Okay let's flame about smokers

[Michael Bush]

>open the lid up so it can get more oxygen and it won't go out as quickly.

If you do this you better keep an eye on it.  You usually end up with a lot of flames very shortly.

[Wombat]

I use burlap and hemp twine.

Speaking of hemp - if you're planning on using smoked cannabis for an extended period, I would make the suggestion that you add a bubbler chamber and a carb to circulate and cool the smoke before its expelled. It can get to be a bit hot. But don't spill the water on anything or you won't get the smell out.

wombat

[Ross]

First order of business, get the biggest smoker in the catalog. I just upgraded from a 4x7 to a 4x11 and it was an epiphany. Next, and this is personal opinion, get one with a conical top, not a domed top. The domed top seems to trap moisture which in turn damps the fire. Dadant and probably others have the conical top. Brushy has the domed top at least on the smaller smokers. As a said, that could be conjecture, but that's my experience. In 4 years, I never got the small smoker to stay lit like the big one did this week.

[Jack Parr]

I use burlap and hemp twine.

Speaking of hemp - if you're planning on using smoked cannabis for an extended period, I would make the suggestion that you add a bubbler chamber and a carb to circulate and cool the smoke before its expelled. It can get to be a bit hot. But don't spill the water on anything or you won't get the smell out.

wombat

The voice of experience :?:

[Archie]

hi,
I like to use bailing twine.  I bought a roll of bailing twine from a farm supply store a number of  years ago and it lasts for ever.  

Archie

[Understudy]

hi,
I like to use bailing twine.  I bought a roll of bailing twine from a farm supply store a number of  years ago and it lasts for ever.  

Archie

Ok I am going to ask a really stupid question here.
Do you unwind twine from the ball or do you have the whole ball in the smoker?
I am assuming you are not buying some huge ball of twine.
Do you use anything as a start medium such as newspaper?
How long does it burn for?

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Archie]

good morning,

I do buy a large ball of bailing twine.  I pull off enough to fill my smoker but not too tight.  I put a small loose ball of paper in the bottom of the smoker before the twine.  I have 6 hives and when I do use my smoker, this system seems to last long enough.  If you use the bailing twine. besure to buy the untreated stuff.  The twine should be a natural brown or tan in color and not green or any other color.  this twine is also a good source for tying things up.

Archie

[Archie]

another thought

local farmers are a good source for twine.  when they break open their bails of hay, they have two strans of twine from the bail. . the farmers will ge more than happy to give it to you just be sure it is not treated twine

Archie

[Andrew Tyzack]

I once heard someone saying that using tobacco in the smoker is a good way to 'stun' varroa mites. Is there any truth in this?

I also read about some trials on the use of grapefruit leaves in the smoker, for varroa treatment - anybody heard anything?

Any opinions on the above?

Andrew

[Finsky]

I once heard someone saying that using tobacco in the smoker is a good way to 'stun' varroa mites. Is there any truth in this?

I also read about some trials on the use of grapefruit leaves in the smoker, for varroa treatment - anybody heard anything?

Any opinions on the above?

World is full of " some said tricks". We have well tested cures. It is better live along them. Russians have a lot that kind of methods.

Any opininions?  - In every country we have official recommendations to handle varroa and I suppose that no one advice to use tobacco  or citrus leaves.

To make his own experiments will be very expencive to hobbyist. But people love self made humbug and they do if they want.

[Jack Parr]

Russian bees that is, or, to be specific, QUEENS.

Finsky, I don't recall reading your opinions on the Russian queens. Now if you do not wish to comment on anything  Russians which might be negative then we will understand: Some of us OLDER folks that is.

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I think the subject, smokers, is, well, smoked out into the open and what more is there to say?

[Finsky]

Finsky, I don't recall reading your opinions on the Russian queens.

I meant Russian beekeepers, you know those who live east from us and to west from USA.  :P

Я намеревался русский хранитель пчелы, вы знаю те которые живут на восток от нас и к западу от США. :P. :P


Russian queens

[ian michael davison]

Hi all
Andrew: Yes tobacco smoke will stun Varroa but it is not very efficient and if you use too much it stuns the bees. As Finsky says, there are many better options.
Tobacco smoke was used to knock down braula, a small wing-less fly that piggy backs on bees and would run up to the bees mouth parts and grab a free meal when the bees are feeding.
This parasite was a pain to comb honey producers as they would burrow under the cappings, leaving a trail behind them, but did not feed on the bees themselves.
Bumble bee colonies can be seriously infested and the queens in honey bee colonies seemed to be very attractive to this pest. In some cases you could hold the queen in a lightly clenched fist and blow a little smoke in to remove these parasites.
One interesting point is that it appears, since treatments for varroa, this little pest has all but disappeared.

Regards Ian

[rusty]

.
One interesting point is that it appears, since treatments for varroa, this little pest has all but disappeared.

Regards Ian

Yes! I have to say that in more than 10 years of beekeeping I have only seen once incidence of Braula and that was on someone else's bees. I had almost forgotten about it.

It will be nice when we can say the same about Varroa SHB EFB & AFB, although I dread to think what other little horrors are waiting in the "wings".

Excuse the pun!!

rusty

[Jay]

Russian queens

Now where do I order these Russian queens Finnman??? :lol:  :lol:

[thomashton]

Pretty good Russian Finman. I lived in the Ukraine for two years and rarely do I see good Russian like that--at least over there. I guess you have the proximity to use it more often though.

[Finsky]

Now where do I order these Russian queens Finnman??? :lol:  :lol:

I suppose here. It they are sold out try next. Seems to be contact nro too. They  need to be whole swarm, it seems like that.

1)  http://www.musiciansgallery.com/start/dancers/st_petersburg_ballet.html

2) http://www.operaandballet.com/

[jfischer]

Some reading on smokers that might prove informative,
or at least entertaining:

http://bee-quick.com/reprints/smoke.pdf

http://bee-quick.com/reprints/smoker.pdf

[Finsky]

Interesting article!  But there is matter if you burn needles of rotten birch.

I think that bees need not white smoke but they need smell of smoke to be quiet.  Nowadays bees are so calm that they need minimum to smoke. Somethimes I need a good smoke cloud but seldom. Robbering is that case.

That Trunk Rot of Birch burn with blue thin smoke. It gives so much smell that I can work.  And one is important. If you use stuff which gives a lot tar it glues the cover of smoker.

[mat]

I put a piece of foundation. It gives very nice smell, like candle, and bees like it.