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Author Topic: What would you do?  (Read 1758 times)

Offline knob21

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What would you do?
« on: February 27, 2009, 03:41:46 pm »
Just received a dozen hives that have been stored in a barn for 5 yrs.(Owner died)....Hives just need fresh paint, but combs have mice damage,black comb and wax moth damage. Would you reuse the old but stable frames with new foundation or purchase new frames and foundation?

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: What would you do?
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2009, 07:05:45 pm »
Just received a dozen hives that have been stored in a barn for 5 yrs.(Owner died)....Hives just need fresh paint, but combs have mice damage,black comb and wax moth damage. Would you reuse the old but stable frames with new foundation or purchase new frames and foundation?

Check the frames for dry rot and mold.  Discard any pieces of frames that show evidence of either.  The wood will last a long time but when resurrecting old abandoned equipment it is best to proceed with caution. 
1. The wax that is left is unusable, melt it or destroy it.
2. Check the wax for scalings and debre in the frames, that will give an indication if the hives were diseased.
3. If evidence of disease you're better off burning the frames (including wax) and starting over.
4. Pull the hive bodies apart and go over the inner surfaces with a blow torch until the grain rises, that will kill the disease spores that might be left behind.  Same goes for tops and bottoms.
5. Reassemble what is usable/salvagable, inventory it, and see how much of what you need to buy.
6. Paint and reassemble salvaged hive parts.
7. Buy and assemble what is needed to bring to the point of a top and bottom for every 3 boxes and frames to fill every box, foundation if option and the beekeepers choice.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline Cindi

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Re: What would you do?
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2009, 07:17:30 pm »
Brian, I need clarification on this sentence you said, I didn't quite get "until the grain rises" part, elaborate please.  Have the best of this wonderful and great day, Cindi

Quote
Pull the hive bodies apart and go over the inner surfaces with a blow torch until the grain rises,
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: What would you do?
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2009, 07:28:30 pm »
Brian, I need clarification on this sentence you said, I didn't quite get "until the grain rises" part, elaborate please.  Have the best of this wonderful and great day, Cindi

Quote
Pull the hive bodies apart and go over the inner surfaces with a blow torch until the grain rises,

The growth rings of wood have 2 stages, soft during the summer and hard and smaller during the winter.  When fire is applied to the wood the soft part of the ring will burn out faster than the hard part of the ring, hence the grain rises.  Does that help?
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline Cindi

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Re: What would you do?
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2009, 07:39:36 pm »
Brian, yes, that does help, and yes, you have more than clearly answered my question.  That is appreciated, you know that, friend.  Have a great, and most awesome day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

 

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