down.

[BeeMaster2]

I just take a small stick that is a little bit bigger around than the spout and take my knife and shave it to the fit snugly in the spout. I also use wine corks and use a belt sander to shape it to fit it in the spout.
Jim

[Rurification]

We use a wine cork, too.   Had to carve it down a bit so we could pop it in easily, but it works great!