Smoke Tube Question

[Daba's BBQ]

Can anyone suggest a quality smoke tube for my Traeger?

Must I use a blow torch to light it? Can I use my 3-flame cigar lighter?
I don't see the reason why it won't work with my lighter given that pellets are lit with a small ignition flame in my Traeger?

That being said...I found an inexpensive butane torch -

 

[indaswamp]

I use a tube. Best thing I have found is a heat gun of all things....I get them at harbor freight for like $10 bucks. First one I had lasted 4 years, but I left it outside. The new one I bring inside and store in the store room...

 

[SmokinAl]

I have been using a tube for years for cold smoking & sausage making. Since I just bought a pellet pooper I use it in there too. I just use a small torch, and found that if you light the pellets with the tube standing on end they light better.
Al

 

[Daba's BBQ]

Good morning Al.

I speak with you more than I do my mother :). Once again, thank you so much. I just bought one on Amazon. It'll arrive on Wednesday and I am planning on taking a crack at using it for some ribs I'll be smoking this week.

Thanks again.

Peace

PS I feel I should pay you for all of the advice you've given me since I joined this forum. You truly are a great resource.

 

[tbern]

Daba, which length did you get, a 6'' or a 12''? saw at least one offer on amazon that had both of them together for not too bad of price compared to buying just one at a time. had decent reviews too, although sometimes the reviews on amazon don't mean alot

 

[Daba's BBQ]

Hi. I bought the 12"

 

[tbern]

ok, hope it works good for you! enjoy your new toy when it arrives.

 

[Coreymacc]

I use a 6" tube and a small butane torch like suggested. Works great, 3 plus hrs of smoke. They suggest 10 min of flame to work, ive gone a low as 3 ish min and got a full smoke.

Corey

 

[indaswamp]

That's the beauty of a heat gun. Blowing hot air on the flame speeds up the creation of a hot coal bed. From start to hot coals in about 3 minutes.... put the gun directly in contact with the pellets so they will ignite.
I have a torch but have never used it for lighting pellets since the heat gun works so well.

 

[cmayna]

For many, the tube puts out too much smoke when full of pellets, especially in certain smokers. So, a way to cut it down is to reduce the amount of pellets. Fill the tube vertically half way up. Then lay it flat and shake it vigorously left to right ending up with it half full horizontally. For lighting, I've been using a gas torch for quite some time.

 

[indaswamp]

Honestly, I never use pellets for smoke generation in my tube smoker for that reason. I use Dave's pellet dust. Thin clean long burn. I can get 10-12 hours burn time using dust packed tight in the tube. Key is to pack it tight and stand it up vertically. Great for cold smoking-especially cheese.

Well....I do use a hand full of pellets, but that is only to light it with a heat gun....trying to use a heat gun on dust is a futile exercise...it just blows the dust out of the tube.

 

[SmokinAl]

Honestly, I never use pellets for smoke generation in my tube smoker for that reason. I use Dave's pellet dust. Thin clean long burn. I can get 10-12 hours burn time using dust packed tight in the tube. Key is to pack it tight and stand it up vertically. Great for cold smoking-especially cheese.

Well....I do use a hand full of pellets, but that is only to light it with a heat gun....trying to use a heat gun on dust is a futile exercise...it just blows the dust out of the tube.

That is interesting. I cut my own wood chunks from splits with a chop saw. It has a dust bag on it & it fills up real quick with dust that is perfect for cold smoking. It’s free & I know exactly what kind of wood it is. But I have never tried to use it in a tube. I use it in the tray, but will give it a try in the tube. Have you ever mixed dust & pellets? That seems like it would work too.
Al

 

[DougE]

Have you ever mixed dust & pellets? That seems like it would work too.
Al

Shouldn't be any problem mixing some pellets, or even chips in with the dust.

 

[Bearcarver]

In case anyone is still interested, I used a small cooking Butane torch for sawdust, but a Bernzamatic Propane Torch to light the Pellets.
The bigger propane torch is better for pellets, but too powerful for sawdust. The Bernzamatic would blow the dust away from in front of the flame.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

That is interesting. Have you ever mixed dust & pellets? That seems like it would work too.
Al

As long as the dust between the pellets doesn't block the air flow needed to keep pellets burning. They need better air flow than dust needs.

Bear

 

[tbrtt1]

A fella Named Todd (I think) started the A-Maze-N smokers. I’m pretty sure he sold it to a big manufacturer of some sort. But if you look around you can find them.

I have the maze for the dust, a maze for the pellets, and an expandable tube, which is my favorite thing to use.

I started using the mazes when I did cold smoking for salmon and for sausage making. Tried the expandable tube for pellets and I really liked it for my Traeger.

When I do use it for my Traeger, I don’t always use it, I place my tube underneath my drip pan once I get the pellets lit well. This prevents any extra dust from flying around. After all you have pellets in your burn pot blowing all over the place.

For any tube style or maze style smoker, the key is to get them lit really well, let them flame for a while until they go out on their own and then blow on them some. There is a liquid gel starter that is alcohol-based so It completely burns away and does not leave any taste or odors once the pallets are fully lit. That and a nice torch work great.

 

[indaswamp]

That is interesting. I cut my own wood chunks from splits with a chop saw. It has a dust bag on it & it fills up real quick with dust that is perfect for cold smoking. It’s free & I know exactly what kind of wood it is. But I have never tried to use it in a tube. I use it in the tray, but will give it a try in the tube. Have you ever mixed dust & pellets? That seems like it would work too.
Al

Hey, Al...
The key to a clean burn with dust in a tube is you gotta pack it in tight. This limits air to the core of the ember so the ember just smolders...but it is really hot. The ember is about the size of 1/2 a charcoal briquette. Long slow burn...

I bet that dust would work just fine if it is from a chopsaw as long as it is dry. I tried to use dust from my bandsaw, but it was more like long shavings....did not burn well in the tube becasue it would not pack tight....too much air to the core and too much white smoke.

 

[tbrtt1]

The dust maze works well, but I don’t find that it puts out quite enough smoke depending on what it is that I’m using it for.

 

[Daba's BBQ]

For many, the tube puts out too much smoke when full of pellets, especially in certain smokers. So, a way to cut it down is to reduce the amount of pellets. Fill the tube vertically half way up. Then lay it flat and shake it vigorously left to right ending up with it half full horizontally. For lighting, I've been using a gas torch for quite some time.

The tube I bought is square, so it won't roll. If the amome is too much, I'll place some aluminum foul in the bottom and fill half way

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I been using the Amazn since first created with Todd.

Some of my few, the other 8 are in the 5th wheel. I still have my original 1st productions.