To operate the smoker, simply follow these steps: open the top, start a small fire using pine needles, pinecones, and wood chips with cotton, dryer lint, or paper as a starter. Once the fire is going, add more fuel and close the lid to restrict airflow and create lots of smoke. Puff the smoker once or twice every 5 minutes while working on the hive and keep an eye on fuel levels. Also, keep an eye on the fuel, you wouldn’t want to run out of fuel in the middle of hive inspection