>I don't know if it is unusual, but I use wood stove pellets. It is a pain >to get started, I use a propane torch. I guess they're pretty commonly used these days. I started using them about 1999 when I went to work at the Dyce Lab. We used white pine needles to start the smoker, and once it was lit, we added large handfulls of hardwood pellets. During damp seasons when dry pine needles became difficult to obtain, I started collecting burlap sacks to use to start the smoker. A small strip was adequate to get it going and then add pellets. The chief disadvantage of pellets is you have to buy them and a lot of beekeepers prefer to get smoker fuel for free. Also, they must be kept dry or they turn back into sawdust. Speaking of burlap, it tends to burn a little too fast when used alone. However you can greatly extend the life of a piece of burlap if you throw a handful of burr comb on top of it. The resulting smoke is very dense, cool, and seems to really put 'em to sleep. pb -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---