# My broken Dadant smoker II



## beemandan

You may remember my original post regarding the broken hinge on my Dadant smoker.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?317829-My-nearly-new-Dadant-smoker-broke!

The shiny screw I used to patch it up was an embarrassment. I wasn't getting the respect I deserved in the beeyards. It wasn't unusual to hear a stifled snicker coming from hives as I passed. Gradually all of that has settled down....although I may still not get the respect in my beeyards, I don't think it's smoker related. I can now hold my head high. It nearly matches.


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## odfrank

What are you burning that makes such a creosote mess?


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## beemandan

odfrank said:


> What are you burning that makes such a creosote mess?


Pine straw is the fuel du jour here. 
Believe it or not, I'll remove the bellows and burn off the creosote every spring using a propane torch. By season's end...voila!


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## e-spice

beemandan said:


> Pine straw is the fuel du jour here.
> Believe it or not, I'll remove the bellows and burn off the creosote every spring using a propane torch. By season's end...voila!


We need to start getting that torch out more often.


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## tech.35058

beemandan said:


> Pine straw is the fuel du jour here.
> Believe it or not, I'll remove the bellows and burn off the creosote every spring using a propane torch. By season's end...voila!


Ick. I was mentally whining about the inside of the snout stopping up ... my "normal" fuel is wood shavings or shredded card board. Last week the smoker was running out before I was ready to quit, I stuffed a handful of dried grass in it to finish up. later I noticed the goo running down the side. about 1/4 of what you have pictured, but that was only _one_ handful of grass! CE
PS ... I lost the pin out of mine too, made a replacement clip-pin out of coat hanger wire. I dunno what brand smoker it is, Kelly or Dadant or no-name ... got at show.
no worries about respect, I am a hermit beek


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## odfrank

Is pine straw - pine needles? I use Canary Island pine or Monteray pine needles and don't have that problem. I do go home smelling too much like a forest fire however.


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## beemandan

odfrank said:


> and don't have that problem.


I never thought of it as a problem. Yep...dried pine needles. Nothing exotic. Lots of pine grown here for the paper industry.


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## snl

beemandan said:


> I may still not get the respect in my beeyards, I don't think it's smoker related. I can now hold my head high. It nearly matches.


What are you burning in that smoker? Tar????


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## Joel

That smoker is like the rugged face of an old wise man with a great deal of hard earned life experience - must be some good memories with that old man!


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## beemandan

Joel said:


> That smoker is like the rugged face of an old wise man with a great deal of hard earned life experience - must be some good memories with that old man!


It may not be pretty but we've spent some quality time together. And now that the hinge is fixed....it'll probably outlast me.


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## marshmasterpat

Burning a combo of st. augustine and bahia grass does the same thing to the inside. 

Beemandan - If that smoker could talk, bet there would be some good stories and advice....


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## jim lyon

Well it sure looks a lot better, Dan, but my offer of parts out of my bone yard still stands. I rarely use those "tall boys". You must use a pry block to get them open in the morning when they creosote up like that?


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## beemandan

jim lyon said:


> You must use a pry block to get them open in the morning when they creosote up like that?


That used to be an issue but I now dump it at the end of the day....while still hot and leave it open. Seems to work fine.
Thanks for the offer of a proper hinge pin. I'm actually a bit fond of the screw. It may be ugly but it is snug enough that the top stops wherever I quit pushing it...instead of flopping open. I like it.


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## beemandan

marshmasterpat said:


> Beemandan - If that smoker could talk, bet there would be some good stories and advice....


Probably plenty of advice for me...to be sure.


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## BeeCurious

beemandan said:


> It may not be pretty but we've spent some quality time together


I was reminded of the following:



Jeffrey Todd said:


> I love the sound of the hum of bees at work, the sight of newly-drawn white comb, the warmth of the summer sun on my hands while working, and the aroma of a well-used smoker with a steady curl of smoke drifting up and out to mingle with the fragrance of fresh nectar. Whenever my smoker is unlit, I carry it in the cab of my truck just so I can enjoy the sweet smoky smell that evokes so many fond memories and reflections on my decades of beekeeping. On cold winter days I like to have my smoker close by me as I work in the shed; instantly I am transported out to the apiary, working with the bees. When the day comes that I no longer can keep bees, I will still keep that smoker,. Uncleaned


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## jim lyon

beemandan said:


> That used to be an issue but I now dump it at the end of the day....while still hot and leave it open. Seems to work fine.


A good practice for sure and part of an end of the day ritual my father used to do almost without fail. It involved the extinguishing of the hot coals by errrrrr natural means. Of course sometimes we had to call for the water jug if dehydration was an issue and supplies ran short. .......memories.


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## Barry

Hopefully everyone had their _OWN_ smoker!


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## deknow

Jim, in my youth I recall putting out a campfire via natural means....it smelled terrible. ..have a hard time imagining that as a daily ritual.


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## beemandan

Barry said:


> Hopefully everyone had their _OWN_ smoker!


You don't extinguish the embers while they're still in the smoker!


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## Barry

I guess I missed that part since I always keep the embers in my smoker. Thanks for clearing up that picture!!


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## beemandan

deknow said:


> ...it smelled terrible. ..have a hard time imagining that as a daily ritual.


It's sometimes my method....and, I guess I've gotten used to it. Plus...it's 'green'...why waste good water when you can recycle the recycles.......


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## jim lyon

Actually there was purpose to it all. Fire is often a concern and a shallow hole was usually dug to contain the embers. They were extinguished.....then buried. We had a yard with a beautiful honey crop on it burn up years ago as a result of bee smoker carelessness when I was a young boy. To say it was a point of emphasis would be an understatement. Hence the "ritual".


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## deknow

Several years ago there was a big meteor shower (Leonidas I think), and we decided to host a drum circle/bonfire.

There is a farm not far away, 'alternative' as alternative gets....and they have a great open field in the middle of the woods (they host renaissance and pagan celebrations).

We offered them $100 to show up with a dozen or so people, and they built us a beautiful log cabin style bonfire....one match to set it off, amd there was plenty of fuel for the night.

About 3am, our hosts went off to bed...we stayed until sunrise. They left a large tote of water labeled "fire extinguisher" and asked that I douse it before we leave....no problem.

In a rare moment of doing something smart, I sniffed the contents before dumping it.....kerosene.

I also lit a hay bail on fire (which is dramatic and scary) starting a smoker once....

It is easy to become complacent around fire...something worth giving a second thought to before you light up.


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