After protective clothing, I have found this to be the next most important item to have.
When I first started beekeeping, I was advised to buy as large a smoker as I could afford, to avoid tin (which has a very limited life span) and to go for either copper or stainless steel construction.
I considered the options and eventually decided to buy a large copper smoker which I still have and which is still in good working condition, some 10 years later. I may add that it is battered/dented but still working.
A few years ago, I invested in a large stainless steel model and this is the one that I now use the most.
I believe that the advice I was given still stands as a small smoker naturally does not stay alight for very long without constant attention, and is not therefore very reliable. So, I would advise anyone taking up beekeeping to buy the best equipment that you can afford at the time, it will be a wise investment.
Fuel...
After years of constantly trying an assortment of materials, I now always use the following 'ingredients' to fuel the smoker:
(1) Newspaper (must be dry - keep it in the airing cupboard or glasshouse)
(2) Cardboard egg carton
(3) Small chunks of rotten wood
Method:
First make sure that the inside of the smoker is clean, scrape away as much of the 'tar' as you can from inside the spout. The smell from this residue is disgusting, so imagine how the poor bee feels!
Then, light the newspaper and insert a small quantity loosely into the smoker, followed by 'chunks' of the broken up egg carton. This will allow much more air inside for better combustion.
Give it a couple of puffs, then loosely fill up the smoker with the bits of rotten wood.
If all is well, the smoker should now be working very well indeed.
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continued...
I also add a mixture of pine cones, dried up orange peel, a couple of sprigs of rosemary, etc. etc. I find that these extra 'natural' ingredients lend a much more pleasant odour to the smoke which is then not quite so objectionable to the bees.
Hints and tips...
Use as little smoke as possible, in fact you could try gently removing the cover board first, without using the smoker at all, just to see what mood they are in, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that no smoke is required.
If it is necessary to use smoke, use as little as possible, and always direct it across the top of the frames, never down into the brood chamber which will only cause a mass exodus of bees from the front entrance of the hive.
I tend to think that every bee counts, so I try very hard to avoid crushing any bees when replacing the excluder, super or cover board. A slight application of smoke does the trick and leaves the way clear to replace the above items.
Gently 'slide' the super or cover board into place in order to give any stragglers a chance to fly out of harms way.
I also use a small puff of smoke to clear the top bars before scraping away the accumulated wax.
I have seen some 'beekeepers' scraping away this wax quite oblivious to the poor bees which are still there, these same people then wonder why the temperament of the bees has changed the next time they open up the hive!
Another reason for being so careful of course is that when squashed, the poor bee emits a strong alarm pheromone which will only cause others to rise to the attack.
Tip:
In order to introduce even more air into the smoker, remove the perforated grill vent from the bottom and drill a few more more holes into it.
Also, before lighting your smoker, always check this grill (it normally falls out anyway when tipping out the 'ashes'.) as you may find that some of the holes are blocked and need clearing.
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