# not too impressed with Rauchboy smoker



## SL Tx (Sep 17, 2006)

After reading glowing commentary on this forum, I put a Rauchboy smoker on my birthday wish list: the larger one (for 30+ hives!?!). It looked to be about the the same size as my faithful Dadant which usually smokes away until it runs out of fuel. Since it had a ventilated inner can, I opted for the big one... the smaller version didn't seem capable of holding much fuel.

CONFESSION: I fell for the snob appeal of German-engineering. I even stained and varnished the wooden panels on the bellows as soon as it arrived. Jeeezzz.

Here is what I've learned:

My old Dadant's bellows has both a "suction" and "discharge" for the air flow. The suction hole is much larger so it quickly inhales the next gulp of air. The Rauchboy has one small hole so they don't need a valve...they probably saved a quarter or so there.

The Rauchboy can has a flat spot at the seam that leaked smoke badly until the black crud gummed it up. Now it is hard to close and even harder to open. When I clean it up, it leaks again. And when its leaking, the bellows is recycling smoke not pumping air.

The wire loop on my Dadant smoker's lid stays cool. The metal tab on the Rauchboy melts my rubber gloves. Lovely mess.

The Rauchboy lid does not open wide enough to dump the ashes like my Dadant does so they just dump into the lid.

My Dandant smoker has a pinned hinge for the lid. The German-engineered one is a cheaper stamped metal arrangement. It's wire guard is pretty rinky dink too.

For the same money I could have asked for two more Dadant M00927's instead. But what would I do with three of them?

I think I stained and varnished the wrong smoker.....


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

*Novel smoker*

Sounds like it belongs on the shelf of curiosities and antiques in the shop


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Thanks for the info...good to know. My Dadant works like a champ all day long every day I am working bees.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

*Bee smokers*

If you ever get a chance, Paul Jackson, Texas state bee inspector gives talks on history construction and design of smokers. The design commonly available here in the states is actually the result of a lot of R,D&D. Hard to beat.


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## danno1800 (Mar 13, 2004)

*I have also been very disappointed with my Rauchboy*

It is hard to open and close, hard to keep lit and doesn't do nearly as well as my old smoker from Dadant. -Danno


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## beekeeper_sd (Oct 30, 2008)

I totally agree with the assessment of the Rauchboy. The thing puts out no smoke. We actually replaced the bellows on our new Rb with an old Dadant bellows because Rb uses a type of suede bellows that doesn't hold air. This smoker would be good if you constantly puff your smoker, otherwise, the Rb will go out everytime. From our experience, Walter T. Kelly puts out the BEST smoker. Basically the same thing as all other smokers, but a much sturdier bellows. The Kelly smokers just never quit. 
Carol
www.SimplyBeeLightful.com
-------------------------------
Have you hugged a bee today?


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## 67630 (Jul 17, 2008)

I have the same smoker, been using it all year. Never went out once. I used pine shavings from my planer for awhile but now I use dried pine needles. The smoke is much better, still never went out. I am happy with it.


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## J-Bees (Jul 12, 2008)

michael-bees said:


> I have the same smoker, been using it all year. Never went out once. I used pine shavings from my planer for awhile but now I use dried pine needles. The smoke is much better, still never went out. I am happy with it.



1 of how many good one's are out there:}:}?? ? heheheh


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

Maybe you can sell it for more than you paid for it on Ebay! Some unsuspecting soul will probably buy it...


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

While I think a regular one with the can insert works just as well:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#smokerinsert

My Rauchboys seem to be better made than yours. A leak in the seam seems to be a flaw in the workmanship on yours. I loved that they never went out so I made the insert for the other smokers and they did as well. All eventually get clogged and need a torch to burn out the creosote.


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## beebreeder (Nov 24, 2009)

I have had a Rauchoy fo five years at least and whilst it has its faults it does burn all day on one good filling and as Yet I have not had to change any parts, also it is the only smoker that I know of that has a stainless guard, so the whole lot can go into bleach to clean



Michael Bush said:


> While I think a regular one with the can insert works just as well:
> http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#smokerinsert
> 
> My Rauchboys seem to be better made than yours. A leak in the seam seems to be a flaw in the workmanship on yours. I loved that they never went out so I made the insert for the other smokers and they did as well. All eventually get clogged and need a torch to burn out the creosote.


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## Rex Piscator (Oct 12, 2010)

My BeeCalmer from Beecommerce was used to create a RB 'knockOff'....it worked. I also put a Mann Lake replacement bellows on as well; it too, has the input and output in the bellows. I could not believe how much creosote oil and ash get sucked back into a bellows with a single opening!!! ICK

The insert does keep my hybrid from going out...in fact, it tends to 'spin up' as it burns...ever increasing amounts of smoke until a full burn at the top of fuel stack.

The workmanship of the BeeCalmer is not the greatest, but being a tinker helps gets things working.... IMHO, nothing works 'out of box' as advertised....lol.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

SL Tx said:


> I think I stained and varnished the wrong smoker.....


Huh? I never heard of anyone staining and varnishing a smoker bellows. Mine is stained w/ propolis. What inspired you to do that? Did you take the bellows off of the smoker so you could cover both wood panels? Or just the one on the back?

I know this isn't the point of your Thread. Live and learn. Sometimers more money doesn't mean higher quality.


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## beehonest (Nov 3, 2011)

That's good to know, there is a lot of hubub about them. It's probaly like most companies, they make a name for themselves, then greed takes over and quality goes down the crapper. I have been happy with my little import deal I got from a starter kit. I moded the bellows with A one way valve taken off an old resperator, works great. I have the mann lake bellows that I purchased to mod it but it doesen't put out the volume of air the moded factory one does. I want to carefully drill out the output on the mann lake and see if that helps. I just haven't had the time lately.


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## Stephen (Mar 2, 2011)

I've been very happy with my Rauchboy. Easy to get going and it stays that way, unlike the other 2 smokers I have.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I've been using my Rauchboy three years, & am happy with it. Mostly burn pine needles.


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## pascopol (Apr 23, 2009)

I did my homework before purchasing my first smoker, and it seemed that Dadant smoker had most fans and no complains, so I bought one and and I do not regret it.


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