I’m googling smoker buddy, and being pointed to narcotics websites.
Surely I’m missing something. Do I need one?
Hi Stefan, you need to include “beekeeping” when googling. No you don’t need one. I’ve lived without one for over 30 years. They are handy when it comes to leaving a lit smoker on the back of a ute, for example, while driving around. Smokers always work best on the back of a ute, while driving around. I jam a paintbrush handle in my smoker before driving these days. That starves it for air which puts it out. No more concerned motorists at traffic lights pointing to the smoke on the back of my ute. Especially now with fire restrictions.
Smoker Buddies were talked about on another thread. It’s a box you put your smoker in while not in use.
cheers
Ah. Well, then I actually have one already.
I take pleasure in repurposing rubbish into useful stuff instead of buying new. I have a large old paint can with metal lid, and I use it to extinguish the smoker safely at home.
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hi Stefan, I thought of you this morning, as I shoved the paint brush handle into my smoker & gave it an extra twist.
cheers
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I am thrilled to see that paint brush being repurposed at the end of its life Jeff! … and repairing the missing hook on your smoker with a bolt.
Take another look Stefan. There’s multiple layers of reinforced car bog holding the bellows in place so the air holes line up. The photo doesn’t really show the fencing wire at the bottom that also holds the bellows on. Plus the denim material used with contact adhesive to repair the bellows, as well as heavy duty duct tape. There’s a thin piece of stainless wire holding the top on where the hinge broke. I bolted a new grate inside because the old one disintegrated.
I have a brand new flow smoker someone gave me, it works well, plus a second spare one that was also given to me, however I prefer to use my old one.
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I am so delighted to see that Jeff. And I am serious.
In this throw away society, that smoker is a sight to behold.
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Thanks Stefan, I’m also anti this throw away society we’re in.
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Me three! My whole house is a re-use project. The only newly purchased furnishings in our downstairs rooms are a few of the lamps and the rugs, good wool ones I’ve had for over 20 years. I have a keen eye for curb trash and nobody can tell it from the nice handed-down pieces once it’s cleaned up and repaired. The house itself is from the late 1800s & was in such rough shape that all the prospective buyers before we came along wanted to tear it down and build new…the previous owners wouldn’t sell to them! They didn’t have to convince us about the merits of restoration, so we had a deal.
I too get sincere enjoyment from serving as much homegrown, house-made and locally traded goods at my table as possible!
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My two bobs worth. I have divided the hive entrance of my FH-2 into 2, as well as reducing the total area that the bees can enter into the hive (see attached photos). There are 2 reasons for doing so, by having the 2 divided openings, I believe that it makes it easier for the bees to circulate the air in and out of the hive on hot summer days, the other reason is that the piece of timber in the middle also acts as a reducer as well, thus making it much easier for the guard bees to defend the entrance from unwanted intruders. Also, since the photo was taken, I have also added a metal mouse excluder, and I have cut the length of the piece of timber by half (no photo to show). I have also noticed that the mouse excluder stops the bees from pushing out the piece of timber in the centre.
