# Smoker Fuel: cotton



## efaure (Apr 30, 2012)

Hay, Anyone out there tried cotton as fuel. I did yesterday and it seems to burn hot. Had a couple of flames shooting out.
Any other economical materials? we really don't have many Pine trees for needle collection...


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

I have had great success with cardboard. Every smoker-load of cardboard burns for 2-3 hours with minimal effort to keep it going. In just several easy steps, you can have a well lit, long burning smoker. I will describe the steps here:

1. Cut a length of cardboard to the depth of your smoker.








2. Roll the cardboard strip tightly into somewhat of a cartridge.








3. Insert the cardboard cartridge into your smoker.








4. Use a propane torch to light the cardboard. Make sure it is well lit.








5. Pump the bellows to get the flame going well.








6. Close the smoker lid to snuff out the flame and then gently puff the bellows to make sure it is staying lit. Now let the smoke roll!















7. To extinguish your smoker, plug the tip/spout. 







If the smoke is too hot, add a handful of green grass cutting to cool it down. If there is remaining cardboard, you can use it next time.

Hope this helps!


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

I've "heard" that the glue in corrugated cardboard can harm bees. My experience with cotton is that it is terrible and as described by efaure............ I just use old cut up cotton jeans, t-shirts, socks..........anything that is washed cotton.........


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Where'd ya here that? I don't mean this in a challenging way. I'm just interested.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

snl said:


> I've "heard" that the glue in corrugated cardboard can harm bees.


The glue used to adhere the corrugated part to the top and bottom sheets forming the completed corrugated panel is generally _starch_. The most likely source of that starch is from corn. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch

Perhaps as a child you remember making paste (glue) from flour and water? One reason young kids are allowed use this glue is that it is edible with no harm.

Here are two glue manufacturers indicating starch or corn is the base for their glue:
http://www.tateandlyle.com/ingredie...tandafrica/pages/corrugatinggluestarches.aspx

http://www.cargill.com/products/industrial/corrugating/index.jsp


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

westernbeekeeper said:


> I don't mean this in a challenging way. I'm just interested.


Did not take your response as a challenge. In short, I was attending a meeting some years ago and the question was posed by another and answered by the speaker as I have answered here. From that day forward I never used corrugated cardboard. From the response here that corn starch is the "glue" I should have researched their answer rather than accepting it as "gospel."


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## SantaFeBeek (Jun 13, 2012)

From what I've read just doing quick research awhile back, it is really only a problem when you use white carboard that has been bleached or cardboard with inks (printed logos and such) on them. I can't remember what is in the inks, but I know that anything burned with chlorine in it will produce dioxins which are pretty much bad for everyone and everything. 

So, I'd just suggest avoiding white cardboard and avoiding the printed-on stuff.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Cotton rags and cardboard (basic brown stuff, no printing, no tape) works great for me. If I have them, pine needles in with the cotton, rolled up with cardboard works even better (smells better anyway).

I don't fill the smoker because I only have two hives, and generally are only in there for a few minutes when I do inspections, and don't want to leave it burning for an hour, but I don't run out of smoke that way.

My Grandpa used cotton rags -- you need to have enough in the smoker body that they don't flame up. Denim works great -- won't burn very fast, stays lit forever, and makes cool smoke as it smolders away.

Fluffy or light weight cotton can burn pretty hot, make sure you pack it tightly enough to make it smolder.

Peter


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## Hive Watcher (Jul 3, 2012)

I just started using Liquid Smoke in a spray bottle. It is easy to use and seems to be effective. I think I put about 1tsp per 12oz of water in a new spray bottle or a spray bottle that you've used for sugar water. Just a few sprays seems to work for a while and you don't have to worry about keeping your smoker lit.

Try it, if you don't like it, you can always go back.


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## theriverhawk (Jun 5, 2009)

$3 bale of pinestraw and $2.50 bag of pine bark chips at Lowes/Home Depot lasts me an entire season. I run 25-30 hives. Straw on bottom lit well, bark packed in tightly on top. Once bark is lit, it gently smokes the entire time.


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## Katharina (May 2, 2011)

I love raw cotton. It produces a wonderful white smoke. I only use small amounts of it rolled up in burlap. I never use it by itself alone.


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## SteveBee (Jul 15, 2010)

I grew cotton in my garden last year to get some for my smoker. We tried it (raw cotton, straight off the plant) and it worked okay, but nothing works better for us than pine needles. I have enough cotton left over to make about two pair of socks and a pair of boxers. And you CAN'T use pine needles for that!


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

SteveBee said:


> I have enough cotton left over to make about two pair of socks and a pair of boxers. And you CAN'T use pine needles for that!


Ha ha ha! That would get sorta uncomfortable.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

I don't have any trouble keeping my smoker lit...See?










Whoa!

Maybe I'll try your ideas instead of gasoline..(hee hee-just kidding!) 
Story is on the Bee forum section.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

If you have it in your area, I encourage people to try sumac berries. Very cool, very thick white smoke, very, very, sweet smeeling smoke.. I mix just enough pine needle to get it started, then it will last all day.

I harvest a grass sack full each winter, and use the next year.

cchoganjr


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

O.K. 
Lauri, you need to quite using C-4 as smoker fuel,,,,,read the label
Dried road apples,,,,,also known as,,,,horse poop. Just grass with intestinal glue of some sort. Burns cool with a diminished "blue Grass" ambiance. JMO


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## Scrapfe (Jul 25, 2008)

As a child growing up, a cotton gin worker told me that if you set a bale of cotton on fire at Memphis and pushed it into the Mississippi River, that when the bale of cotton floated past 'Naw' Orleans it would still be burning. It is bailed that tightly. Pack your smoker half as tight and you'll have smoke all day. 

Within reason the tighter a smoker is packed, the slower the smoker burns because the oxygen supply to the fuel is restricted. 

The slower it burns the cooler the smoke. 

Cool smoke means fewer burning embers.

Fewer burning embers means a longer lasting fire.

A long lasting fire means the smoker burns slowly... :scratch: ...wait, haven't we been here before???


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## efaure (Apr 30, 2012)

Thanks all your your ideas and thoughts!
You guys rock!:gh::banana:
Tired rolled up cardboard lastnight and it is not to bad. Might continue with it, sure have enough of it at work!


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## Smokepole50 (Jul 13, 2012)

Ceder chips, like you put in your kids hampster cage. I have not used them yet but a friend swears by them.


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

I use the compressed cotton dthat Brushy Mtn sells. Once it's lit, it does great. My only complaint is that is creates too much ash.


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## DJS (May 7, 2012)

efaure said:


> Hay, Anyone out there tried cotton as fuel. I did yesterday and it seems to burn hot. Had a couple of flames shooting out.
> Any other economical materials? we really don't have many Pine trees for needle collection...


I have had luck using cotton and putting a handful of green grass on top. Seems to keep it from shooting hot smoke out.


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## Bigtwin (Jun 19, 2011)

Try making some Sumac tea from those berries....it's a treat...kind of like lemonade.


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## Ruth Anne (Jan 29, 2021)

Smokepole50 said:


> Ceder chips, like you put in your kids hampster cage. I have not used them yet but a friend swears by them.


Hi I’ve been using cedar chips and pine needles but the resin build up in my smoker is terrible. Does washed cotton rags gum up the smoker?


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## elmer_fud (Apr 21, 2018)

Ruth Anne said:


> Hi I’ve been using cedar chips and pine needles but the resin build up in my smoker is terrible. Does washed cotton rags gum up the smoker?


This is a 9 year old thread, so you may not get a response. 

I just burn off the resin in my smoker with a blow torch when it gets built up badly. This seems to work.


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## Deens Bees (Feb 11, 2021)

efaure said:


> Hay, Anyone out there tried cotton as fuel. I did yesterday and it seems to burn hot. Had a couple of flames shooting out.
> Any other economical materials? we really don't have many Pine trees for needle collection...


I like to buy burlap by the yard. Cut it in long strips about 5" wide and then lay it out and cover it with hardwood shavings and roll it up like a big cigar. Stop when its diameter just fits down into the smoker. I've rigged my smoker to light from the bottom and, like a good cigar, it will smolder the coolest white smoke for hours which is handy cause I rarely smoke a hive but just let my smoker set upwind while I work.


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## 123989 (Jul 30, 2018)

efaure said:


> Hay, Anyone out there tried cotton as fuel. I did yesterday and it seems to burn hot. Had a couple of flames shooting out.
> Any other economical materials? we really don't have many Pine trees for needle collection...


Buy a bale of pine needles from Lowe’s. I got a bale for under 5 bucks. I also use old denim.


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## cdevier (Jul 17, 2010)

As the 2nd post says, I have used cardboard like that for several years. A great way to use all those boxes from Mann Lake Bee Supply.


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## edzkoda (Aug 9, 2014)

Deens Bees said:


> I like to buy burlap by the yard. Cut it in long strips about 5" wide and then lay it out and cover it with hardwood shavings and roll it up like a big cigar. Stop when its diameter just fits down into the smoker. I've rigged my smoker to light from the bottom and, like a good cigar, it will smolder the coolest white smoke for hours which is handy cause I rarely smoke a hive but just let my smoker set upwind while I work.


What do you use to cut the burlap? Sounds like a silly question but knifes are hard , take a toll on scissors, thinking of trying a material wheel cutter


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## 123989 (Jul 30, 2018)

theriverhawk said:


> $3 bale of pinestraw and $2.50 bag of pine bark chips at Lowes/Home Depot lasts me an entire season. I run 25-30 hives. Straw on bottom lit well, bark packed in tightly on top. Once bark is lit, it gently smokes the entire time.


I use the bales of pine needles as well. They work great.


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## trapperdirk (Nov 3, 2013)

edzkoda said:


> What do you use to cut the burlap? Sounds like a silly question but knifes are hard , take a toll on scissors, thinking of trying a material wheel cutter


I have a set of shears I use to cut aluminum trim stock. They work well when I've cut and used burlap or denim.


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