Author Topic: used equipment pros and cons (Read 4972 times)

dennis a · « **on:** June 12, 2009, 05:49:36 pm »

I have an opportunity to pick up a lot of hives at a auction some new some old and some I would not use. Most the frames are plasticell and have no comb on them, might have been used one year and scraped off. What are the things to look for?

I brew a lot of beer (for my wife), would sanitizer work to clean hive and frames?

The learning curve is getting steeper the second year (or I'm getting dumber as I age) and I appreciate all of your help.
Thank you,
Dennis

Kathyp · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2009, 05:56:37 pm »

look at what is for sale. calculate the worth of what you would use. can you sell what you would not use? if the cost is right, i'd say go for it.

of course there is some risk in buying used stuff, so you have to balance risk against reward.

two best and cheapest ways to sterilize anything are 1. bleach and water dip or 2. scorch with propane torch.

there is not much that bleach will not kill. dip and air dry. sun is also a wonderful disinfectant.

you can scorch wood supers with the torch or dip those also.

i have gotten some wonderful bulk deals and they have saved me a lot of money. i also have a pile of stuff that i probably will not use, and some i'm not even sure what it is :-)

G3farms · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2009, 06:55:30 pm »

If it is at an auction I would say it will go very cheap since there are not that many people who keep bees.

I bought all kinds of wooden ware and a swarm of bees for $5 one time. No beeks in the crowd.

Another time I was given a hive of bees at an auction just because I ask if it was for sale, the auctioneer said take it with you he was not interested in my $2 bid, I guess he had a good enough day selling the heavy equipment and the buildings and land. No beeks in the crowd.

Good luck with it and let us know how you make out.

G3

Michael Bush · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2009, 11:19:29 pm »

The problem with giving this kind of advice is if you get some AFB infected equipment you'll blame me for giving bad advice. If you don't, you'll thank me for giving good advice. You have to decide how much risk you'll take. I've bought used equipment and never worried about it and never had AFB, but in the last couple of decades most of the dead bees died from things other than AFB. Most people lost them to Varroa or Tracheal mites or starvation.

G3farms · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2009, 08:57:19 am »

Well said Mr. Bush, I guess I forgot to mention that. :shock:

But as you said AFB is not as rampet as it was several years ago.

If you could talk with the beek that was selling the wood then he could tell you a little about what happened to the bees.

G3

dennis a · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2009, 09:37:50 am »

I understand, free advice is just that. I think I will go for it if the price is right, .10 on the dollar or less.
Thanks for the help,
Dennis

Michael Bush · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2009, 10:07:00 am »

My point is, however good the advice, there is a risk. If you have good luck as I have you'll think it was worth it and if you don't you'll think it was not. :)

Cockatoo · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2009, 10:36:52 am »

I love used equipment!
My hives and boxes were given to me and my swarm I was given moved right in and exploded.
I bought a used smoker for $10 and a hive took for $2.
I found a hat for $3 and a net for it for $1. :-D
I did buy frames though but my uncle gave me a box of wax foundation.

It's not supposed to cost an arm and a leg.

Kathyp · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2009, 10:44:51 am »

i think it's wort it to buy frames. they are not expensive and sometimes old frames are a pain in the backside to work with.

Cockatoo · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2009, 11:06:42 am »

Ralph has one frame his bees won't touch.
They won't even coat it with bee caulk.
They won't even rob the wax from it!

asprince · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2009, 11:07:42 am »

I have the opportunity to buy a large sum of equipment (hive bodies, nucs, and supers with foundation) and lots of bee related stuff.

There are a couple of cases of an item that I have never seen. Honey Master no swarm cluster frames. Anyone familiar with these?

Steve

Michael Bush · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2009, 11:27:55 am »

>There are a couple of cases of an item that I have never seen. Honey Master no swarm cluster frames. Anyone familiar with these?

I have a bunch. Since I run all mediums I cut them down for mediums. I only used them for followers on the outside edges when the number of frames doesn't quite come out right. In other words there is a half frame of space. This happens often when running the 13 3/4" wide eight frame mediums.

asprince · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2009, 11:32:03 am »

Michael, have you ever used them as intended for swarm control?

Steve

Michael Bush · « **Reply #13 on:** June 14, 2009, 03:54:15 pm »

>Michael, have you ever used them as intended for swarm control?

No. And I have no intentions of it. I don't have problems with swarm control, but that would make it take twice as many bees to cover the same brood as 1 3/8" spacing does and 1 3/8" spacing already takes twice as many bees as natural spacing (1 1/4"). It's the opposite direction that I want to go and that the bees want to go. It's a way to make excessive space between frames without them building another comb there.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesframewidth.htm

contactme_11 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 14, 2009, 05:49:13 pm »

Does hot dipping in wax/rosin kill AFB?

Michael Bush · « **Reply #15 on:** June 14, 2009, 09:16:36 pm »

>Does hot dipping in wax/rosin kill AFB?

According to the Australian Government, yes. If nothing else it seals up the spores.

dennis a · « **Reply #16 on:** June 19, 2009, 01:36:43 pm »

Well it is a moot point.I was prepared to go $250.00 It all sold for $710.00
Someone wanted it a lot more than me.
Dennis

sc-bee · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2009, 02:27:01 pm »

I know you have to be careful but a friend of mind boils in lye. You can't find it in the grocer now due to Meth heads. You can find it by chemical names used to make soap etc.

The guy I know puts in in a 55 gal drum and boils his equipment for about ten minutes. I understand you there is a correct sequence to adding the lye to the water and I believe before it starts to boil or you will get a violent reaction :shock:

It makes scraping frames esay. How harsh would this be in a hive. It is in soap but I realize it sort of neutralizes.

Maybe someone else knows the sequence or I can make a phone call.

Any thoughts on this method. Is it too harsh????

G3farms · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2009, 02:48:33 pm »

There must have been a lot of wooden ware for that kind of money. What was in the sale, do tell.

Better luck next time.

G3

dennis a · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2009, 05:30:07 pm »

50 shallows 32 deeps covers and frames to match, 30 top feeders
and a lot of stuff you wouldnt use (4 package boxes with can).
Someone else brought in around 16 plastic deeps that looked like they went through a tonado, I don't know if they sold. Took my $250 home and will build a Wizbang chicken plucker instead.
Dennis