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Author Topic: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.  (Read 13065 times)

Offline Rurification

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Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« on: September 24, 2012, 08:30:31 am »
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:


Robin Edmundson
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Beekeeping since 2012

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2012, 12:43:55 pm »
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
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline annette

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2012, 02:33:38 pm »
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

Offline kaz052

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2012, 03:42:02 pm »
 Here's the link: Lighting a smoker

Offline hardwood

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2012, 03:44:43 pm »
Thanks for the link kaz! I'm so glad that folks are finding this video helpful!!

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline Rurification

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2012, 03:20:26 pm »
Thanks for the link!!
Robin Edmundson
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Beekeeping since 2012

Offline tillie

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2012, 10:39:33 am »
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

Offline Jim134

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2012, 09:00:50 pm »
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 :)
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Offline Sparky

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2012, 09:35:00 pm »
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.

Offline Rurification

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2012, 07:48:54 am »
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!
Robin Edmundson
www.rurification.com

Beekeeping since 2012

Offline S.Rummings

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2012, 12:31:48 am »
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.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2012, 05:13:31 am »
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
« Last Edit: December 01, 2012, 11:22:35 pm by sawdstmakr »
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2012, 11:14:37 am »
Quote
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.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline S.Rummings

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2012, 04:30:37 pm »
Ah... good advice. Looks like I will be packing my smoker full. Cool filtered smoke sounds like a good idea to me.   8-)

Offline Sparky

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2012, 08:28:36 pm »
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.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2012, 11:33:05 pm »
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
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Rurification

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Re: Blog Post: We tried using hive drapes instead of a smoker.
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2012, 07:28:49 pm »
We use a wine cork, too.   Had to carve it down a bit so we could pop it in easily, but it works great!
Robin Edmundson
www.rurification.com

Beekeeping since 2012