Author Topic: First time beekeeper ready to place order- maybe? (Read 9355 times)

Ruben · « **on:** January 29, 2006, 10:24:42 pm »

Hello, O.k I have already ordered my package bees (Italian), I have my hive stand, 2 hive bodies, 3 supers, all frames and telescoping cover and am in the process of assembling and painting everything. I am getting ready to place an order through Dadant for the following items. My question- Is there anything you would eliminate from the below list or anything you would add to this list. I am new and this is what I have come up with, what changes should be made if any? Thanks for your help!

M00808 40lb Wood Pellet Smoker Fuel
1 x M00754 Frame Grip
1 x M007571 Economy Hive Tool
1 x M00751 Bee Brush
1 x M00689 PROPOLIS TRAP
1 x M009281 Smoker 4 x 10 Stainless Steel with Heat/Finger Shield
2 x F35010 10 SH. WIRED 8 1/2" X 16 3/4
2 x F32301 1 LB. CUT COMB 5 5/8 X 16 1/2"
1 x V01160SIZE BEE JACKET W/REMOVABLE HAT/VEIL
1 x B41501 VARROA MITE SCREEN BOARD C/1
1 x M00934 VARROA MITE STICKY BOARD ONLY
1 x B41101 QUEEN EXCLUDER WOOD BOUND 10FRAME EACH
1 x M59511 BEEMAX HIVE TOP FEEDER
1 x B91101 BOTTOM BOARD STANDARD C/1

TwT · « **Reply #1 on:** January 30, 2006, 12:20:30 am »

1. intercover and Telescoping Outer Cover would be nice also ;),

2. uncapping fork if you want,I use mine to uncap drone brood and look for mites.

3. just getting started , you might want some good gloves, but thats up to you.

4. I see you have foundation, so dont forget the frames :D

5. zinc eyelets

6. frame wire

you could have most this stuff on your list already but not the list above, getting all this stuff is good and could be used but it mostly what you plan to do with your bee's

thegolfpsycho · « **Reply #2 on:** January 30, 2006, 01:53:41 am »

did you order just one package of bees? It's nice to have 2 for comparison and you can rob from one to help the other in tight situations. Looks like you have enough equipment to get a couple off to a good start. Do you have a specific plan to sell propolis? I've never harvested it. Inner covers have their uses. I kept bees for a long time and never used one. Now, I always put one on. The queen excluder is optional. It can really cause problems getting wax drawn. I have seen bees swarm rather than expand up through an excluder. Baiting them up above an excluder often helps, but with different sized equipment, that may be a problem for you.

The main thing, is have a ball with the bees. It's a great hobby.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #3 on:** January 30, 2006, 07:59:26 am »

>M00808 40lb Wood Pellet Smoker Fuel

You can buy this by the bag at the farm store for less money because you'll save on shipping.

>1 x M00754 Frame Grip

I much prefer the molded handled ones like this:

http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=764

>1 x M007571 Economy Hive Tool

I much prefer the Italian hive tool from Brushy Mt. I don't use anything else.

http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=591

>2 x F35010 10 SH. WIRED 8 1/2" X 16 3/4

I'd get the wired small cell. It's not in the electronic catalog yet but you can call and ask for it.

>2 x F32301 1 LB. CUT COMB 5 5/8 X 16 1/2"

I kind of like the 7/11 from Walter T. Kelly. Less wax. The queen likes it less and probably won't lay in it.

>1 x B41501 VARROA MITE SCREEN BOARD C/1

Dadan'ts doesn't come with a tray. You can make one, I suppose. Brushy Mt's has the tray with it.

>1 x B41101 QUEEN EXCLUDER WOOD BOUND 10FRAME EACH

If you have to buy excluders, I do like the wood bound ones. But I would just buy one to have around for those rare instances when you might find one useful. I don't put them on my hives.

>1 x B91101 BOTTOM BOARD STANDARD C/1

Why not just buy a good screened bottom board with a tray? Skip the "Varroa Screen" and the "Sticky board"
http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=277

TREBOR · « **Reply #4 on:** January 30, 2006, 12:01:55 pm »

Hi Ruben,
my thoughts are,

Quote

M00808 40lb Wood Pellet Smoker Fuel

go to a grain store and get wood shavings, I paid $3.50 for one bail.

Quote

1 x M007571 Economy Hive Tool

there are two differant type, I use both and if you misplace one
you still have one, mine drop out of my pockets alot and its allways in the
tall grass, have a look here.
http://www.betterbee.com/departments2.asp?dept=189&bot=86

Quote

1 x V01160SIZE BEE JACKET W/REMOVABLE HAT/VEIL

Hmmmm a jacket, once I made a misstake and was working the bees
when I shouldn't have been,and they let me know! they found one small hole at the base of my vail. I was stung nine times in the face and neck
I had a full body suit there were no other places for them to get in,
thank god!
have a look here.
http://www.beeworks.com/usacatalog/subcat21.htm

Quote

QUEEN EXCLUDER WOOD BOUND 10FRAME EACH

I have both wood and plastic excluders I prefer plastic they don't build as much burr comb on them and they are easy to clean. have a look here.
http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=548
OH ya, get some of these, they are really important!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page83.htm
bm-160 is the one I like!

Have a L@@K around the net, you my find that not all suppliers have the same stuff or the same price! :shock:
thats my thoughts. HAVE FUN!!!!!! :D

Apis629 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:45:22 pm »

If you've just got a few hives then lawn clippings should sustain your smoker. And secondly, why would you buy a propolis trap? Are you intending to harvest? A cotton cloth works even better...you an freeze it in the freezer and then shatter the propolis out which is brittle when cold. It sure beats sticky scraping.

Robo · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2006, 08:47:47 pm »

>> M00754 Frame Grip
I agree with Michael, spend the extra $$s get the ergo grips, you won't regret it

>> M00689 PROPOLIS TRAP
Skip it for now until your more experienced. I found them to be a waste

>> B41101 QUEEN EXCLUDER WOOD BOUND 10FRAME EACH
Go with the plastic, you can rotate 90 degrees without creating an entrance

>> M59511 BEEMAX HIVE TOP FEEDER
Save your money. Inverted gallon pickle jar is much cheaper and works better. Bees won't use a hive top feeder when clustered (cold). They can use an inverted jar. Dealers can't make money on pickle jars, but they can on hive top feeders. Search the forum for more pro/cons on feeders

Ruben · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2006, 10:27:00 pm »

O.k as for the propolis trap I was reading of thing that could be done with it and I saw it was pretty cheap so I was going to put one in. So I will skip that for now.

As for the foundation this has me more confused than anything so far, it says it is reinforced with wire so does that mean I don't need wire or imbedder? Lots of choices when it comes to foundation and I don't know one from the other. If someone coulf give me the correct part# to use that would be great, and do I need wire or those little slotted nails that are so expensive?

As for the wood bound queen excluder I saw it was a few $$ more and just though that ment it was better quality, so I will go with plastic.

As for the top hive feeder the book I read (beekeeping for dummies)recommened it for begginers. So should I go with an entrance feeder?

As for the the bee jacket I was thinking a pair of blue jens the bee jacket, hat and veil, and a pair of work gloves would be o.k if not I will plan on goinf with a suit. The book made it sound like all I needed was a hat and veil, that I would not get stung unless I got reckless.

I will check into either a screened bottom board or one with a tray.

I will go with the better grips and hive tool also.

I live about 30 min. from the Dadant in Lynchburg, VA and just that I would get what I could from there to save on shipping. I would have loved to be able to start with 2 hives to compare each other to but budget is an issue. If all goes well I would like to add a couple of hives next year. Thanks you all have been a big help!

Michael Bush · « **Reply #8 on:** January 30, 2006, 11:41:05 pm »

>As for the foundation this has me more confused than anything so far, it says it is reinforced with wire so does that mean I don't need wire or imbedder? Lots of choices when it comes to foundation and I don't know one from the other. If someone coulf give me the correct part# to use that would be great, and do I need wire or those little slotted nails that are so expensive?

If you buy wired foundation you won't need to wire it. Just put it in. You'll get a lot less Varroa mites if you get the small cell.

>As for the wood bound queen excluder I saw it was a few $$ more and just though that ment it was better quality, so I will go with plastic.

That depends on what you want to do. They will propolize the plastic down solid. They will burr the wood bound one. I prefer none. But when I use one I use a wood bound one. What was said about turning it is a way to get the bees to go through it by turning it 90 degrees leaving a large gap on the ends. Then it's really a queen "discourager".

>As for the top hive feeder the book I read (beekeeping for dummies)recommened it for begginers. So should I go with an entrance feeder?

No. Entrance feeders just set off robbing. Well, actually most feeders set off robbing but entrance feeders are worse. :) A quart jar of syrup with a few small holes in it over the inner cover (with an empty box to make the room) will work fine.

>As for the the bee jacket I was thinking a pair of blue jens the bee jacket, hat and veil, and a pair of work gloves would be o.k if not I will plan on goinf with a suit. The book made it sound like all I needed was a hat and veil, that I would not get stung unless I got reckless.

You'll get stung no matter what you do. :) Enjoy it. I like a jacket with a zip on viel. I have several full suits, and a jacket. I wear the jacket the most.

TREBOR · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2006, 12:04:56 am »

ask ten beekeepers a question :lol:

TwT · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:34:19 pm »

Ruben, this is the type feeder I have been useing, goes on top of the intercover and then I put the jars in a extra deep, then put the top cover on. I like the 2 jar one the most. with this feeder you can check the syrup without bothering the hive.

http://go.netgrab.com/secure/kelleystore/asp/product.asp?product=219

oh, 1 more thing you would like to have is a Triangle Escape Board, there are different bee escape's but I like this one the best. put it on your hive one day under your supers and the next day take the supers with hardly any bee's if any at all, works real good. you might not need it the first year, but you might.

amymcg · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2006, 01:35:13 pm »

For feeders, I just took a bunch of (4) front feeders and stuck them on top of the top bars. No robbing. Put a super on top of them then the cover.

Ruben · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:01:35 pm »

MB - Does Walter Kelly make the 7/11 foundation to fit a 6 5/8 wedge frame?

Michael Bush · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2006, 08:04:47 am »

MB - Does Walter Kelly make the 7/11 foundation to fit a 6 5/8 wedge frame?

http://go.netgrab.com/secure/kelleystore/asp/product.asp?product=114

They have it for solid, divided etc. all the way from 4 3/8", 4 7/8", 5 1/4" and 5 5/8".

I'm guessing you want the 5 5/8". That would be the size for a grooved or wedge top bar and a divided bottom. I think it would work in a grooved bottom.

Ruben · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2006, 08:43:24 pm »

So with the thin foundation like 7/11 and others for cut comb how do you wire it for support in the frames? Or is it not done for cut comb.

Jay · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2006, 09:54:29 pm »

Not done for cut comb. You don't want the wires getting in the way of your cutting the comb once it is all drawn, filled and capped.

If you're afraid of the foundation warping before the girls have a chance to draw it out, use a few split pins instead. :D

Michael Bush · « **Reply #16 on:** February 09, 2006, 07:19:59 am »

And put it in at the last minute. :) Don't put it in the winter before.

Ruben · « **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2006, 01:46:12 am »

O.k Thanks for all the input it was very helpful. I placed my final order listed below bees are being shipped out to me on 4/28. I decided to go with two hive instead of one per reading peoples advise on here. Also after all of the research I am going to start out with small cell, seem like the subject can row people up as if they were Africanized Honey Bees but it made sense enough to me I want to try it. I already have one complete hive and three supers I ordered last month. All total including two packages of bees I spent about $750 which was about $400 more than I had figured but I am excited to get started.Again thanks for the help!

Dadant
4 x F46010 4.9MM MEDIUM BROOD SMALL CELL FOUNDATION C/10
1 x B51101 Hive Body with Frames
1 x B52101 Hive Standard Complete
1 x M009281 Smoker 4 x 10 Stainless Steel with Heat/Finger Shield
1 x V01160SIZE BEE JACKET W/REMOVABLE HAT/VEIL
1 x M00819 SUPPORT PINS C/200
1 x M00751 Bee Brush
1 x M00695 HIVE STAND C/1
1 x M01138SIZE LEATHER VENT GLOVES
1 x B91101 BOTTOM BOARD STANDARD C/1

Brushy Mountain
1 x 591 (Italian Hive Tool)
2 x 688 (Hive Top Feeder)
1 x 764 (Frame Grip)

Walter Kelley
103-A - 5 Lb. Special 7/11 Cell (0024)