Smoke gun: instructions for use

A do-it-yourself smoke gun for processing bees is assembled from a gas canister and several car parts. The device “Varomor” helps the beekeeper fumigate the hives, perform medical procedures for bees. If you can’t assemble a smoke gun yourself, you can always find the product in a beekeeping store.

What is a smoke gun Varomor

According to the instructions in beekeeping, a smoke gun is used to fumigate hives from ticks. The Varomor device is equipped with a container where the drug is filled. During heating, the evaporation of the solution is irritating to the bees. Insects in the stage of aggression accelerate the movement, which is why the mites are boiled from their body on their own.

How the smoke gun works

Before understanding the principle of operation, it is necessary to study the Varomora device. The smoke gun consists of the following units:

• container for filling the treatment solution;
• container cover;
• drug solution pump;
• pump control handle;
• fluid dosage adjusting screw;
• filter unit of the medicinal solution;
• cylinder filled with gas;
• cylinder fixing ring;
• gas supply and adjustment valve;
• burner;
• nozzle;
• ignition trigger actuating the piezoelectric element.

Weight “Varomor” about 2 kg. Dimensions: length – 470 mm, height – 300 mm, width – 150 mm. The performance of a properly configured device reaches 100 hives in 2-3 hours. The probability of extermination of ticks is on average 99%.

The smoke gun has undergone modernization throughout its existence. The improvement of the Varomor device helped to achieve stable operation, economical gas consumption, and improved evaporation of the medicinal solution.

The work “Varomor” resembles a mixture of an airbrush with a blowtorch:

• the tank is filled with a medicinal solution;
• turn left to open the gas valve;
• when the trigger of the smoke gun is pressed, gas enters the burner, and at the same time the piezoelectric element produces a spark;
• after the appearance of the flame, the burner is allowed to warm up for 1-2 minutes;
• the valve regulates the flame, which should not fly out of the smoke gun burner;
• the supply of the medicinal solution is started by smoothly releasing the drive handle pulled to the stop;
• dispenser on a hot burner “Varomora” delivers about 1 cm³ medicinal solution;
• from contact with hot metal, the liquid turns into vapor and exits through the nozzle.

After adjusting the optimal vaporization, the smoke gun nozzle is inserted into the entrance of the hive to a depth of up to 3 cm. Depending on the drug used, the bees are fed 2-5 puffs of steam.

How to make a Varomor smoke gun with your own hands

If there are a couple of suitable spare parts from the car at home, a do-it-yourself smoke gun is assembled in the form of a nozzle on a gas canister. Difficulties may arise due to the need for turning work.

In the video, a smoke gun for bees:

Collection and preparation of components

A homemade smoke gun is assembled for processing bees from the following elements:

• durable plastic container with a sealed lid for the medicinal solution;
• homemade or factory gas heater;
• automotive spare parts (fuel pump, brake pipe, spark arrester casing);
• nozzles, a set of hardware;
• gas bottle.

Some of the parts can be found in the garage or bought at the store. Turners will have to turn to fit the parts of the smoke gun and threading.

Do-it-yourself drawing for collecting Varomor smoke guns

A good smoke gun for bees is assembled with an Atex burner. The element is easily attached and removed due to clamping screws. To disconnect the burner, loosen the bolt on the flange and tank. The element is rotated 90^оafter which it can be easily detached.

The coil is curved from a copper tube with a diameter of 6 mm. The thickness of its walls is not less than 3 mm. The inner diameter of the tube is also 3 mm. Due to the thick walls of heat-intensive metal, the coil of the smoke gun heats up quickly, but cools down longer.

The optimal dimensions of a homemade burner are 70×35 mm. The outer casing is bent from a stainless steel sheet. A flange of about 5 mm is provided on the flange and plug of the burner for ease of assembly of the structure. After connecting the parts in the casing, holes are drilled with a diameter and a pitch of 6 mm from each other. A handle is welded to the flange. The second end of the copper tube is arbitrarily pressed with a clamp to the gas cylinder. The nozzle on the sprayer is made with a diameter of 15 mm. The part is turned on a lathe or the nozzle is removed from a household gas stove.

Assembling a smoke gun for processing bees

Assembled according to the instructions of the smoke gun for processing bees in the following order:

1. Connect the gas cylinder to the burner. Threads are cut on the copper tube, fittings are screwed on. Seal the threaded connection with FUM tape.
2. The tube is shaped into a spiral of five turns. The outer diameter of the workpiece is 10 mm less than the thickness of the spark arrestor bulb. The spiral is placed inside the cola closer to the end for better heating. A nozzle from a household gas stove is screwed onto the end of the tube.
3. The spark arrester flask is perforated. A strip with a hole for fixing a copper tube is welded in front. A coupling is attached to the back of the flask for connection to the burner. After assembly, the edge of the burner must extend 10 mm beyond the flange. Connect the workpieces by welding. You can drill holes on the flange and tighten with bolts.
4. Install a plastic container for the solution. A flask from a spray gun with a capacity of 200 mm is suitable.

After assembling all the elements, the solution supply by the fuel pump is calibrated. A hole is drilled in the center of the foot, a screw is inserted. A solution is injected inside the nozzle, the flow is adjusted to 1 cm³ fluid.

On the video, the assembly principle of “Varomora”:

Instructions for use smoke gun Varomor

In the Varomor shop smoke gun, the instructions clearly display the rules for use when fumigating a family of bees. Assembly is carried out on the street, as the product involves the use of a gas cylinder. The process involves a number of steps:

• slowly unscrew the pressure ring from the gas cartridge;
• turn the gas valve to the right;
• the cylinder with its working side is inserted into the connecting saddle of the burner;
• the clamping ring is tightened along the thread until the needle pierces the clogged mouth of the canister.

If Varomor is free of defects, gas leakage will not occur. After the fumigation of the bees, the used cylinder is sent for disposal. You can’t run it. For the next fumigation of bees for a smoke gun, they buy a new cylinder.

How to prepare solutions for a smoke gun

According to the instructions, a solution for the Varomor smoke gun is prepared from drugs and solvents.

Solution for bees No. 1

Ethyl alcohol with oxalic acid is heated to 50 ^оC. It is optimal to give preference to a water bath. After dissolution of the dry matter, thymol is added. The proportions are taken in the ratio of 100 ml: 15 g: 15 g, respectively.

Solution for bees No. 2

The second solution for a smoke gun involves mixing purified kerosene with a drug: Bipin, Tactics. The finished liquid should turn white. The proportions are taken in the ratio of 100 ml: 5 g, respectively.

Solution for bees No. 3

The drug “Tau-fluvanilate” is added to the water, heated to a temperature of 50 ^оC. It is optimal to use a water bath. The drug must be completely dissolved. Proportions are taken in the ratio of 100 ml to 5 ml, respectively.

The bee solution prepared according to any recipe is filtered so that the remaining crystals do not clog the pump and smoke gun channels. The liquid is poured into the Varomora tank, and the bees are fumigated.

How to achieve abundant smoke emission from the smoke gun Varomor

The intensity of the formation of smoke puffs in Varomor depends on the correct use. Before fumigating the bees, the smoke gun must warm up for at least 2 minutes. When the Varomora burner is hot, the solution is supplied with the pump handle. One stroke of the handle feeds 1 cm into the system³ liquids. To increase the portion of smoke, the Voramor handle is again pressed back to the stop and fed forward.

Treatment of bees with a smoke gun

Treatment of bees with a smoke gun occurs in the following sequence:

1. Unscrew the cover of the filler tank on Varomore. Pour the filtered medicinal solution for bees. The cover is returned to its place. Check for fluid leakage.
2. Turning the crank handle to the left opens the gas cylinder. By pressing the trigger, the igniter is ignited. The combustion of the smoke gun is regulated so that the flame does not fly out of the burner.
3. Varomor is warmed up for at least 2 minutes. With experience, the readiness of the smoke gun for work is determined intuitively.
4. After warming up with the handle of the pump, the treatment solution for bees is injected into the system. With one stroke of the handle, 1 cm will move³ liquids. When thick steam comes out of the nozzle of the smoke gun, they start fumigating the bees.
5. The spout of “Varomora” is introduced into the hive through the notch to a depth of up to 3 cm. When using solution for bees No. 1, 4 to 5 puffs of steam are released. If solutions for bees No. 2 or No. 3 are used, make 1-2 smoke inlets.
6. Upon completion of the fumigation of the bees, the gas valve of the smoke gun is closed.

Bees are fumigated 45 days before the first pumping of honey, and also 7 days after the final pumping season. If there is bee brood in the hive, 4 fumigations are carried out every three days. In autumn, bees are fumigated with a smoke gun at a temperature of + 2-8 ^оC.

Causes of malfunction of the Varomor smoke gun and ways to eliminate them

If there is little smoke from the Varomor smoke gun, then it can be assumed that the pump or the supply channels are clogged. Such a breakdown is most often common when an unfiltered solution for bees is poured. Silting with solid deposits occurs when ignoring the flushing of the Varomora system after fumigating the bees.

It is difficult to clean the channels and the smoke gun pump. Washing the Varomora system with kerosene after each treatment of the bees helps prevent breakage.

Device Safety

Varomor is considered a conditionally dangerous device due to the use of a gas cylinder. However, subject to the rules of operation, the device will not harm the beekeeper and the environment:

• “Varomor” must not be ignited near explosive and flammable substances;
• the smoke gun must not be subjected to mechanical stress, otherwise gas or medicinal solution will leak due to damage;
• in the process of fumigation, you can not eat, smoke, drink;
• respiratory organs during processing of bees are protected by a respirator;
• store the smoke gun in the utility room with the gas cylinder removed.

During maintenance, the user is allowed to use kerosene for the smoke gun, clean the system with it. Be sure to separately flush the filter dispenser. When using a solution for bees No. 1, flushing the system is done with vinegar, dissolving 1 tbsp. l. acids in 100 ml of pure water. No other disassembly can be carried out. All components of the smoke gun are sealed. Violation of sealing will lead to bad consequences. Qualified repairs are carried out only by service technicians.

Conclusion

A do-it-yourself smoke gun for processing bees can be assembled by any turning specialist. However, homemade does not guarantee safe operation. “Varomor” is better to purchase factory-made. Smoke guns are tested and completely safe.