Burlap and oil, a new can of worms

[Cindi]

I was reading a post and a member said that they use oil in the burlap for smoking the bees.  Now I gotta wonder about that.

When I was at a seminar at the Honeybee Centre, our instructor told us that he likes to use burlap in the smokers that was only very lightly treated with coconut oil as opposed to regular burlap that has "motor" oil infused.  He contends that the coconut oil burlap burns a clean blue smoke that is not noxious to the bees, such as the smoke that comes from burlap treated with motor oil.

I have an agreement on this part.  For the small amount of burlap that is used during the smoking process, I stick with the cleaner smoke, because I also think that if I am inhaling the smoke (which is almost impossible not to), I would rather inhale something not as noxious.

In our Bee Scene magazine, Ted Hancock, one of the executives of the BCHPA (BC Honey Producers Association) wrote an article and said that he uses nothing but burlap in his smoker. 

I use burlap and little pieces of maple branches or cherry branches, these tend to burn nicely along with the burlap.

My 2 cents (doesn't that seem such a wonderful term, 2 cents).  Great day.  Cindi

[Finsky]

It depends how strong aroma comes from certain stuff. White smoke is tar+water vapour and it condensdates on frame surfaces. So it gives taste to honey and cappings.

The volume of tar is to be seen also how much tar runs along sides of smoker.

[KONASDAD]

Cr. CC Miller in his book, 50 yrs among bees, used burlap soaked in saltpeter. Wonder if its similar?

[Cindi]

I don't see alot of tar on my smoker on outside at all.  Interesting information.

I read the same thing about burlap and saltpetre.  If my memory serves me well, I think the use of saltpeter was that the saltpeter kept the smoker burning for a much longer time.  I have no clue if saltpeter would be good or not.  I would imagine that C.C. Miller would have a pretty good grasp on good care of the honeybee, seems he really cared about the girls and their comfort.  Great day.  Cindi

[Finsky]

 
saltpeter  gives oxycen into process and keeps stuff burning. 

You may make homemade gunpowder from saltpeter:  Mix  carbon dust + icy sugar + sulphur dust + salpeter dust. 

[KONASDAD]

You may make homemade gunpowder from saltpeter:  Mix  carbon dust + icy sugar + sulphur dust + salpeter dust. 

I want to smoke the bees, not shoot them!

[Cindi]

saltpeter  gives oxycen into process and keeps stuff burning. 
You may make homemade gunpowder from saltpeter:  Mix  carbon dust + icy sugar + sulphur dust + salpeter dust. 

Isn't saltpeter what they give to guys in jail to keep them under control in certain ways?  (LOL).

I see why you can know so much Finsky, you told us that you have degrees in university matters.  That gives you lots of wonderful information to bring to the forefront, consider yourself a fortunate person.  Knowledge is like the shining stars, never goes out.  Great day.  Cindi

[Jerrymac]

Motor oil  :shock: It's cancer time!!!!

[Finsky]

consider yourself a fortunate person. 

Yeah, I think so!   When I was in shool about 13-15 y, we stoled tens of kilos dynamite. Maybe 200 kilos. We made gun powder too from potassium nitrate.  We stoled it from highway work yards. It is wonder that I am alive. - Is it fortune, you must ask it from my neighbours.

But then some guys in our country robbed banks with dynamite and since then all exslosion stuff were behind safe locks.  :-D

[Cindi]

Finsky, Ya, don't we all do really stupid things when we are in the realm of youth, teen years in particular.  The events that had occurred to me when I was so young would make my head swim now if I thought any of my grandchildren, neices or nephews doing such stuff.  In remembering, I am sure that there were many times I nearly met destiny.  Foolish young children.

I look back too, and wonder how on earth I am on this earth.  We used to play "chicken" with the trains that were way down that back of our place, and along an old dirt road.  We lived in the suburbs, that some 40 years ago were all acreage.  It was all bush and farmland, no apartments, highrises, nor anything of that sort.  We played all day long as kids in these bushes, coming only in for lunch, and if we were lucky, we would be right back out after dinner.  It was a horrrible thing to stop play and come in to eat.  But our Mother enforced that rule of food.  Yikes!!!  I have a really hard time with getting off topic.

I'll get onto bee stuff.  I checked my bees.  I will be writing about that tomorrow morning.  It was a good afternoon with the girls.  Our temperature now at 4:00 P.M. is +12 C, which is 53 F.  Sunny day, after such a long time of snow and rain.  Very busy girls.  Got stung once on wrist.  Great day to you all.  Cindi

[Kirk-o]

I think Burlap would be good clean Burlap.I think Burlap with oil is bad the Bees have enough chemicals as it is
Kirk-o

[Brian D. Bray]

Burlap is an age old preference for use in smokers.  I find many things that work just as well; punky wood, tightly rolled cardboard, dried horse and cow manure, cardboard eggs crates, etc.  The debate on which fuel is best is needless--just use what works and whats at hand.

[Michael Bush]

The oil, of course is fuel (not that I'm suggesting it).  The saltpeter, as Finsky points out, provides oxygen to help keep the burlap lit.  I don't use either on my burlap.  I use a can insert to provide the oxygen.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm