# Can't keep smoker smokin'



## DCook (Jan 3, 2010)

Ok, sounds simple. Put in fuel, light, puff. I have been trying the small cotton roll looking fuel from Brushy Mtn. I just can't seem to keep it lit for the whole inspection. Any help?


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

I keep a little pile of shredded wood mulch chips/bark/dry pine twigs/firewood sweepings next to me while I work the bees. Every once in a while I open the smoker and throw a little handful of that into it and puff it up again....the small amount of dried wood bits keeps things going and doesn't quit as quickly as 'lightweight' fuel like twine does.


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## bmcmahon (Apr 23, 2010)

I use the same stuff. I rough it up good, breaking it into a few small pieces. I then toss in a few pine pet bedding chips in and light that. It gets the cotton going pretty good. I then throw a little grass on for some extra smoke.


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## Scott J. (Feb 6, 2007)

A can of WD-40 can be used as lighter fluid. Spray a short burst into the material then light it off. Leave the top open for a bit to ensure the WD-40 gets burned off before closing the smoker. Sometimes it helps to open the smoker up between use to allow more air in.


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## fish_stix (May 17, 2009)

Sounds like you're starting it from the top of the fuel. Start from the bottom. Light a little wad of straw or whatever and push it to the bottom without tamping it down real hard. Puff it until you have heavy smoke, then add more fuel a handful at a time while puffing. Once it's going good you can push the wad of fuel down hard and keep filling it to the top.


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## PeteS (May 1, 2010)

What Fish Stix said works everytime!
Pete:thumbsup:


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## kwest (May 16, 2009)

I have had alot of problems also. I found that if i put in about 3 pieces of crumpled up paper in it and light them then when the fire is hot and burning good i put in a bunch of sawdust. this really smolders well and has been staying lit. getting the fire good and hot seems to be important and then making sure you pump some air through it every couple of min. I have found i end up with alot of sawdust from making all of my hive boxes. some people have said pine needles work good also.


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

First I would NOT use WD-40...I don't think blowing burning chemicals into your hive is a good idea. Second a good way to keep your smoker going is to poke several holes in the bottom of your smoker with a nail, other than that, I have some of the fuel you have and I do not like it. It might be OK if I had 20+ hive to go thru but for 6 hives I prefer burlap.


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## garprob (Jan 20, 2009)

I start with a wad of paper in the bottom, light it and add sticks and pieces of wood from the woodpile. Let it burn down to good hot coals (about 15 min). Fill the smoker up with cedar chips (pet litter) and puff away. Mine stays lit for a couple of hours. And the cedar chips make the smoke smell good.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

DCook said:


> I have been trying the small cotton roll looking fuel from Brushy Mtn.


You guys don't have pinestraw down there?!


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## yamahawg (May 19, 2010)

Read quite a few things on cedar not being so good for insects, but hey if you use that and no problems that's great! What ivé started using is pine bedding from Tractor Supply. Works great! I usually start smoker with one sheet of crumpled up newspaper, stuff it down in there, a few puffs, add a few kindling size twigs, few puffs, then start adding the pine few puffs as i add more until its going good, then stuff it on there to the top puffs every now and then and stays lit until i'm done!


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

Punching holes in your smoker is a good way to have your smoke go everywhere except where you want it.


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

Here's a couple of hints that I found helpful:

1. There is a round metal grate with legs at the bottom of my smokers. The legs are there to let air get to the bottom of the smoking fuel. If the grate is upside down, the air won't flow underneath and the fire is harder to keep going.

2. Keep all the waxy paper that comes between sheets of foundation. Great for getting the smoker started. 

3. Get a cheap butane lighter with the long snout of the type for lighting gas grills. It is easier to get the flame to the bottom of the smoker than with a match. Also, lights better than a match in damp weather.

4. Pine straw, hay, etc is good and I usually add dry wood shavings and chips and pine cones.

5. WD-40 is perfectly safe to use if you let it burn off as stated. You can tell it has burned off when all material in the smoker is gone. Then refill your smoker with non-petroleum products and work your bees.

6. If all goes well, you will emit more smoke starting the smoker and keeping it going than you will putting smoke on the bees.

Wayne


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## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

the most common mistake i see is getting wrapped up in the inspection and fogetting to "pump up" the smoker. they do go out if you dont. as an aside, the key ingredient in WD4O is -fish oil. good luck,mike


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## Mike Snodgrass (Mar 11, 2010)

I am new...But i was a Boy Scout!!! I learned to start fires by burning progressively larger fuels. Start small then work up to your main fuel! I was taught to burn paper, than kindling, then smal branches than larger branches in my smoker. Put solvents and liquid fuels in your smokers if you like....not me boys! It aint that hard to starts a fire!:scratch:


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

Beeslave, the putting holes in the bottom of a smoker to keep it lit is advice from the great Richard Taylor, I have never done it.

Mike S. I am with you brother!! 

http://www.wd40.com/files/pdf/wd-40-tr47612935.pdf

I don't see anything here that indicates "fish oil", if some of you folks want to pump smoke from this into your hives have fun...I will pass.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

mike haney said:


> as an aside, the key ingredient in WD4O is -fish oil


:scratch: 

A Michael Bush style can with holes in it might help keep the smoker lit. I never made/used one but it would prevent some of the smothering. I light a paper towel and push it into the smoker. Then I put a handful of pine pet bedding and pump the smoker to get it burning HOT, then I add more bedding and pump the smoker to get it off to a good start.


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## afss (Mar 19, 2009)

i had trouble with this all my first year.

This year i was trying to light my smoker for the first time and there was an old bag of corncob bedding sitting on a shelf beside the smoker along with some old burr comb and a propane torch.

I put an inch or so of corncob bedding in the bottom and a few chunks of burrcomb. Lay the smoker over on a 45 degree angle and shake a bit to get the bedding to lay to the side.

lit the propane torch and held it in the smoker for about a minute while puffing the billows to get a good flame going.

stood the smoker up right and puffed a few times to get the flames going more

then stuff the top part with green grass. I find the only way to get this mix to go out is to dump it. I had it smolder like this for over 3 hours on its own one day after i was done with it.

If you use anything granular i would recomend putting a wad of green grass on top as it helps hold the chunks in the smoker. I didn't do this the first time and put the smoker over too far and a small chunck fell into the hive.. didn't do any damamge but i was worried for a minute or two.


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## honeydreams (Aug 10, 2009)

this what works for me is I start with news paper, then start stuffing hay in while pumping the bellows, the more hay, then when I get nice thick cool smoke I add two goos handfulls of wood pelets my smoker lasts for hours.

And I would never ever never use Petrol products like wD40 in my smoker. No way.


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## Brenda (Nov 23, 2006)

I save the lint from the dryer and stuff it the cardboard from t.p. rolls, smash that and fold it slightly, stuff that in the bottom of the smoker, add some wood shavings and more lint, maybe a little newspaper start the fire. I light the bottom of the pile and then add more wood shavings when it's going good.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

If it was just cotton, and no scent/chemicals from fabric softeners I might use it too.


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## Countryboy (Feb 15, 2009)

There are plenty of threads on keeping a smoker lit if you search for them.

I crumple up a piece of newspaper about the size of a sheet of regular paper. I light that and drop it in my smoker. I drop in a small handful of wood shavings from my planer, and give it a couple puffs. (Don't drop in fuel while puffing or the flame shooting out will burn your hand.) I keep adding handfulls of shavings in between puffs until I have it burning really good. Then I stop puffing, and pack shavings as tight as I can, and fill the smoker. Once I have the smoker full and the top closed, I start pumping again until I have a good smoke coming out.

Pump the bellows every few minutes to make sure it stays burning good. Once it is lit well, I can sit the smoker down for half hour and it will still be lit when I come back. If I am using the smoker all day long, I may need to add more wood shavings or pine needles.

The trick is keeping your fuel packed tightly. You do not want it loose. You just want it to smolder.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

A good bee workshop will devote time to smoker practice. It is on the Florida Master Beekeeper practical. If it goes out you try again next year. I do not fumigate with burlap twine or lint anymore because there are so many pesticides and fungicides and synthetic materials to make that stuff last. There are plenty of natural flammable non-toxic materials around the bee yard and the shop many have been mentioned. I do not know what holds the wood pellets for heaters together. If they are only milled they will work although a little hot. A well used smoker is more reliable due to the creosote build-up. If you check out my workshop photo gallerys, you will see most people keep the smoker in their hand so it does not go out. I let them learn by failure the first time in the hive. It is like boot camp. We teach a Marine to dig one foxhole. When rounds start coming in, they can dig foxholes deep! The pics are at americasbeekeeper dot com or dot org Gallery and 2010_Gallery


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## indypartridge (Nov 18, 2004)

Many have mentioned a few wads of paper to start things off - I agree. Keep an old phone book with your bee stuff and you'll always have a handy source of paper.


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## MikeJ (Jan 1, 2009)

late suggestion - corrugated cardboard. Rip a piece the height of the smoker chamber. Roll it so the "tubes" go up and down (kind of like little chimneys). Lght the bottom until it is burning well then stuff it in and let the fire go out (or put it out).

I have been using this after trying shavings, sawdust, grass, etc.. Everytime it has been much better than any of the other I have tried. Once in a while I open it up and push it down a little if I have to. Roll another one up and place it on top when it gets low, it will continue to smolder.

Just and idea also... I had made a screen board and left it on top of a hive (in place of an inner cover). I just smoke through it, no bees taking off just running for the comb. If I have to smoke again I place it back over it. Really seems to help me.

Mike


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## Jay T (May 3, 2010)

Have you tried gas it wroks great if your having trouble gettign your smoker started....


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## wdcrkapry205 (Feb 11, 2010)

I must be the only person that has Leaves in his bee yards, pine straw is good also but I like using dried leaves to start with. Aside from that; Fish Stix has the procedure down pat.


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## mntransplant (Mar 20, 2009)

from the bottom up-
News paper loosely wadded
Dried spruce
moss
moose turds (dried):thumbsup:

I know you don't have any moose down there but maybe the dried deer turds would work? Dunno just figured since moose are herbivores than maybe deer would work too.
light the paper and let it catch a few slow puffs is all it takes


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## MeriB (Mar 15, 2010)

As the Boy Scouts say, If you need gas or kerosene, you have no business playing with fire. Unless you're working on the First Aid Merit Badge! :doh:


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## wdcrkapry205 (Feb 11, 2010)

mntransplant said:


> I know you don't have any moose down there but maybe the dried deer turds would work?


Guess you've never seen deer poop....


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## mntransplant (Mar 20, 2009)

wdcrkapry205 said:


> Guess you've never seen deer poop....


 Just one time


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## duck_nutt (Apr 27, 2010)

I use to have a hard time keeping mine going...

Now I always carry a small propane torch with me...I can add leaves and small sticks and within 15 seconds have it smoking big time...

the torch just speeds up the waiting time for the bigger stuff to start smoldering...


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## TomOB (Jun 1, 2003)

DCook said:


> Ok, sounds simple. Put in fuel, light, puff. I have been trying the small cotton roll looking fuel from Brushy Mtn. I just can't seem to keep it lit for the whole inspection. Any help?


i use a propane torch to ignite dry wood shavings and sawdust........no more problems.......and ...... imo....beware of killing the fire by using too much pump action.......yu might be killing the flame by causing a vacuum


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## elliebee (May 2, 2010)

I am newbk, and have had great success with smoker after watching a youtube video:

Several lightly wadded brown paper towels in bottom of smoker topped with very dry kindling sized wood broken in small enough pieces to fit in smoker. Light this mix, when flaming add 2-4 handfuls of dry pine needles and pack down with hive tool, pump bellows until white smoke appears then pack in a 14 inch square piece of burlap, give bellow a couple more and when white smoke is coming through burlap close her up.

Just yesterday, my smoker was going strong after 45 minutes and I hardly paid it any attention.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Y'all are working too hard. Put some pine needles in the bottom, light, puff until you get the flame going, and then stuff it full. Hardly ever goes out. With a 4x10 smoker I can easily get a hour or so of smoke. 3 hrs if I add pine pellets.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Oh, forget the matches and short lighters. Spend $5 for a 2 pack of lighters w/ long snouts at walmart.


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

$1.50 for one long snouted candle lighter at the Ole family dollar!! 
Get R Done!!!


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## yamahawg (May 19, 2010)

Yep long snouted lighter works great for me too!


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## cehinds (Feb 25, 2010)

I load mine full of cotton or pine needles and or a combo of the above.
Close it. Hit the button on the propane torch and light the smoker by heating the side of the smoker (stainless steel only) down low.
I have a lit smoker in a very few seconds


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## TheRatLover (May 13, 2012)

mike haney said:


> the most common mistake i see is getting wrapped up in the inspection and fogetting to "pump up" the smoker. they do go out if you dont. as an aside, the key ingredient in WD4O is -fish oil. good luck,mike


So are you saying to add a little fish oil to the inside of the smoker or to the pine needles (or whatever is used) for increased combustion? -Lori


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## Eddie Honey (May 30, 2011)

I use hemp. It seems to calm the bees down alot and afterwards they forage like crazy.


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

Lori, he said he started his smoker with WD-40 and claims it is fish oil but the MSDS says nothing about fish oil. I would strongly recommend against using any kind of liquid accelerant in a smoker.


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## Nantom670 (Jul 29, 2011)

He may or may not answer, his post was made in june of 2010.


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

mike haney said:


> the key ingredient in WD4O is -fish oil.


No. Urban legend.

I use my smoker like an updraft wood gasifier. I start with wood shavings easily lit with a long lighter, then toss in the charcoal from the previous run providing air to make coals. Once that's going, toss in more chunks of wood, anything .5-2". I use a full size smoker, anything smaller and the smoke would probably be too hot. But it works flawlessly and rarely goes out.


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

Kingfisher Apiaries said:


> Y'all are working too hard. Put some pine needles in the bottom, light, puff until you get the flame going, and then stuff it full. Hardly ever goes out. With a 4x10 smoker I can easily get a hour or so of smoke. 3 hrs if I add pine pellets.


You got that right. I mix in cardboard egg carton pieces. A good breakfast and one pine tree is all you need.


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

Will stay lit 30 min to 1 hour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwEnri6lNNI


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## TheRatLover (May 13, 2012)

NasalSponge said:


> Lori, he said he started his smoker with WD-40 and claims it is fish oil but the MSDS says nothing about fish oil. I would strongly recommend against using any kind of liquid accelerant in a smoker.


Oh...thanks. I use some pine needles and a handful of compressed wood pellet stove pellets. If I get enough pellets in it, it works for hours.  Any issues with this?


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

None that I can see.


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## J&S Farms (Jan 20, 2012)

I've always used burlap. Cut a strip about 4"x8" roll up loosely. Light and allow it too start flaming pretty good stick in smoker loosely. Give it a few puffs allow too burn a little longer. Then ball up some dead grass or hay push in smoker firmly. Slide hive tool down in between smoker wall and fuel and pry over slightly to give smoker plenty of air too breath. close lid and puff tell smoking heavily. Periodically push grass down towards bottom and add grass as needed. When you set it down keeping it upright help too. Also don't forget too puff periodically. When you get done dump out smoker and you'll see burlap is still smoldering. Good luck.


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## DonMcJr (Apr 1, 2012)

garprob said:


> I start with a wad of paper in the bottom, light it and add sticks and pieces of wood from the woodpile. Let it burn down to good hot coals (about 15 min). Fill the smoker up with cedar chips (pet litter) and puff away. Mine stays lit for a couple of hours. And the cedar chips make the smoke smell good.


That's what I do. Start with small twigs once the wadded newspaper is burning and then gradually add bigger sticks all about 3-4 inches long until you get to the size of your finger. I fill it 1/3 full with finger thick sticks and let them burn to almost coals. Then I put on gloves and wad up dry pine needles and jam them in. Two wads. Then close it and puff it a few time and make sure it's going. Jam them pine needles above the coals, so many you'll think it's too many!

Mine lasts my whole inspection then I dump the still lit coals and unburnt needles in my pond on the way back to the house.


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## BigGun (Oct 27, 2011)

I use a full sheet of newspaper with no color on it. Ball it up and when I get it kit use hive tool to shove it down in smoker. Throw in handfull of pine pellets in and work bellows for a minute until a good fire is going. Then throw a couple more good handfuls in and top with a good ball of green grass.


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## Monkadelic (Feb 5, 2010)

Quick tip I learned recently from an old beek: if your smoke is too hot (which it often can be), wad up an old rag and place it on top of your fuel. It will result in very cool smoke, since the rag dissipates the heat. Remove the rag when you're done and reuse it.


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