Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: Mek on August 29, 2012, 12:25:22 am

Title: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: Mek on August 29, 2012, 12:25:22 am

Just wondering is there a cheaper way to label your boxes. Not too sure if I should invest in a brand.

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: JPBEEGETTER on August 29, 2012, 12:36:37 am

I bought a propane branding iron off ebay for $60. had 3 initials on it . Instead of having new ones made. I used what was there. WSE. was somebodys initials , but what the heck. I had regestered as We Sting Everyone...   cool huh?  look on ebay might find another one... JPP
P.S.  the head on Mann lake is $199.00.

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: Joe D on August 29, 2012, 01:16:22 am

It may be a good idea but I have all my hives on my land or friends and I don't worry about them getting stolen.  You can take a soidering iron and burn anything you want in it, or cut a design with chisel.



Joe

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: Intheswamp on August 29, 2012, 10:54:25 am

Here's a post I made regarding my brand...it was around $55.  There are other folk's experiences, too.  There was one brand on there that was economical with sharp lettering that was a craigslist item but the link has expired now.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,38313.msg321312.html#msg321312 (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,38313.msg321312.html#msg321312)

Best wishes,
Ed

Btw, did you know that you were "Hopelessly Lost"? :)

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: ch.cool on August 29, 2012, 11:27:30 am

Hi,

look at Woodcraft for branding letters
ch.cool

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: Mek on August 30, 2012, 10:32:58 pm

Lol, yes I realised I was hopelessly lost... its a reuirement for my state (Australia ueensland)  to have the hives labeled with your brand. I've already spent $700.00 on euipment and safety gear; so when I found out that a proper brand is about $130.00.  I was really sad. Because it was 18.5% of what I've already spent and I reckon I would prefer to spend it more boxes.

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: duck on August 30, 2012, 10:43:37 pm

find a welding shop with a plasma cutter, get someone to cut initials out of 1/4" plate.. then have them weld together with a piece of flat bar on the back like a T, then attach to handle.

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: AllenF on August 30, 2012, 10:54:45 pm

I use a Sharpie marker.    :-D

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: Intheswamp on August 31, 2012, 10:40:10 am

Quote from: AllenF on August 30, 2012, 10:54:45 pm

I use a Sharpie marker.    :-D

I'm looking at a Sharpie as I type this  and it does say *permanent*!!!   8-)

Ed

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: mudlakee on September 23, 2012, 05:51:09 pm

The only thing I have found PERMANENT are taxes, Sorry I live in NY  Tony

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: JPBEEGETTER on September 23, 2012, 06:32:15 pm

Before I branded minr , I was gone to give my daughter her birthday  meal at Longhorn Steak house , When we got back home someone had pulled down on my property and loaded up four hives. Each one was @2) 9 5/8 and (2) 6 5/8 full of honey and bees. Was  June 27th so you know there was lots of honey in them .. Makes that branding Iron pretty dam cheap. Plus can paint over Sharpies reall easy...But I guess you know what they are worth..

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: AllenF on September 23, 2012, 06:50:09 pm

It takes a lot of paint to cover over a lot of sharpie and it is hard to do with bees on the frames.   

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: hardwood on September 23, 2012, 08:07:10 pm

I use sharpies to temporarily mark my lids (which I want to graft from etc.). The sun bleaches it off within a month.

Scott

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: derekm on September 24, 2012, 03:40:30 pm

Quote from: Mek on August 30, 2012, 10:32:58 pm

Lol, yes I realised I was hopelessly lost... its a reuirement for my state (Australia ueensland)  to have the hives labeled with your brand. I've already spent $700.00 on euipment and safety gear; so when I found out that a proper brand is about $130.00.  I was really sad. Because it was 18.5% of what I've already spent and I reckon I would prefer to spend it more boxes.

how do those regs square with having poly hives?

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: JPBEEGETTER on September 24, 2012, 03:52:01 pm

Allen , who cares about sharpie ing the frames .. just the hives...frames dime a dozen. way I make them ,, but not hive bodies...

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: JPBEEGETTER on September 24, 2012, 03:55:16 pm

You are right Scott , any permanant sharpie is only tem[ory in the  sun's uv...

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: hardwood on September 24, 2012, 04:11:16 pm

Two years back there was a rash of commercial hive thefts just north of here. Turned out to be a commercial beekeeper (and prez of the local club) in Putnam County. The only clue they found (and what ultimately put him away) was some smart keep branded the bottom bars of a few of his frames. The thief never looked on the bottoms for marks...only the boxes and top bars.

Scott

Title: Re: Is there a cheaper way to label your boxes and frames?
Post by: JPBEEGETTER on September 24, 2012, 04:13:45 pm

Here is the iron I bought on e-bay , I know this type and price are not out there every day but if I had this 6/27/2010, I probably would not have los t about $2,000. worth of honey and hives...
(http://s8.postimage.org/3wa7lsoht/007.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/3wa7lsoht/)

(http://s17.postimage.org/rl951gbfv/011.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/rl951gbfv/)

(http://s18.postimage.org/vf5upw5lh/009.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/vf5upw5lh/)

(http://s11.postimage.org/w1juxd30f/010.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/w1juxd30f/)

(http://s13.postimage.org/3xc0p5ntv/008.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/3xc0p5ntv/)

What I paid for the branding iron was a lot less than what I lost so make up your own mind what they are worth. basic arithmethic..