Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: Jackam on June 19, 2013, 01:20:30 am
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I found myself needing a smoker and, being frugal, I decided to make one.
I used an empty disposable propane tank for the outer body. I wrenched off the threads and it created a hole that was perfect for a piece of 1/2" copper. I secured that with a conduit nut from the inside.
Making the bellows had me perplexed until I came up with the idea of cutting all the pages out of a small hardcover book and using the hard covers and the binding as a hinge. Of course, no project is complete without duct tape.
I put some trim stock inside to make it spring back after being compressed. For the airway, I used a piece of brass cut from a spent rifle cartridge.
Inside the propane canister is a soup can with a bunch of holes in it. The propane canister has a false bottom in it so that REALLY helps with the heat.
I just used some leather to act as a hinge for the top of the smoker. That's the only drawback, I wish it had a tighter seal. It doesn't hurt anything the way it is (it just adds a little smoke for the flyers!) I think that I can make a slit in the outer main portion of the propane canister and taper it in a little. That would make the top fit right over the main body.
(http://s18.postimg.org/xut8yjfyt/smoker.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/xut8yjfyt/)
I hope you like it - or at least find it interesting! :)
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If it works for you then who are we to complain. I hope the outer can stays cool enough, if not try wraping some chicken wire around it. -Mike
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Now that is pretty neat. How hard was it to remove the threads? Does it come out clean?
Jim
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Kewl!
Scott
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Now that is pretty neat. How hard was it to remove the threads? Does it come out clean?
Jim
KINDA clean. :) I used a very big pipe wrench and it did not unscrew. The metal right around the threads ripped. This nice thing is - it was a nice round hole and perfect size for the copper fitting. I tried another canister later and got the exact same results.
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Looks awesome! Nice job
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way to go, making things is fun to do, imo. I make all sorts of things I do not actually 'have' to make. I enjoy working with wood and metal especially, so it is worth it, imo. Maybe one day you will feel like actually getting higher end supplies, like copper sheeting, leather scrap, thin hardwood with nice graining, and actually tin smith a professional one together, that will serve you for many decades. you obviously know how to put one together as it is now that works.
How does the longer pipe work compared to a shorter one?
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How does the longer pipe work compared to a shorter one?
The longer pipe allows me to pinpoint just who gets the smoke. I also think it acts to cool the smoke somewhat but I have no proof of that!
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makes sense to me. cool.
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I still have my first homemade smoker. try this to seal the two halves. take a inner tube for a bicicel and cut a section out of it and roll it onto the bottom portion of the smoker and when you are lit close the lid and roll the tube up over to seal it. It works for mine.
John
this post has pics of mine: http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,35308.0.html (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,35308.0.html)
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So I'm NOT alone!!!! :)
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Someday it'll be collectible "folk art".
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I've often thought about making a nice copper one, and embossing or engraving it or something cool. so far thats as far as I've gotten...but it is clearly a good platform for a beekeeper to make unique.