Cleaning your Smoker ????

[spunky]

What ya'll use ?? A wirebrush and some mineral spirits ??? Those red cedar chips have really gummed up the lid of mine ???

[hrogers]

Howdy Spunky

When the tar builds up too much, I burn it with a propane torch. It will burn until only dry ash is left and can be easily scraped off.
Doc

[LET]

I'll second the propane torch. Used mine the other day and it took a thick layer of gummy tar off in just a minute or two.

[Jeffzhear]

Interesting thread - what do you use for fuel that would require you to burn off a residue? I use dried out corn cobs and have never needed to clean a smoker...

[chemistbert]

I just use some wood pellets and get a good hot fire going. Burns out any nasties that have built up.

[Dave W]

Jeffzhear . . .

>I use dried out corn cobs . . .

Any dead bees?

[sqkcrk]

I scrape propolis off of the bellows when necessary and wash honey off of the belows too. Other than that I don't clean my smoker.

If your lid is too gummed up, scrape out the tar w/ your hive tool.

Try used bailing twine for smoker fuel, if you can get it. Don't use plastic bailing twine. It don't burn well. According to a novice beekeeper who was amazed at how quickly I could get my smoker lit.

[peggjam]

I went to using wood pellets for fuel. I don't clean mine much either. I quit using baling twine because of the rodenticide they started putting on the twine to keep the mice from chewing up the strings.

[Jeffzhear]

Jeffzhear . . .

>I use dried out corn cobs . . .

Any dead bees?

No dead bees, ever....

However, now I need to ask you why? I know an oldtyme beekeep that turned me on to them years ago....been using them for years...
If they are bad for the bees, I'll quit using them in a nanosecond...

[Dave W]

Corncob (Zea mays) smoke (from white corn) killed 71.4% of bees within 18 days and 100% within 5 days in tests by USDA-ARS (Eischen, 2002)
[http://www.edpsciences.org/articles/...016/M4016.html - Accessed 7/13/06].

[Michael Bush]

>I burn it with a propane torch.

Me three.

[Jeffzhear]

Dave, Thank you for sharing that site...
I read the article, and while I don't used crushed corn-cobs, I do used choped up (in 2 inch sections) cobs and I think either one would have the same net effect. Like the article said, it is possible that the cobs were contaminated, however with that said, just the mere potential that the smoke is toxic is enough to make me look for something else. Now I have to re-read this thread to figure out what direction I should go....Peggjam and his pellets sound like an option...
Again, ty

[odfrank]

I use pine needles which do gum up the smoker every month or two, and a MAP gas torch to easily scorch it clean. My only complaints about pine needles: I have to find soft ones so my handies don't get poked, and my cloths quickly stink like a forest fire.

[Buzzboy]

I use pine needles as fuel...I've heard that they could be toxic, but I've not seen any ill affects...it is plentiful and easy to light.

[okb]

I use pine needles as well and everytime I smoke a hive my bees exit the hive and dont re-enter till I'm done.

[indypartridge]

I went to using wood pellets for fuel. I don't clean mine much either. I quit using baling twine because of the rodenticide they started putting on the twine to keep the mice from chewing up the strings.

Twine that has been chemically treated is dyed as well (usually green) so it's easy tell the difference. I've got a decent supply of untreated twine, but most of the hay we've got the last two summers have been baled with the treated stuff.

[peggjam]

Or Orange. The dyed stuff is all we can get around here now, I couldn't even find a bale that wasn't dyed to BUY. Ya, i'm gonna buy this stuff brand new, to use in my smoker.

[randydrivesabus]

i use wood shavings from my jointer (the same bag of them for a long time now) and cut up old cotton socks. never clean the smoker but i do mix up whatever was left in there from the previous use to let the air circulate.
i'm sure the experienced know this but a smoker stays lit for a long time. even if you just put it down somewhere and dont pump it you can come back a couple of hours later and it still smokes.....so make sure its out completely before putting inside.

[peggjam]

I've had mine burn overnight a few times using the wood pellets. I also don't feel the bottom of the smoker anymore with bare hands to see if it is warm......,

[Hobie]

Interesting thread - what do you use for fuel that would require you to burn off a residue? I use dried out corn cobs and have never needed to clean a smoker...

I need your trick. I use dried corn cobs, my smoker is all gunked up with tar, and I have a devil of a time getting them to light. Any advice?

Or maybe, after reading that article, I should quit. Been using cobs from the neighboring yellow field-corn field.