Smoker fuel

[SlickMick]

Hessian (or burlap in your part of the woods) is my media of choice. Easily started with a blow torch and stays alight until it is fully burnt (usually)

I am smoking less and yesterday did a full inspection of 1 hive, another super only and today another super only with no smoke and veil only. The girls were less happy but not cantankerous.. only 1 headbanger and no stiings. Think I will stay with a little smoke

Mick

[mgmoore7]

I use pine needles.  I just scope out some areas along roads or in my neighborhood with alot of pine trees and fill up a bucket.  It lasts for several weeks. 

Also, you could consider going to a lunder yard or saw mill and picking up shavings.  I use shavings as well.  Sawdust does not work so well but shavings do. 

[Mason]

Pine chips,

sold in big bags at the pet store for hamster cages for a couple of bucks.  Lights well, stays lit, smokes well.

[Wynoochee_newbee_guy]

I use paper to start my smoker then dry grass and good wad of hemp bailing twine. to bad the us goverment does not alow the growth of hemp in the states it legal to have and buy. But to many people think hemp is the same as its cousin Pot. had to clairify what hemp is so not to make every one think I am a druggie also burlap is 100% hemp.

[1of6]

Interesting to see the full variety of fuels used. 

When I started one of my mentors got me started using cut up 100% cotton jeans with some green grass thrown on top.  I like the cool smoke that this produced, but the sap/moisture from the grass gummed up the lid and made it harder to close.  I did stick with this for quite a while, and the only drawback was that when I did my larger yard, I wanted my small-capacity smoker to go a little longer before burning out.

Recently, I switched to the dark side and tried some pieces of dried out hard and soft maple, along with the dead bark.  I think I really hit on something with hardwood, because the dried bark lights with a candle lighter torch, and if you get it going well, it's really easy to get the dry hardwood going too, and once you throw the lid shut, it makes great smoke with that awesome hardwood smell.  Pack the smoker full of chunks of this, and it will go for much longer than some of the other items, and still burns hot enough that it's easy with a few good squeezes of the smoker to get new chunks going.  Squeeze repeatedly until you have a good high roaring flame, throw the lid shut, and enjoy your time with the bees!

[the kid]

I used wheat straw and a little paper. It doesn't last to long but it does put out a lot of smoke. Good for a short work time.

try twisting the straw to form a kind of rope it will last a lot longer , ... good cool smoke