# Alternative to pine needles as smoker fuel



## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Saturday we were working bees and the pine smoke was just choking us up. The next day I got very sick (and still am, that is why I have been on here so much) as in 104 fever and a throat so sore sometimes I cry when I cough. I could call these 2 thinks coincidence, but a few months ago my little brother got sick right after we burned the stuff from the bottom of the pine needle container. What I am thinking it is is mildew or something from the pine needles as i just pick them up off the ground year round sometimes after a rain. Or maybe the sap or something. I saw the other thread on cardboard, anyone else think of a cheap smoker fuel?

mike


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I also use worn out T-shirts, blue jeans (both 100% cotton) as well as the burlap used for coffee bean bags (100% burlap w/o the petroleum preservative). I cut them in strips, roll them and tie them up with burlap string. Carry a few in your "bee box" at all times. Drop one in on a couple sheets of balled up burning newpaper. Smokes quite a while. Put some wet or green grass in the cone as an ember/soot filter and you're good to go. I'll use just about anything in a pinch as long as it's got no plastics, oils or rubber in it.


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

I just use wood shavings from the shop. Sawdust doesn't work, but chips from using the dado blade, shavings from the planner or debris from drilling holes with a larger forstner bit works well. 

If you don't have a source of wood chips/shavings, it's sold as bedding for pets in pine or cedar.

-Tim


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

> Put some wet or green grass in the cone as an ember/soot filter...


I had read that putting any wet material in the smoker wasn't a good idea. It ends up turning into steam which makes for a hotter smoke.

-Tim


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## WillH (Jun 25, 2010)

All pine needles, regardless of the specific tree species they come from, contain lignols, resins and mycotoxins, which can produce toxic reactions in animals, such as livestock. But certain species of pine tree are known for having particularly toxic needles. 

http://www.ehow.com/list_5976996_pine-trees-poisonous_.html


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

I buy a big bag of pine shavings at the feed store. It's untreated for animal bedding. I fire my smoker up with a piece of paper and start feeding in the shavings. Once I get a good fire going I pack shavings in the smoker and put some grass clippings on top. I don't think grass clippings really produce too much steam and I haven't had any problems with my setup. I bought a bag or shavings last year for like 5 bucks and I never made it to the bottom. Save me a load of time and I never have problems with my smoker going out once I get it going.


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## Bsweet (Apr 9, 2010)

I use wood pellets, The kind you use in a pellet stove to heat your home. Last fall i paid $2.00 for a 40# bag that had a hole torn in it, actual weight when I got it home was 39.8 lbs. These wood pellets are formed from sawdust paste that is run through a press to form the pellets and press the water out(no glues). The only down side is you gotta keep them dry or they revert to sawdust. Jim


A good bag of pellts on the self for sale runs $6.00 to $10.00


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I watched one of youtube vid. by country boy and he was using chips from his planer. I don't have a planer but, I saved my chips from my dado blade and it works very well. They burn along time and do not get as hot as straight pinestraw can at times. I do start the fire with pine straw then put in the saw dust. Maybe you could use newspaper to start the fire then put in the saw dust.


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## Big Stinger (Feb 17, 2006)

I use cedar dog bedding.


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## wadehump (Sep 30, 2007)

burlap


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## Peter NuBee (Nov 8, 2010)

I start out using balled up newspaper and stuff it down to the bottom of the smoker and lite it.
Then I add small dry twigs I find around the yard pumping continuously to create a hot fire.
Once this is going I add wood pellets and continue pumping to get everything really cooking.
Once everything is going good I add moist grass clippings on top and PRESTO tons of cool smoke that will burn for a long time(pumping occasionally of course).
Works for me.
I was told by a master beekeeper not to use pine cones or pine needles because of the resins. Bad for the girls and it looks like people too?


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## bigevilgrape (Aug 21, 2008)

We have a big pile of wood chips from some work we had done a couple of years ago, those work supper well. I've also have a bag of cellulose based hamster bedding I use when everything is too wet to light. It makes a ton of creosote tho.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Mike, a fever of 104 degrees and a sore throat sounds a lot like strep. Have you been to the doc?


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

I use second cutting hay.


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## bhfury (Nov 25, 2008)

wadehump said:


> burlap


Yep


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

When I use a smoker I use pine needles. I get a fresh batch right after they fall and keep a garbage bag full behind the seat of my truck. I have used them for years with no problems, but there are a lot of things to use as stated above. I know a man that used chips one time and they were full of poison oak and ivy. After a week in the hospital he went back to using pine needles.


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## Doorman (Nov 27, 2006)

I used to use pine needles, but switched to cypress mulch. It lights fairly easy and burns well.
A 3 cu.ft. bag runs about 3 dollars.


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## Jpoindexter (Oct 22, 2010)

Dried palm leaves / bark is very fiberous - works great. Probably the best. Someone should package and sell this stuff.


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## Jam (Jun 17, 2010)

I have heard alot of good things about cypress mulch, and am going to add that to my box this year, lately I've been using that sisal-like hay string that I get off hay bales (not the nylon stuff) and a handful of hay from the hay storage in the barn.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Is some of that cypress colored? Do not want to burn that. 

Thanks

Mike


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## Jam (Jun 17, 2010)

No it was natural cypress, I haven't heard of them treating it either, let me know if I'm wrong though! I wouldn't buy the color-treated stuff...


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## Daddy'sBees (Jul 1, 2010)

I recycle my classroom typing/copy papers. Take them home and shred them. This shreded paper is great to start the flame. I follow with burlap from the fabric store. Cheap stuff! Then I put natural cypress shavings from the big box store on top. Works well for a long time.
:thumbsup:


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## bigevilgrape (Aug 21, 2008)

Daddy'sBees said:


> I recycle my classroom typing/copy papers. Take them home and shred them. This shreded paper is great to start the flame. I follow with burlap from the fabric store. Cheap stuff! Then I put natural cypress shavings from the big box store on top. Works well for a long time.
> :thumbsup:


I go diving into our giant recycle bin after newspaper to start my smoker with, why didn't I ever think of just going into the shredder. (we have one of those giant single stream recycle trash cans that is chest height on me)


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

tarheit said:


> I had read that putting any wet material in the smoker wasn't a good idea. It ends up turning into steam which makes for a hotter smoke.
> 
> -Tim


I don't doubt it, but I'd rather catch embers and soot. It's when I get too close (a couple inches) that the heat/steam can come into play. I make sure to keep it at least 6 inches away and gently squeeze. No soot/embers and no heat/steam issues. I use the previous use "filter" as kindling to get the next fire going. There's always grass around, but make sure not to pick up any poison ivy! I made that mistake once but at least realized it before I stuffed it in the smoker. That could have been bad.


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

cedar shavings here too. very easy to get lit and nice smell while burning.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Once upon a time I used cedar shavings. They cost a penny and a friend was like use pine needles, their free, got to reduce costs. Ive lost half a week of working around the house, that ain't free. I would like to not blame it on pine needles, but I never get this sick. The guy that was helping me that day did not get sick, but I had a late night the night before at a funeral of a friend, stress might be part of it. Ive tried everything to help me get better and I cannot seem to make headway. 

mike


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Have you been to the doctor yet? If not, go get this checked out. The linkage between pine needles and what's going on with you may be completely wrong.


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

Second on the pine bedding shavings. They catch fire quick and if you pack it in after the fire starts, it will burn for a good while, and the bales of it are pretty cheep, easy to get and last a long time.


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## frazzledfozzle (May 26, 2010)

hay, dried grass, eucalypt leaves or burlap.

frazz


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## ccar2000 (Aug 9, 2009)

News paper. Corn cobs and husks. Small twigs and branches. Wax and propolis scrapings. I do use Pine litter and cones and mostly debris from under the trees. Basically whatever will smoke. No plastics or other trash.


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## Will O'Brien (Feb 22, 2006)

I light my smoker with paper or hemp twine that I got for almost nothing, then I pick-up leafs off of the ground (I have a very wooded backyard) to keep the smoker going and I add green leafs off of the trees to get a good billowy white smoke. I think that it makes a cooler smoke not a hotter smoke but I never measured the temperature. Steam will not increase the temperature anyway, it will just increase the water content of the smoke.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

A fever is not indicative of smoke inhalation. It's indicative of an infection.

I like pine needles except that they are not as readily available for me as some people, and they burn up too quickly. They do smell nice (imo) but burlap stays lit longer.

Also, you shouldn't be breathing the smoke and you shouldn't be smoking the bees heavily.


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

Sumac seed pods. They are plentiful, free, last in the smoker, stay lit well, smell good burning. I also use denim, any material that is pure cotton. Burlap doesn't last very long. Wood chips create way too much creosote. If I could ever find wood that doesn't creosote up the smoker it would be my fuel of choice.


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## theriverhawk (Jun 5, 2009)

Old white cotton t-shirt strips most of the time. The occassional leaves and pine needles. I have some hives on a pumpkin and corn farm. When the corn stalks are dry, I will break off pieces and pick up dried cobs off the ground. The stay lit for a long time.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Michael Bush said:


> A fever is not indicative of smoke inhalation. It's indicative of an infection.Also, you shouldn't be breathing the smoke and you shouldn't be smoking the bees heavily.


This is more of a sore throat than anything. Some days you cannot help breathing some in, wind blows extra. 

mike


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## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

Believe it or not, the 1945 edition of ABC-XYZ of Bee Culture advises beeks to go get used grease rags from the machine shops and mechanics to burn as fuel  so I'd say pine needles smell pretty good about now


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## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

Maybe it keeps the girls wings lubed and waterproof! :lpf:


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## Beetrucker74 (Oct 10, 2010)

I like to use baler twine if I can get the fiber not the plastic, uncle has a dairy farm so most comes from him. But Wood pellets work great if you have a need for a lot of smoke for a long time. Use a wad of newspaper to keep the pellets in the smoker make sure it lets smoke by but not pellets.


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## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

Beetrucker74 be careful using baler twine as it is treated with rodent repellent
to keep the mice from chewing the twine when the hay is in storage.
Twine will be red or green dyed.
I don't know what it would do to bees long term, but the risk is great! :s


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

Cow poo poo works good.


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## leamon (Mar 30, 2006)

Theriverhawk and CCar 2000, I read on here a year or two ago that corn cobs could kill bees. Have you found that to be wrong? I have plenty of cobs but was afraid to use them.
leamon


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## Beetrucker74 (Oct 10, 2010)

Mtn. Bee said:


> Beetrucker74 be careful using baler twine as it is treated with rodent repellent
> to keep the mice from chewing the twine when the hay is in storage.
> Twine will be red or green dyed.
> I don't know what it would do to bees long term, but the risk is great! :s


Stuff I get is brown but have gotten some green stuff mixed in. I do just let it lie in a pile out in the rain may wash it off. Plus I like the smell but that just maybe that it brings back good memories of working bees with my pap and uncle, both gone now I miss them.


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## Walt McBride (Apr 4, 2004)

I have used corn cobs for smoker fuel, nice scent like someone popping corn.

Read same information as bad for bees. Did not see any evidence of hurting bees.

Stopped using cobbs when I ran out. 

What I have used for for more than 35 years is the thin bark of the Eucalyptus tree that is common here in So. Calif. It burns with a pleasant smoke with little creosote build up in the burner.

Walt


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## Ronnie Elliott (Mar 24, 2004)

I keep my pine straw in used onion sacks, I get from the grocer, It keeps the straw dry, and won't mildew. I work the bees when a breeze is stirring, to clear the smoke out, I can see where it would make you sick having to stand in the smoke for anytime at all.


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## colbec (Apr 24, 2009)

Dried sumac candles, collected after the bees are done with them. Also dried vine prunings cut small.


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## joshk (Mar 31, 2010)

I use sumac bobs, my wife really likes the smell. Just make sure they are not poisinous sumac.


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## Ronnie Elliott (Mar 24, 2004)

*Re: Using pine needles as smoker fuel*

I keep my pine straw in used onion sacks, I get from the grocer. It keeps the straw dry, and won't mildew. I work the bees when a breeze is stirring, to clear the smoke out, I can see where it would make you sick having to stand in the smoke for anytime at all. I stay upwind from any smoke.


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## NCSUbeeKEEPER (Feb 28, 2011)

straw bails


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## jwalk (Mar 6, 2011)

I use dried sumac blossoms. I start it with a few leaves or pine needles to help the blossoms catch. I heard years ago that they can help knock mites off the girls and my yard is full of them (not poison sumac different plant). Dont know if its true or not though.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

> help knock mites off the girls and my yard is full of them


In this you mean "dried sumac blossoms "
Not mites  correct 



Tommyt


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## jwalk (Mar 6, 2011)

yes, full of sumac not mites.


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