stimey wrote:
>
> What do you do to keep your smoker in good order. Mine has a lot of creasote
> build up and is hard to open some times once it has cooled down. Also should
> you treat the leather on the bellows to prolong its life? I was using corn
> cobs for smoker fuel but recently have switched to baling twine.

Stoke it up with a good hot fire occasionally to burn off the creosote.
A rinse with alcohol seems to work too.

Your switch to baling twine could be a bigger problem though and not
because of creosote. It is not uncommon for baling twine to be
chemically treated to resist rot and rodents. Using that for smoker fuel
could be a problem to your bees. I don't know what the chemical is, but
breathing the smoke might pose a health risk to you too.

The best fuel I've found is handful of damp white pine needles. Get a
good blaze of crumpled newspaper going, shove the pine needles in and
pump a few times. Some folks give high praise to dried sumac heads -
haven't tried that one yet.


A little Neatsfoot will keep the leather supple.


AL