How to construct a smoker for beekeeping

Source Swisscontact
Keywords Bees, hives, hive equipment and apiculture
Country of first practice Nicaragua
ID and publishing year 9114 and 2017
Sustainbale Development Goals No poverty, decent work and economic
growth and life on the land

Summary
The smoker is an essential tool for any is introduced into the combustion chamber.
beekeeper. Since long time ago, smoke has The most commonly used fuels are dry leaf
been used to calm down the bees when litter, wood sawdust, dry grass, corncobs or
handling beehives. This technology describes another organic substrate harmless to bees.
the materials, tools and procedures needed Figure 1: Smoker for the beekeeper
to manufacture a smoker.

Description
The smoker is a sturdy container resistant
to high temperatures. Inside the smoker,
organic matter will be burnt to produce
smoke. Care should be taken to make sure,
only abundant white cold smoke comes out
of the smoker and not to burn the bees.
© FAO/TECA
The smoke is used to calm down the bees
and to make operations in the hive easier.
For the bees, smoke is the alarm for fire: they
1. Material needed for the construction of
think there is a forest fire and in preparation
the smoker
for leaving the hive, they begin to suck the
nectar they have stored in the cells and Nowadays it is possible to find smokers
lose their instinct to sting. This is a natural of different sizes, shapes and materials.
behaviour of the bees. All of them use the bellows principle. The
most commonly used materials for the
The most used smoker model consists of a smoker body and lid are galvanized zinc
bellows (blower) attached to a cylindrical sheet (26 mm gauge) and stainless steel.
metal body, which can carry a protective grid Other materials needed are wood, a piece
if desired, and that is connected through a of leather, nails, screws, a hinge and a
hinge to a conical lid with a hole through spring. In addition, tools such as a cutter,
which the smoke leaves the smoker (Figure knife or scissors, hammer
1). Inside the cylinder, there is a grid on
which the fuel is placed. Through a hole in
the cylindrical body, located below the base
and protective gloves are
necessary. TECA
TECHNOLOGIES
of the grid, the air produced by the blower
and PRACTICES
for SMALL
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AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCERS
 Beekeeping

Figure 2: Components of a smoker • Coupling ring: it is the piece that allows

the coupling of the combustion chamber
with the conical lid (4).
• Conical lid: the lid allows the accumulation
of the smoke flow through an outlet at the
top.
• Handle: facilitates opening the smoker
especially when it is hot.
• Hinge: allows to open the smoker and
close it easily.
• Hook: this piece allows to hang the smoker
on the hive so that the beekeeper can
© FAO/TECA

have two hands-free to manipulate the

hive.
• Air conducting tube: allows a better flow
2. Parts of a smoker of air from the bellows to the combustion
chamber (optional).
• Combustion chamber: it is the largest
• Bellows support: these two metal parts
part of the smoker, where combustion is
keep the bellows and combustion chamber
carried out to produce the smoke.
strongly together.
• Grid: protects the bottom of the
• Galvanized strip: used to seal the wooden
combustion chamber. It also prevents
plate of the bellows and the leather
the passage of the flame through the air
together, in order to prevent the leak of
conductor tube (8) of the smoker and
air.
facilitates the uniform distribution of air
• Vinyl or leather: flexible material of high
from the bellows (blower).
strength used to exert air propulsion inside
Figure 3: Parts of a smoker
the smoker.
• Bellows holding screw: two screws that
hold the bellows to the bellows support.
3. Description of the parts of a smoker
3.1 Conical Lid
The conical lid is made of a piece of metal
with the dimensions and angles as indicated
in figure 10.4. It can be welded or moulded
with heat to achieve its complete bending
and assembly. Three holes should be made
in the part close to the base of the lid to
attach the handle.
3.2 Coupling ring
© FAO/TECA

This piece allows the precise and adjusted

coupling of the conical lid and the
combustion chamber. It is made with a

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metal strip of 3.8 cm wide and 42.6 cm lid without using more materials and to
long. A short ring with a diameter of facilitate their union, three inflexions or
12.8 cm should be made by connecting bends must be made in the metal strip
the two ends of the metal strip. The using pliers (see Figure 5). The coupling ring
ends should be overlapped by 0.9 cm. To should be adjusted until it is fixed to the
assemble the coupling ring and the conical conical lid (see Figure 6).

Figure 4: Measurements of the conical lid

© FAO/TECA
Figure 5: Coupling ring measurements

Interior 12.8 cm

Conical lid

Cylindrical body

Bellows
© FAO/TECA

Figure 6: Coupling ring and a conical lid fixed

© FAO/TECA

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 Figure 7: Hinge and hook for support

© FAO/TECA

Figure 8: Parts and measurements of the cylinder

© FAO/TECA

Figure 9: Measurements of the cylinder or combustion chamber

© FAO/TECA

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3.3 Hinge and hook for support 3.5 Air conducting tube connected to the
To hang the smoker a hinge and hook have combustion chamber
to be incorporated. Three metal parts and a The air conducting tube guides the air from
metal pin are required. the bellows to the combustion chamber. It
3.3.1 Piece one can be fixed to the combustion chamber
It is the upper support of the hinge, which with rivets or it can be welded.
joins the conical cover with the lower part 3.6 Fuel grid
of the hinge. This piece must have two The fuel grid must have as many holes as
holes to fix it to the conical cover, and the possible with a diameter of 0.3 cm to allow
end must be rolled to fit the size of the the passage of air to the combustion. The
pin. grid can be removable (allows to clean the
3.3.2 Piece two smoker better) or fixed (less handling is
This is attached to the combustion possible, and deterioration of the material
chamber. It has two extensions of is faster).
1.8 cm x 0.8 cm that are rolled to be 3.7 Parts and measurements of the bellows
coupled with Piece one through the pin. Once all the pieces below have been
3.3.3 Piece three assembled, it is recommended to check the
This is the hook to hang the smoker smoker operation before using it to work in
being a long metal piece with a rounded the hive.
unsharpened edge. It has two holes to fix 3.7.1 Bellows
it to the conical cover. Bellows are constructed with:
3.4 The cylinder (combustion chamber) • two wooden bases of rectangular shape
The combustion chamber is composed (12.7 cm x 19 cm x 1.3 cm);
of the base, the grid, the cylinder and • a conical spring of 9 cm of base
the air conducting tube. The base is a (diameter) and 13 cm of height. (the
circular metal piece with a diameter of spring can be the type used in furniture);
14.8 cm that is joined and fixed to the • two strips of galvanic sheets to join and
combustion chamber. The grid can be seal the bellows; and
fixed or removable, and there has to be a • a piece of leather that provides mobility
space between the grid and the bottom of to the bellows.
the cylinder to allow the access of air. The 3.7.2 Bellows support
cylinder must be closed by overlapping of Two plates with the indicated measures
its two ends and fixing them using rivets are required for fixing the bellows and the
to avoid the escape flames or smoker. combustion cylinder.
The cylinder has a size of 42 cm x 24.5 cm
and must be closed using two rivets. The 3.7.3 Piece of vinyl or leather
inner diameter of the cylinder is 14.8 cm The leather (or vinyl) must be one piece. If
(diameter of the fuel grid) and must have extensions are needed, they must be done
inflexion in the upper part. This is where the in the lower part of the bellows, and they
coupling ring will be attached to the conical must be reinforced to avoid air leaks.
cylinder.

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 Figure 10: Air conducting tube connected to the combustion chamber
© FAO/TECA

Figure 11: Fuel grid

© FAO/TECA

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 It is important that the piece is complete In addition, the material that burns must
and without perforations. be organic matter and not oily materials.
Once all the pieces have been assembled, Although it seems easier to light these
it is recommended to check the smoker products, they can alter the bees and
operation before using it to work in the contaminate the honey.
hive. A good way to light the smoker is using a
4. Recommendations for using the smoker piece of paper in the bottom of the smoker,
and once it is burning, the organic matter
The smoker is used to calm down the bees should be slowly introduced as the amount
and reduce stinging behaviour of the bees, of smoke increases. Many people add green
making the work in the hive easier. leaves of aromatic plants such as Thyme
It is important that the smoker is cleaned (Thymus vulgaris) or Rosemary (Rosmarinus
after each use and that the remaining of officinalis) to moisten, aromatize the smoke,
burning materials are properly extinguished and to decrease in the varroa load.
after each use to avoid causing unintentional Another important point is that the amount
burning and to keep the smoker in good of smoke used at the time of handling the
condition for as long as possible. hives should be as minimal as possible, so
It is important that the smoker contains a the bees do not choke. Also, using too much
sufficient amount of burning material, so smoke can alter the taste of the honey. It
it does not have to be opened and filled is also important that the smoker always
again in the middle of a hive inspection. contains a sufficient amount of organic
Figure 12: Parts and measurements of the bellows
© FAO/TECA

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 Figure 13: Measurements of the bellows support

© FAO/TECA

Figure 14: Leather measurements

© FAO/TECA

matter for burning and that no hot particles 5. Validation

and/or ashes come out, as these can irritate This technology was developed within the
and burn the bees. Pymerural Project, a collaboration between
Figure 15: Beekeepers using the smoker the government of Nicaragua and Honduras.
The Swiss cooperation also sponsored the
programme and offered technical support
through the Swisscontact foundation.
This document is a translation of the original
“Confección de ahumador para apicultor”
(FAO-TECA technology number 8295)
6. Agro-ecological zones
© FAO/TECA

• Tropics, cool/cold/very cold

• Subtropics, all
• Temperate, cool TECA
TECHNOLOGIES
and PRACTICES
for SMALL
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AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCERS