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Smoker Fuel: cotton

16K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  trapperdirk 
#1 ·
Hay, Anyone out there tried cotton as fuel. I did yesterday and it seems to burn hot. Had a couple of flames shooting out.:eek:
Any other economical materials? we really don't have many Pine trees for needle collection...
 
#2 ·
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.
Paper Floor Wood Hand Flooring


2. Roll the cardboard strip tightly into somewhat of a cartridge.
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3. Insert the cardboard cartridge into your smoker.
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4. Use a propane torch to light the cardboard. Make sure it is well lit.
Boiling Cookware and bakeware Dish Stove Food


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!
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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!
 
#3 ·
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.........
 
#5 ·
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
 
#6 ·
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."
 
#7 ·
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.
 
#8 ·
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
 
#9 ·
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.
 
#17 ·
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???
 
#25 ·
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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