David, could you please look at the Flow Hive Smoker and do a review. My mentor suggested it to me and noted the internal 'bucket' for holding the fuel.
Foxhound is a local business to me, so my world’s collided when I noticed their smoker in your collection, David; you and Adam have both been largely responsible for the wealth of coaching I initially required(😅) through the early stages of beekeeping, so just too cool that you ran into one another. Very appreciative of you both for the work you do, thank you for sharing your story!
Hi David, I just remembered Grandpa Abrams had us collect sumac berries in the fall and he put them in his smoker. He was my friends grand Pa but we all in the gang called him Grand Pa.
I use pellets for a pellet smoker. I have to put a wire screen in the bottom to keep the pellets from falling thru the holes. I put a layer of pine straw of wood shavings in the top to keep the pellets from falling out. Lasts a very long time.
I actually have a rechargeable smoker. LOL It runs on batteries that charge with a USB charger. You just press a button and a small fan blows the smoke out continuously as long as you hold the button down. Little easier on the forearm! LOL probably the biggest advantage I see with one is when you are trying to smoke bees out of a tree or something and need a lot of smoke. PS: On the hinge pin of the Dadant smoker you can replace with a small bolt the same diameter of the pin. Use a lock nut with plastic washer in it to hold bolt in place without tightening it all the way down. This way you can remove lid if you ever want to. You can flare the end of the original pin with a hammer on an anvil or something hard so the pin can not come out but then the lid can not be removed.
Have a Flow Hive smoker and like it. Very easy to light but removeable firebox is somewhat small so if u have a large apiary will have to restoke some.
I have one, too, and am happy with it. It is short, yes, but with good fuel it lasts for plenty of time. I don’t plan to change (aka spend money) until it dies someday. I’m enjoying seeing the different types, though!
Hello Sir I am a beekeeper from India. It is very cold here and the bees die. We have Italian honeybee Apis mellifera. Please tell us such a bread which is successful in cold weather.
You say it's heavier. I ask if that's a good thing or a bad thing? I'm a gear dork so I've already got a pile of stuff with me in the yard, adding more weight sounds not the best. I've personally never had to replace a smoker ever because it didn't work anymore so shelling out more money for a heavier unit seems like a double negative in some ways.
One thought I have had for a modified design is a smoker with a second chamber below with a candle to help keep a smoker going and allow a cooler fire in the main chamber... It would be heavier but with the candle acting like a pilot light a smolder would be easier to maintain.
If lit and loaded correctly a smoker will last for hours. I have set mine down for 3-4 hours and pick it back up to find it is still lit. If you want a cooler smoke, place some green grass on the very top under the lid.
Not sure if you have looked into the ANEL brand electric smoker but they look interesting. They have vapor pads you can use or you just fill it with whatever fule you prefer and it stays lit with the heating element.
I have both a dadant and an old cheaper smoker. I agree with David and Jason, the bellow takes more muscle to work. I recommend,to a female beekeeper at our local beekeeping store, to try squeezing the bellow a lot, to make sure she was comfortable with it before buying one. I also believe the dadant stays lite easier
The dadant smoker also has a tube inside the smoker that allows the air to be pushed into the center of the smoker vs. Just a hole for the air to go in. (Look under the grate inside on the dadant.) I believe this is one of the most important things that makes the dadant better than the others at keeping the smoker going, easier. P.S. I'll see you this weekend in Iowa!
I'd be very careful using anything green or wet. That extra smoke is likely steam. Steam is incredibly hot and may cause damage to any bees that it contacts. I prefer dry leaves, burlap, even cardboard packing, but I really like t-shirt material that I have used to strain wax. I like the wax coated materials, I believe it burns longer and slowly, with lots of good smelling smoke. I also use dry corn and garlic stalk leftovers from my garden harvests. I like to use a good mix of materials.
I wish the lid had some sort of grill that prevents ash or sparks coming out of the lid with the smoke.
David, could you please look at the Flow Hive Smoker and do a review. My mentor suggested it to me and noted the internal 'bucket' for holding the fuel.
Foxhound is a local business to me, so my world’s collided when I noticed their smoker in your collection, David; you and Adam have both been largely responsible for the wealth of coaching I initially required(😅) through the early stages of beekeeping, so just too cool that you ran into one another. Very appreciative of you both for the work you do, thank you for sharing your story!
Are u sure u should jab your lighter into the fire? Yikes 😬 😂
that plastic bellows looks gross
Thank you David. Great video and I’m going for it! Dadant
Hi David, I just remembered Grandpa Abrams had us collect sumac berries in the fall and he put them in his smoker. He was my friends grand Pa but we all in the gang called him Grand Pa.
I use pellets for a pellet smoker. I have to put a wire screen in the bottom to keep the pellets from falling thru the holes. I put a layer of pine straw of wood shavings in the top to keep the pellets from falling out. Lasts a very long time.
Dziękujemy.
THANK YOU
I've got a nail bent in mine. Still works great. Even cheaper e bay smokers if you get lucky are good for a long time
I actually have a rechargeable smoker. LOL It runs on batteries that charge with a USB charger. You just press a button and a small fan blows the smoke out continuously as long as you hold the button down. Little easier on the forearm! LOL probably the biggest advantage I see with one is when you are trying to smoke bees out of a tree or something and need a lot of smoke.
PS: On the hinge pin of the Dadant smoker you can replace with a small bolt the same diameter of the pin. Use a lock nut with plastic washer in it to hold bolt in place without tightening it all the way down. This way you can remove lid if you ever want to. You can flare the end of the original pin with a hammer on an anvil or something hard so the pin can not come out but then the lid can not be removed.
I got one from Amazon and I had it for 3 years and it’s great I think I paid 29 buxs and it works great
Have a Flow Hive smoker and like it. Very easy to light but removeable firebox is somewhat small so if u have a large apiary will have to restoke some.
I have one, too, and am happy with it. It is short, yes, but with good fuel it lasts for plenty of time. I don’t plan to change (aka spend money) until it dies someday. I’m enjoying seeing the different types, though!
Hello Sir I am a beekeeper from India. It is very cold here and the bees die. We have Italian honeybee Apis mellifera. Please tell us such a bread which is successful in cold weather.
You say it's heavier. I ask if that's a good thing or a bad thing? I'm a gear dork so I've already got a pile of stuff with me in the yard, adding more weight sounds not the best. I've personally never had to replace a smoker ever because it didn't work anymore so shelling out more money for a heavier unit seems like a double negative in some ways.
An $80 dollar smoker better harvest my honey for me too, sheesh that's expensive.
I agree. I would never do it had I not needed to make a video to evaluate it. Some people swear it is worth every penny.
Hey can you make a video on how to do your candy boards with the feeding additives
he has done a few
I would like to see another video about it too:) I purchased 4 Winter Bee Kind boards from David and would like to know how to refill them:)
Thanks for your purchase. Each comes with a description and recipe on how to refill them. If you are good at cooking candy it should not be difficult.
@@beek Fabulous. I think I am going to order a few more WBK boards:)
Where do you buy the burlap that you use in your smoker?
Thanks for asking, the burlap link is always in the description of every video.
I have two dadant smokers. One for myself and one for my daughter. Love them. I fixed the pin with baying wire. Still works like new.
One thought I have had for a modified design is a smoker with a second chamber below with a candle to help keep a smoker going and allow a cooler fire in the main chamber... It would be heavier but with the candle acting like a pilot light a smolder would be easier to maintain.
If lit and loaded correctly a smoker will last for hours. I have set mine down for 3-4 hours and pick it back up to find it is still lit. If you want a cooler smoke, place some green grass on the very top under the lid.
Perfect timing. looking to get my dad a new smoker for Christmas.
(and me, because i want one)
Not sure if you have looked into the ANEL brand electric smoker but they look interesting. They have vapor pads you can use or you just fill it with whatever fule you prefer and it stays lit with the heating element.
I have the same smoker with the green belies on it I love it and it works great but I need a Beek Squad sticker to fully complete it!!!
I have both a dadant and an old cheaper smoker. I agree with David and Jason, the bellow takes more muscle to work. I recommend,to a female beekeeper at our local beekeeping store, to try squeezing the bellow a lot, to make sure she was comfortable with it before buying one. I also believe the dadant stays lite easier
The dadant smoker also has a tube inside the smoker that allows the air to be pushed into the center of the smoker vs. Just a hole for the air to go in. (Look under the grate inside on the dadant.) I believe this is one of the most important things that makes the dadant better than the others at keeping the smoker going, easier.
P.S. I'll see you this weekend in Iowa!
I'd be very careful using anything green or wet. That extra smoke is likely steam. Steam is incredibly hot and may cause damage to any bees that it contacts.
I prefer dry leaves, burlap, even cardboard packing, but I really like t-shirt material that I have used to strain wax. I like the wax coated materials, I believe it burns longer and slowly, with lots of good smelling smoke.
I also use dry corn and garlic stalk leftovers from my garden harvests. I like to use a good mix of materials.
I've spent £60 and I've spent £15 on smokers and to be honest, there really isn't that much difference between them.
I guess it’s time to man up using a new smoker lol