In the UK they were used to heat various industrial spaces in the 1970s. They were a common sight in car repair garages, chugging away running off old engine oil. They called them 'Salamanders" here.
I just bought one of these at a swap meet last weekend. My brother inlaw’s a mechanic. Has all the used oil in the world. We burned off 5 gallons in about 9 hours. Works great for keeping warm outdoors and getting rid of used dirty oil and transmission fluid.
We would light hundreds of these a night during frost season in the orchards. By morning the haze would be so thick it would hang over the whole valley until noon. Still for a high school student it was a pretty good job.
Just lit mine up this morning w/o gas - no problem. Rolled up a few paper towels into a tube, put them into the oil, waited a minute for them to get soaked in oil, and lit the towel - no problems! :)
@@scott4030 I’ve actually found that diesel burns hotter and more efficient than waste oil. And also, the oil may contain water/coolant which causes the oil to boil after hours of use and has caught the smudge on fire believe it or not 😱 So I only use diesel now.
If you can acquire used cooking oil from a local restaurant, you can burn that and you wont have to worry about it smelling like burning motor oil or kerosene/diesel. smells amazing. free heat and the smell of french fries wafting through the air 😂
Thanks for sharing. Please post a video on the internals. Like is there a burn pot? Does the burn pot need chunks of scrap metal in it so the burn pot doesn’t melt away?
Ha! It sounds almost like a train chugging by. I tried making my own smudge pot, though it was a bit of a fail. I'll work on the design and see how it compares your your smudge pot. Bring it On!
any chance you can measure all the dimensions on that , I just made one but thinking I could get it working better if I made it the same as that one , im learning the hard way there is a little more science behind it than just slapping one together ,made a pool heater out of it , getting 110 on the output to pool
Pomona, not Sonoma. Pomona used to be full of orange groves and these smudge pots could be seen all over the place. Pomona gets frost sometimes and orange crops have no tolerance for frost.
@@JohnVHLife You mean this tube contains the oil? Or do you mean that part of the combustion gases goes back through this tube to the bottom, where the oil is? Thanks!
@@AntonioZorro No oil, it takes the fire and hot air from the chimney and rams it back into the bottom where your 'fuel' is super heating it making it burn hot
@@JohnVHLife Now I get it. Is the top of the pipe simply welded to the chimney body or does it advance internally with an internal baffle to divert more gases to the bottom? Does this type of oil burner have a specific name? I want to study about it. Thanks for your patience with me. Greetings from Brazil.
I have one on order -- how long will it burn with a full tank of Fuel ?????, I rremember when i was a kid working in the Orange Fields in Louisiana we would put these out all thru the Groves to keep the Satsuma Trees alive thru the night.... :)
Used motor oil, transmission fluid works too, Now the gas, just like a splash, does not take much, its only go make it easy to light, otherwise shove paper in it and light it
Smudge pots were used to heat orchards or fruit groves when the temperature was expected to go to dangerous levels for the fruit. They were set up within the grove to keep the freeze at bay.
Do not teach people to start with gas. They’ll create a bomb for themselves. Just crumple up a paper towel like a wick and light it and it will go down into the pot and will ignite the oil/diesel
Pretty sure it’s mandatory to have a beer in hand while the pot is burning.🍻😁
Haha. Yes!
In the UK they were used to heat various industrial spaces in the 1970s. They were a common sight in car repair garages, chugging away running off old engine oil. They called them 'Salamanders" here.
Oh cool! I really appreciate the info! I might make a new video of both of mine this weekend!
I just bought one of these at a swap meet last weekend. My brother inlaw’s a mechanic. Has all the used oil in the world. We burned off 5 gallons in about 9 hours. Works great for keeping warm outdoors and getting rid of used dirty oil and transmission fluid.
Awesome! They are so fun!
Where can I get one of these? :(
@@VeronicaEHernandez I know a guy who sells them in Riverside, Ca.
@@VeronicaEHernandez Craigslist or Facebook marketplace
We would light hundreds of these a night during frost season in the orchards. By morning the haze would be so thick it would hang over the whole valley until noon. Still for a high school student it was a pretty good job.
I can’t imagine that many at one time. The sound must have been crazy.
Nice to see the heat without all of the smoke - Brilliant
Want to make it into a pool heater!
For all of you that are new to smudge pots, Do not add gas !
Just add the paper to the oil and it will light.
I’ll try next time. A tiny bit of gas is kind of fun.
Just lit mine up this morning w/o gas - no problem. Rolled up a few paper towels into a tube, put them into the oil, waited a minute for them to get soaked in oil, and lit the towel - no problems! :)
What type of oil do you recommend?
@@scott4030 I’ve actually found that diesel burns hotter and more efficient than waste oil.
And also, the oil may contain water/coolant which causes the oil to boil after hours of use and has caught the smudge on fire believe it or not 😱
So I only use diesel now.
@@dangitgrossman Thank you for taking the time. Very much appreciated!
If you can acquire used cooking oil from a local restaurant, you can burn that and you wont have to worry about it smelling like burning motor oil or kerosene/diesel. smells amazing. free heat and the smell of french fries wafting through the air 😂
Sounds delish!
Wow, looks pretty efficient and like a pulse jet lol! Reminds me of an Army Marmite water heaters for in the field! Thumbs up!n Regards John!
It makes the coolest sound when its running, its really fun. Thanks!
It will be red hot at night very cool !! I need to find a few of them I've got over a thousand gallons of used oil !!
Great video and great pot
Son just found one at a yard sale...$3. I'm looking forward to Pheasant season. Gonna work good for warming all of us!!!
Great buy!
Thanks for sharing. Please post a video on the internals. Like is there a burn pot? Does the burn pot need chunks of scrap metal in it so the burn pot doesn’t melt away?
Ha! It sounds almost like a train chugging by.
I tried making my own smudge pot, though it was a bit of a fail. I'll work on the design and see how it compares your your smudge pot. Bring it On!
Its kind of mesmerizing listening and watching it work, pretty fun!
any chance you can measure all the dimensions on that , I just made one but thinking I could get it working better if I made it the same as that one , im learning the hard way there is a little more science behind it than just slapping one together ,made a pool heater out of it , getting 110 on the output to pool
It helps to heat up the pipe faster with gas or k1 is what I would use I've seen others use gas I stood back every time as he did !!
Sonoma makes sense Probly used in an orchard at some point protect grapes from frost
Yes, for apples and such, thats what they were designed for!
Pomona, not Sonoma. Pomona used to be full of orange groves and these smudge pots could be seen all over the place. Pomona gets frost sometimes and orange crops have no tolerance for frost.
That is so cool.
Hello, I don't understand why you have this smaller diameter tube that connects the combustion chamber with the chimney. What is his use?
It heats the oil more so it burns easier
@@JohnVHLife You mean this tube contains the oil? Or do you mean that part of the combustion gases goes back through this tube to the bottom, where the oil is? Thanks!
@@AntonioZorro No oil, it takes the fire and hot air from the chimney and rams it back into the bottom where your 'fuel' is super heating it making it burn hot
@@JohnVHLife Now I get it. Is the top of the pipe simply welded to the chimney body or does it advance internally with an internal baffle to divert more gases to the bottom? Does this type of oil burner have a specific name? I want to study about it. Thanks for your patience with me. Greetings from Brazil.
I have one on order -- how long will it burn with a full tank of Fuel ?????, I rremember when i was a kid working in the Orange Fields in Louisiana we would put these out all thru the Groves to keep the Satsuma Trees alive thru the night.... :)
On low itll run all night!
Thanks for the reply - am eager for mine to arrive. @@JohnVHLife
What oil did you use? How much gas? I have some of these from my g-uncle's old orange groves.
Used motor oil, transmission fluid works too, Now the gas, just like a splash, does not take much, its only go make it easy to light, otherwise shove paper in it and light it
So inside the combustion tank, is it just and empty tank or is there a smaller chamber where the burning takes place?
Its one big chamber/bowl.
@@JohnVHLife awesome thanks! I sent you an email at the address listed in a reply to another comment asking the same thing, so disregard.
@@MrSrt4dodgeneon Whoops, just replied there too, haha.
What kind of wick do you put inside the orchard heater
None. Little gas
What's the purpose?
Heat. Dispose of oil. Win win
@@JohnVHLife
Oh! THANKS! That's awesome!
I’m actually going to try to make it into a pool heater too. If it works I’ll make a video!
How long does the 2 gallons last?
Smudge pots were used to heat orchards or fruit groves when the temperature was expected to go to dangerous levels for the fruit. They were set up within the grove to keep the freeze at bay.
Are they dangerous?
Nope
Does it need to burn with all 3 holes open, or can it be reduced to two to lower the heat?
No. It’ll run on one hole
and now, as of today, i have learned of the choofa!
It’s a cool thing!
Looks like Pomona California
Very top of Washington state!
@@JohnVHLife The smudge pot was made in Pomona.
Should be 999 degrees before it blinks
What kind of oil did you use?
just used motor oil
@@JohnVHLife have you use cooking oil? I just got mine and trying to figure out what's the best option. THANK YOU for replying
@@elperico76 i have not, im sure itll work fine
Seen them used before.....but never with gas
Gas is just to get it burning initially
Do not teach people to start with gas. They’ll create a bomb for themselves. Just crumple up a paper towel like a wick and light it and it will go down into the pot and will ignite the oil/diesel
I just priced one and they want 3 hundred bucks for one of these things, i don't think so. Not worth it.
I have bought 3 of them for 120 bucks, keep your eyes open.
It’d be great if it’s fuel gravity fed
Maybe, this works pretty awesome too