Grandma_DOG
House Bee
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Location: Austin, TX
Build it, and they will comb.
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« Reply #20 on: May 11, 2010, 08:49:58 PM » |
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Heck, I use old dried up Republicans, cut them into small strips, light them up with a blow torch and get lots of hot air, smoke and mirrors out of them. Bees get a bit nervous around them, however.
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Bee Happy
Super Bee
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Location: Between Panama city, Florida and Dothan Al.
that's me - setting a phoenix free
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« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2010, 11:18:58 PM » |
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thought this might be helpful.
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be happy and make others happy.
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wildbeekeeper
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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« Reply #22 on: May 12, 2010, 08:13:04 AM » |
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has anyone ever tried using fatwood sticks or shavings from fatwood? they sell it to start fireplaces, chmneas etc....jut wondering how it would do in a smaoker as shavings or small pieces...it smells good, but not sure how detrimental it may be?
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Ollie
House Bee
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Location: Pawcatuck, CT
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« Reply #23 on: May 12, 2010, 08:45:01 AM » |
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Pine needles are my favorite, but then I'll grab anything around the hives, leaves, sticks grass...Easy way to light anything when no pine needles are around, a little bit of wax in a leaf, wrap, squeeze, light and drop..Done!
If I have a lot of work or am going to spend a lot of time, I take the time to gather a hand full of stick to make some coals in the bottom of the smoker, then, pine needles or leaves.
Totally out of dried up Republicans over here... I wonder if tea bags would work?
BTW, where do you store your smoker?
I picked up an ammunition box from the army & navy store, it holds the smoker, hive tool, extra fuel, lighter & matches.
The best thing is that when I am done with one yard, I can just stuff the billowing smoker right in there, clamp the lid on and throw it in the car without smells, smoke or risk of fire. It keeps everything dry and organized and safe.
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Life is good...Make it gooder!
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Irwin
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Location: Lakeside OR
howdy all
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« Reply #24 on: May 12, 2010, 09:05:32 AM » |
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I use left wing liberal tree hugging democrat's It burns a long time up to 12 hour's but the smoke smells like boiled egg sulfur fart !
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Fight organized crime! Re-elect no one.
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hardwood
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« Reply #25 on: May 12, 2010, 09:58:35 AM » |
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Irwin, your wasting all that gator trapping bait on smoker fuel?  Scott |
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"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
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Irwin
Super Bee
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Location: Lakeside OR
howdy all
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« Reply #26 on: May 12, 2010, 10:47:30 AM » |
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Irwin, your wasting all that gator trapping bait on smoker fuel? Scott Don't have gator's around here so insted of throwing out with the garbage I use it for smoker fuel |
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Fight organized crime! Re-elect no one.
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Michael Bush
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« Reply #27 on: May 15, 2010, 09:00:47 AM » |
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My favorite is burlap. If it's not available, whatever is handy... leaves, pine needles, cardboard, klennex...
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JP
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« Reply #28 on: May 15, 2010, 09:08:00 AM » |
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has anyone ever tried using fatwood sticks or shavings from fatwood? they sell it to start fireplaces, chmneas etc....jut wondering how it would do in a smaoker as shavings or small pieces...it smells good, but not sure how detrimental it may be?
My opinion is that fatwood pine would put off too much heat and you want a cool heat when working bees. Same reason why pine bark would not be my choice. Pine needles, burlap, dead leaves, wood chips from just about anything but pine. ...JP |
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Cheryl
House Bee
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Location: Tucson AZ, USA
top bar beekeeper
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« Reply #29 on: May 15, 2010, 03:23:52 PM » |
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I have a lot of Oleander in my yard. I DON'T want to burn that, so I am cautious what I pick up off the ground. (People have died, cooking with oleander boughs.)
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We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
~ Aristotle
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Michael Bach
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Location: Western Massachusetts
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« Reply #30 on: May 15, 2010, 07:00:08 PM » |
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Please don't blow me up but I bought the bee-z-smoker and it is fabulous. I use pine shavings for fuel. Lit in 15 seconds and out with a shake. Smoke is cool and the smoker NEVER gets hot. I am sure you have all seen it in beek magazines.
Pricey but it works.
Funnly thing is most of the time, I just use plain old water if the bees get defensive. My hives are start ups and so far have not been mean yet.
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