What's the best Smoker fuel?

[tim adams]

Pine needles work well for me.
Tim

[Sparky]

Pine needles over wood pellets with wood shaving scraps with few drops of rubbing alcohol from the yard tool bucket, to get it lit. Then twist some pinecones in half and pack on top to keep the flame or sparks in and the smoke cool. Remember it is easy to put out if you don't use it all but if you run out when it is needed the most it can cause you some real grief.

[luvin honey]

Wadded newspaper, topped with a small amount of wadded cardboard, topped with a tightish ball of brown baling twine.

[bee-nuts]

I like summac berries and bailing twine

Danno

What do you do to the summac berry stuff.  Do you gather a bunch and dry on a tarp when still fuzzy and sweet smelling or at what point do you harvest it?   

[danno]

I like summac berries and bailing twine

Danno

What do you do to the summac berry stuff.  Do you gather a bunch and dry on a tarp when still fuzzy and sweet smelling or at what point do you harvest it?   

I gather them in spring and they are already dry from the year prior.   

[Rodni73]

What's the best smoker fuel ?

Well I do not use a smoker but I smoke the bees by pufing on my cigar !
I would ware the suit without the head vail and just use my cigar as a smoking tool.
It works every time  .


-Rodni

[troutstalker2]

 +1 on the cedar bedding. Smells good and is cheap. Burlap works well, but the smell to me is just god awful.

[MustbeeNuts]

I found that the cedar bedding does smell nice but seems a bit hot smoked for me, how do you cool it down?

[kedgel]

I found that the cedar bedding does smell nice but seems a bit hot smoked for me, how do you cool it down?

When the smoker is fired up good and hot, put in a handful of green grass, or something that is not quite dry, it cools the smoke and eventually starts to burn also.

[Astrocycler]

Have not had a problem with too much heat from the cedar chips.  However, if there are not enough chips in the smoker it can burn hot... probably true of most fuels.

[Tyro]

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't have seen it but...............
Last week, I met with a commercial beekeeper to make nucs.  He lit his smoker with paper and then stuffed it with dried, broken up pieces of cow patties that he picked up from around his truck.

It smoked great and stayed lit the whole time we pulled frames.

[MustbeeNuts]

I have heard of that, and also that like you say works good, but in my mind ,, I wouldn't want to know that when eating the honey.

[Schoon]

I like pine needles.

[vermmy35]

I use mulch that I have.

[classeroadbees]

the brown part when it dries

[MagicValley]

Dried hemp stems, from your local "alternative" grower.

Mellow bees make better honey.

[Dr. B in Wisconsin]

I also use pine needles with wood chips and pine cones. I keep a few pine cones in my pocket and add them if needed.

[BjornBee]

I found that the cedar bedding does smell nice but seems a bit hot smoked for me, how do you cool it down?

I found if I mix the cedar bedding with pine shavings, it works very nice. You can pick up bales at tractor supply store, and depending on your use, it will last for years. Store in a trash can.

[asprince]

Pine needles pack tight produces a cool smoke. It's free and plentiful in my parts.


Steve