Help me Equip...

[Hopeful]

Hi again,

I am planning my honey house right and am a bit confuzzled over what to buy for it. I am outfitting for a 100 hive bee farm. I curently have a WK 15 Gal heated bottling tank, which might be a bit small later on, but had to have it now for this year's harvest. Also a two tu SS sink with drain boards, and  a SS 30"X60" work table. I think I am sold on the Dadant 36 frame extractor. Now , what I still need to figure out is the capping tank, which it seems should be able t hold about 20 frames for dripping while still allowing room for uncapping to one side. I suppose it should also have a screened bottom so that the cappings can drain. I'll need a sump with a pump. The question is, which model of these would be best for me, and where do I get it? Part numbers would be great. I have catalogues from Walter T Kelley, Dadant, Brushy Mountain, Mann Lake and Lapp's. Also, how important is a capping melter tank? Am I missing something else?

[rdy-b]

How much do you want to spend? I can show you what you should have but the new stuff is expensive-you are going to have a big expense to build your colonies up for production- some people build there numbers up, and buy a big ticket item each year Intel they have every thing -then they have been doing it so long they are happy to hang it up -and sell there equipment -I bought all new so it will last my lifetime -stuff is not cheap-I think a three or five year plan might be your best bet. RDY-B

[rdy-b]

here is some basic stuff ;) look at the combo from Maxant- the twenty from dadant is almost to small - the cappings tank is pricey but it is one of the best things you will buy- make shure your sump is jacketed to warm the honey-the inch and one half -is all you will need for a pump -settling tank must be big enough for a days run    https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_72&products_id=368                        https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_70&products_id=465                                          https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=406                                                               http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page13.html                                                                                          https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_73&products_id=439                                          http://www.maxantindustries.com/uncapping.html           8-) RDY-B

[rdy-b]

http://img108.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000119ck5.jpg                                                                       http://img510.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000120wy4.jpg   RDY-B

[Hopeful]

Rdy-B

I have a decent amount to spend (about 10g). My friend spent 25g on an all in one system with a power uncapper, wax spinner, sump, 56 frame extractor, melter, etc. I do not have that much money, especially since I need to buy a bunch of hives and bees. I can get medium supers used for about 5 bucks each, but need to decide which foundation to use. I'll check out what you hve listed. Thanks for the effort it took to do this.  God bless. :)

[Hopeful]

Is that your stuff in the last post? Considered getting out lately?   :-D

[rdy-b]

looking for a sixtey frame extractor myself :)or i will get another twenty and run both at the same time  :lol: RDY-B

[indypartridge]

Can't help you as far as specific equipment recommendations, but remember to talk to your county health dept regarding any county/state regulations. I was at a friend's honey house a few months ago, and he said that it made a big difference working with them from the start as opposed to trying to "bring it up to code" afterwards.

Also, I recommend that you visit with any beeks near you and check out their layouts & equipment. Ask what they would have done differently, what they wish they had bought instead, etc.

[CBEE]

Knowing what I do about the ag bussiness I would hold on to that 10 grand and make do with what you have to until you build up not only hives but a customer base. It may be more time consuming and trouble but you will find out what you REALLY need as you go and how big you really want your operation to be. I wish I had a dollar for every equipment poor farmer I know that work 2 jobs ( not including the farm ) to support their farming habit :-D While I joke about it , It's the truth.  You will find out quickly that non-farm people will never understand the expenses you have and will think you should almost give away your product. I am not trying to discourage you but it's not like building a pizza joint in the middle of town either.

[Old Timer]

Walter T Kelley's makes a processing unit. They have 12 and 24 frames models readily available, or can customize one to your specifications. You would have to contact them for details and a quote for a custom job. If I was young and starting out like you I think I would go for one of these compact units.

http://go.netgrab.com/secure/kelleystore/asp/product.asp?product=215

[Cindi]

Old Timer, that is a great site and that certain equipment is great.  But, I see the shipping weight is 1,200 pounds, how on earth could anyone every move it?  That would be a downside to me, I don't think I am quite that strong, yet  ;) :) :)  Wonderful day, beautiful life, beautiful health.  Cindi

[Old Timer]

Oh, just $10g, forget about my previous post.
You are going to have to invest that in woodenware. If you want to start 100 colonies, depending on your supplier and whether or not you have your woodenware delivered;

200 deep hive bodies - close to $2000
2000 deep brood frames - $1200
2000 sheets deep foundation - $1400
100 sbb - $1900, or 100 regular bb $900
100 replacement sticky boards - $400 for every time you monitor mites with sticky board, you can use                 
                                                    Pam or something similar
100 inner lids - $650
100 outer lids - $1150
100 queen excluders, if you want to use them - $750
300 shallow supers, 3 per colony - $2025
3000 shallow frames - $1800
3000 sheets thin surplus foundation (cheapest) - $780
100 3# package bees - $8000  THIS IS THE KICKER!!!!!

total, without sbb, sticky boards, qx, or BEES - $11,455

(If you buy all your equipment from one supplier you can negotiate a better deal. going with all mediums won't change the overall figure much, and it will most likely go up.)

It's a good thing you already have a dozen hives. So take 88% of the total - $10,080.40
You'll need to come up with $80.40 out of pocket to get to 88 aditional hives (HIVE COMPONENTS ONLY) next spring like you want to and pay for any taxes, shipping, or gas and a trailer to get them yourself. Most every price I quoted was from Kelly's. There are places that are a little less.
Like Lapps Bee Supply Center in Reeseville, WI or Western Bee Supply in Polson, MT. Another option is to get a copy of the ABJ and look in the classifieds for used equipments or colonies, but then you may be buying someone else's problems and being a beginner you may not know what to look for or what questions to ask. In other words, it would be easy for someone to lie to you in order to pawn their stuff over on you. Be careful if you go this route.
If you get up to a hundred hives, after they build up enough you could get some pollination contracts late in the year or the following year. After they make you some money like this you might be able to buy that processing equipment.

[Old Timer]

Old Timer, that is a great site and that certain equipment is great.  But, I see the shipping weight is 1,200 pounds, how on earth could anyone every move it?  That would be a downside to me, I don't think I am quite that strong, yet  ;) :) :)  Wonderful day, beautiful life, beautiful health.  Cindi

It built on steel skids. You can drag it or push it where you want. A come-a-long would put it right in place with just a little cranking. ;) Or you could always take it all apart and put it back together.

[Cindi]

Eee gads!!!  Yes, it can cost a lot of money for bee supplies.

With regards to the sticky boards though.  I made my own using styrene sheets, cut to the size of the super, I have drawn squares on it with a permanent pen.  I reuse these boards over and over, the cost was very little in the beginning.  I use pam spray, it washes off easily.

I have just removed the sticky boards after the oxalic acid vapourizing treatment and will be posting the results of the mite counts soon.  I am a record keeper and I will be putting the sticky boards back in today to do another 48 hour after treatment count.  I am doing this for the fun of record keeping.  It allows me to understand completely what is going on.  Oh brother, you know me, I can get off topic and ramble on.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, great health and life.  Cindi

[Old Timer]

Cindi, I've probably given more stuff away than what's on that list, with BEES in it!!! For me there is nothing as quite as enjoyable as giving a new beekeeper his first colony. I probably have enough stuff now to get my numbers back up to fifty, to where it was about fifteen years ago. I could just hear my little lady right now if she saw me out there next spring making up a bunch of nucs. I bet the first thing she would say would be, "I suppose you're gonna expect ME to help you with all that honey in a few months?" Of course I'd have to reply with one of my favorite sayings, "Yes, dear." :)

[rdy-b]

Bee patient deals come around build your numbers first  http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214323                 RDY-B

[Cindi]

Old Timer, that art form that all Husband's should know so clearly "yes dear", is awesome that you have abided by  this rule!!!.  How many years did it take you to learn it so well?   I think I had better run, now there are alot of men on this forum (and I bet you all say "yes dear"), hee, hee, have I stirred up a little stuff, hee, hee  :evil: :roll: ;) :)  Have a great and beautiful day, Cindi

P.S.  Well, I forgot to mention this about what you said.  You certainly have given alot of stuff away over your life, that is a wonderful thing that you have done, I admire this.  If I knew someone close to my home town, someone that I really knew would look after some bees that I gave them, and truly appreciate this gift, that too would be something that would thrill me beyond my wildest dreams.  Though, I don't know anyone that I would trust that I could share this passion I have with.  If one of my Grandson's would one day take up apiculture, I would be the proudest Grandmother on earth.  One never knows, maybe that day will come to pass.  C.