# Smoker bellows repair



## Dave Burrup (Jul 22, 2008)

When ours wore out we just bought a new bellows.


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## ralittlefield (Apr 25, 2011)

Well, duct tape of course!!


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

ralittlefield said:


> Well, duct tape of course!!


I have used lots and lots of it over the years!


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

I just replace them. Actually I have never replaced bellows, A new smoker is not really cost prohibitive. The old one makes an nice fence post flower planter.


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## ralittlefield (Apr 25, 2011)

Tenbears said:


> I just replace them. Actually I have never replaced bellows, A new smoker is not really cost prohibitive. The old one makes an nice fence post flower planter.





Dave Burrup said:


> When ours wore out we just bought a new bellows.


I can not believe such decadence exists in this forum!


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## capitalbeesupply (Jul 28, 2013)

When we've done it, we use soft leather either a 2-3 oz or a 3-4 oz but I'd have to dig through notes to remember for sure (the Chinese make finished bellows for what it costs us for raw materials so we haven't made any for a long time). Depending on the maker of the bellows, generally it is relatively easy to replace the leather assuming the wood is in good shape yet (most use some form of plywood in recent decades). Essentially the leather is cut in a diamond pattern with the tips truncated off. You can disassemble your old bellows by carefully pulling the trim off and use the old leather as a pattern. Often the original trim is destroyed in the process, unless your really careful working the nails or staples out, so new trim needs to be put on when reassembling. So by the time you've done all that, applying duct tape or buying a replacement bellow is far more cost effective unless you are doing it for learning/enjoyment/enrichment...

Rich
Capital Bee Supply


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

Leather, a soft napa or suede, is the best replacement though naugahyde works as well. Replacement isn't difficult just be careful not to bend the metal trim as you pry it loose. Once the trim is off the old bellows material can be used as a pattern. Replace it in the same order it came apart.


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

ralittlefield said:


> I can not believe such decadence exists in this forum!


"A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste, and such a society is a house built upon sand." Dorothy Sayers _Why Work_


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

Im the kind of guy to fix something rather than toss it, left the lid open on my smoker and when i came back there was a decent little fire that scorched the top of the bellows material. The material was still a bit pliable when I last used it but I'm sure it will fatigue and fail next season. I was planning on using either vinyl or leather after a careful disassembly, and swap the bellows off my other smoker without a guard on it to the one I always use as they're the same model of smoker. I found my other smoker at a yard sale for $5


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

Being as cheap as I am I've usually got an old pair of worn out boots around in case I need a bit of leather. I'd go there.
Bill


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## Beeonefarms (Nov 22, 2013)

Riverderwent said:


> "A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste, and such a society is a house built upon sand." Dorothy Sayers _Why Work_


Oh this is killing me... here ill buy you one....


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

I use vinyl, seems to last well.

Fixed a few smokers in my day, mainly cos I enjoy fixing stuff. Cost, well no it's not economic if you factor in time, but not everything we do is measured in the cost of the time. And, I do not feel good about the waste mountain our modern world is creating.


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## MangoBee (Jul 13, 2014)

Riverderwent said:


> "A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste, and such a society is a house built upon sand." Dorothy Sayers _Why Work_


-says the person who has never left their smoker out in the rain. LOL. For how inexpensive they are, just get a new bellows or a new smoker.


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## kyell (Feb 3, 2012)

ralittlefield said:


> Well, duct tape of course!!


I'm with you Brother Ralph! Such decadence is unbecoming of beekeepers--we're all supposed to be very "thrifty" folk.  My bellows has about two layers of duct tape at this point, probably going for a third in the next year I'd guess.

Kyle


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## kyell (Feb 3, 2012)

Riverderwent said:


> "A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste, and such a society is a house built upon sand." Dorothy Sayers _Why Work_


Great quote! Thanks for sharing. I'll have to read "Why Work" now.
Kyle


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Well, duct tape of course!!

Obviously! It also fixes the rips in my beesuit and when I was carpenter, the rips in my winter coveralls. There are four forces that hold the universe together:

Duct tape
Baling wire
Epoxy
Super glue

I've often fixed otherwise irreparable things with a combination of baling wire covered in expoxy... but for a bellows it's obviously duct tape.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

Michael Bush said:


> >Well, duct tape of course!!
> 
> Obviously! It also fixes the rips in my beesuit and when I was carpenter, the rips in my winter coveralls. There are four forces that hold the universe together:
> 
> ...


Amen!!!


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

whiskers said:


> Being as cheap as I am I've usually got an old pair of worn out boots around in case I need a bit of leather. I'd go there.Bill


I never throw out my old boots. I always end up needing a piece of leather for a gasket or some other use, its a versatile material. But yes, I checked the boots I have and don't have enough material for a bellows so it will be vinyl . Repairing during the winter time keeps me sane and it's better than wasting my time in front of the tv.


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## funwithbees (Mar 27, 2010)

Mann Lake makes a PVC bellows with a replaceable skin. Very reasonable price, very easy to squeeze. Just gotta bite the bullet. Will cost you about a pound of honey. replacement bellow skin about 1/2 pound (retail). Time is money and mine is worth more than wasting it patching a bellows, unless its with duct tape in the beeyard to finish up. :lookout:
Nick
gridleyhollow.com


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## toekneepea (Jul 7, 2010)

If you don't have the time/ability/whatever, replacement bellows are only $10... http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/category/page73.html#HD-575

_eta: Curses, Nick beat me to it while I was typing/searching/distracted._

Tony


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## beeman2009 (Aug 23, 2012)

Mike,

You forgot the 5th one: Bondo! :applause:


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

If your bellows are worn, pay particular attention to how the check valve is seating. They are usually also worn out by now, or have excessive dirt accumulated so as to make them leak.

As for bellow material, a good leather, oiled regularity, is your best choice.

Crazy Roland


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## capitalbeesupply (Jul 28, 2013)

Roland said:


> If your bellows are worn, pay particular attention to how the check valve is seating. They are usually also worn out by now, or have excessive dirt accumulated so as to make them leak.
> 
> As for bellow material, a good leather, oiled regularity, is your best choice.
> 
> Crazy Roland


That is a good point on the flapper..if the leather is shot and he's going to tear it apart may as well replace the flapper which is quick to do. But it depends on the bellows, some use/used an upper intake with the flapper, some use the exhaust port as the intake with no flapper.....

Rich
Capital Bee Supply


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Please forgive me, but if your device(can you call it a real smoker?) does not have a check valve like a Woodman, is it worth the time to repair? I think not.

Crazy Roland


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

rwurster said:


> I never throw out my old boots. .


I do not either, I place them upside down on fence post to keep water from soaking into the grain of the wood and hastening it's rotting. But a stainless smoker screwed to the top of a fence post, just dripping with fuchsia sure is a purdy sight.


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## Terry C (Sep 6, 2013)

whiskers said:


> Being as cheap as I am I've usually got an old pair of worn out boots around in case I need a bit of leather. I'd go there.
> Bill


 I saved the leather from an old office chair . You'd be surprised what the odd bit of soft leather can be used for .


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## Dabbler (Aug 9, 2015)

I think I just discovered missing branches of my family tree !

I thought I was the only one who saved pieces of leather, metal, wood, wire, etc. that was "harvested" from broken appliances and such.

Thank you brothers !


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## virginiawolf (Feb 18, 2011)

The problem that I had with mine was the screws stripped out of the wood, the wood is shot. I fixed it a few times but finally bought the HD565. I was skeptical of the plastic bellows but I found that the HD565 has performed better than my old smoker ever did. I appreciate seeing that I can buy a replacement bellows and I might do that thanks for sharing that link but in the meantime I'm enjoying the new smoker. It is a performer. Thank you Mann Lake.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Early on, I was given an old smoker in which the bellows material was shot. I simply replaced it with an old piece of canvas painters tarp. It's been working for years this way.


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## beegineer (Jul 5, 2011)

One of mine had the rubber bellows that split all the way down so I replaced it with neoprene from a old pair of waders I had laying a round .


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