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Author Topic: What's the best Smoker fuel?  (Read 14354 times)

Offline tim adams

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #20 on: May 19, 2010, 10:36:10 pm »
Pine needles work well for me.
Tim

Offline Sparky

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #21 on: May 19, 2010, 11:25:54 pm »
Pine needles over wood pellets with wood shaving scraps with few drops of rubbing alcohol from the yard tool bucket, to get it lit. Then twist some pinecones in half and pack on top to keep the flame or sparks in and the smoke cool. Remember it is easy to put out if you don't use it all but if you run out when it is needed the most it can cause you some real grief.

Offline luvin honey

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #22 on: May 20, 2010, 01:10:49 am »
Wadded newspaper, topped with a small amount of wadded cardboard, topped with a tightish ball of brown baling twine.
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Offline bee-nuts

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #23 on: May 20, 2010, 02:11:52 am »
I like summac berries and bailing twine

Danno

What do you do to the summac berry stuff.  Do you gather a bunch and dry on a tarp when still fuzzy and sweet smelling or at what point do you harvest it?   
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Offline danno

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #24 on: May 20, 2010, 01:19:33 pm »
I like summac berries and bailing twine

Danno

What do you do to the summac berry stuff.  Do you gather a bunch and dry on a tarp when still fuzzy and sweet smelling or at what point do you harvest it?   

I gather them in spring and they are already dry from the year prior.   

Offline Rodni73

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #25 on: May 20, 2010, 02:50:09 pm »
What's the best smoker fuel :??

Well I do not use a smoker but I smoke the bees by pufing on my cigar ;)!
I would ware the suit without the head vail and just use my cigar as a smoking tool.
It works every time  :-D.


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Offline troutstalker2

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #26 on: May 21, 2010, 10:55:42 pm »


 +1 on the cedar bedding. Smells good and is cheap. Burlap works well, but the smell to me is just god awful.

Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #27 on: May 22, 2010, 04:10:38 pm »
I found that the cedar bedding does smell nice but seems a bit hot smoked for me, how do you cool it down?
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Offline kedgel

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #28 on: May 22, 2010, 09:53:32 pm »
I found that the cedar bedding does smell nice but seems a bit hot smoked for me, how do you cool it down?
When the smoker is fired up good and hot, put in a handful of green grass, or something that is not quite dry, it cools the smoke and eventually starts to burn also.
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Offline Astrocycler

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #29 on: May 22, 2010, 10:20:21 pm »
Have not had a problem with too much heat from the cedar chips.  However, if there are not enough chips in the smoker it can burn hot... probably true of most fuels.
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Offline Tyro

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #30 on: May 23, 2010, 12:05:43 am »
I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't have seen it but...............
Last week, I met with a commercial beekeeper to make nucs.  He lit his smoker with paper and then stuffed it with dried, broken up pieces of cow patties that he picked up from around his truck.

It smoked great and stayed lit the whole time we pulled frames.


Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #31 on: May 23, 2010, 02:03:57 pm »
I have heard of that, and also that like you say works good, but in my mind ,, I wouldn't want to know that when eating the honey. :)
Each new day brings decisions,  these are  new branches on the tree of life.

Offline Schoon

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #32 on: May 23, 2010, 03:20:08 pm »
I like pine needles.
Bobby

Offline vermmy35

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #33 on: May 23, 2010, 04:44:20 pm »
I use mulch that I have.
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Offline classeroadbees

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #34 on: June 16, 2010, 05:22:01 pm »
the brown part when it dries

Offline MagicValley

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #35 on: June 16, 2010, 10:18:11 pm »
Dried hemp stems, from your local "alternative" grower.

Mellow bees make better honey.


Offline Dr. B in Wisconsin

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #36 on: June 16, 2010, 10:26:38 pm »
I also use pine needles with wood chips and pine cones. I keep a few pine cones in my pocket and add them if needed.

Offline BjornBee

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #37 on: June 16, 2010, 10:46:15 pm »
I found that the cedar bedding does smell nice but seems a bit hot smoked for me, how do you cool it down?

I found if I mix the cedar bedding with pine shavings, it works very nice. You can pick up bales at tractor supply store, and depending on your use, it will last for years. Store in a trash can.
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Offline asprince

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Re: What's the best Smoker fuel?
« Reply #38 on: June 16, 2010, 10:58:01 pm »
Pine needles pack tight produces a cool smoke. It's free and plentiful in my parts.


Steve
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