Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: tillie on May 28, 2007, 10:19:03 am
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I'm curious about how everyone maintains their hive tool - I find that I wash mine in the kitchen sink to scrub off the propolis about every third time I use it but I don't do anything else. Is it a tool that should have the edge oiled? sharpened?
(Now that I'm getting into all of this construction, etc. I want to maintain my equipment properly ;) )
Linda T in Atlanta
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My maintenance consists of keeping it in my back pocket.
There are times that shaper would be nice, but sometimes sharper catches and splits the wood which can be hard on the equipment where dull doesn't cut the wood. But it does get into the crack easier if it's sharp. I have had both sharp and dull and it's a tradeoff.
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Tillie:
Time to grab an empty 5 gallon bucket and use it as a tool box. If you want to screp the crud off you hive tool another hive tool and you can use that to help keep the hive tool clean . I on the other hand just take it and run it against the top of the fence and that is it.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
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Caution, Tillie,
Use some item to scrape your tool before washing. The glue and or wax could cause problems in your plumbing, If not washed out of the system and hot water softens it to the point so it would become sticky and cause build up in the pipes. The only time I wash mine is to get the honey off.
doak
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To clean and disinfect the hive tool place it in your smoker. Heat it to a point where the wax melts. Wipe it off with, I use burlap. Charlie
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I rinse mine in water about every third time I use it and throw it in the trunk of my car.
:)
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I rinse the sticky off of mine every now and then and it is around here somewhere. Sure don't want to put petroleum based oil on it.
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It's the "throw in the trunk of the car part" that I haven't tried yet, but I'll bet it helps - especially on a really hot day in the bee suit.
Linda T
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Once the hive tool becomes covered with a fine coat of road dust from being in the trunk even propolis won't stick to it. The trouble then is finding amid everything else.
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I put mine in the smoker as well if there is any possibillity of disease this should more than do the job. and if you want you can rinse it off after and dry with what ever is handy.
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In the realm of trim carpentry, a hive tool is known as a moulding bar due to it's unmatched excellence in removing old mouldings, as a lever, a temporary shim, etc. Mine has been in use for about 30 years for all of the above in addition to it's uses as a hive tool. Other than occasionaly scraping off wax I do nothing to it other than appreciate it for it's versatility.
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Here's how I do it. Buy new hive tool, use it three times. leave it laying in the grass at a yard you don't visit much. Buy a new hive tool, use it three times, leave it on tailgate before driving home, Buy new hive tool. Find first hive tool while mowing. Repeat as necesary.
Good luck
Greg
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If you go to lay the tool down and it stays stuck to your glove, use the other hive tool to scrape off the propolis.
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you are supposed to clean it?? i leave mine by the hive and let the rain rinse it off.....
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I just take dish liquid and a scrubby pad and get it sparkling clean each time I use it. I clean it at an outside sink so not much worried about the propolis getting into the drain. There really isn't much stuff on it anyway. If I clean anything inside the hive with it, I just scrap it against a brick laying on the ground.
I keep everything very clean and even wash my beekeeping suit almost each time I use it. Just like things clean.
That's just me
Annette
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you are supposed to wash your bee suit?? :(
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I keep everything very clean and even wash my beekeeping suit almost each time I use it. Just like things clean.
That's just me
Annette
now, don't want to be rude or anything, but first can i ask you something. what do you do when you wear your bee-suit? i mean...no i don't mean, i just don't get it.
it's nice to be hygenic but....
once a year would be too much, at least i'd say so.
the only time i got a stain on anything cloth related, was when i smeared some pollen pattie to my hat.
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the only time i got a stain on anything cloth related, was when i smeared some pollen pattie to my hat.
is this some kind of trick that i missed? what is the purpose of this maneuver?
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the only time i got a stain on anything cloth related, was when i accidentaly smeared some pollen pattie on my hat.
you sure did miss something :-D
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I always seem to get some yellow stuff smeared on my suit each time I go into the hive. (Pollen??).
But the main thing is I get extremely hot in that suit and it ends up wet, here and there. Also I just like to start with a clean suit whenever I visit the bees.
Annette
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A little bit of nail polish remover takes care of the sticky propolis, but it will also take care of any paint on it. I just scrape mine off on a tree when it starts feeling like a dowel instead of a hive tool....
When I first started and wanted my gloves clean I'd have my wife throw them in the wash. It took me almost 6 months to realize where all those random yellowish stains were on my pants (ok no comments on that please). That didn't do much to the gloves other than leach the color out of the propolis onto my clothes.
Rick
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Ok, I'm in. I think that Mici only wears a hat when he works his bees :roll: :-D
I wash my bee suit about every 2nd time that I wear it. I like the feel of really clean clothes, and I know how dirty my bee suit gets. I am always on my knees out in the apiary when I do stuff, that is inevitable. I always look around the hive bottoms, and all sorts of things. Anyways. My bee suit is is washed in cold water with a little tiny bit of soap only. That way the propolis or whatever else in on the suit does not transfer to other clothes in the next laundry load. And to be on the safe side, after bee suit washing, I don't wash the white, always the darks, then if there is any orange stuff that comes off the suit, it is not as noticeable. Actually I have never noticed anything, so the cold water must work.
I have the Duet by Maytag, this washer is a front opener and has a drum that turns around. It is not the agitator design, so less "banging" of the clothes against the side, maybe this creates less mess for the next load of laundry after the bee suit. Perhaps, maybe. Anyways, wash your bee suits. You will feel better and the bees won't smell human sweat as much. Have a wonderful day, great life, great health. Cindi