All the gear but no idea!

[Troutmill]

I am just embarking on this intriguing pastime and have up until now been reading, watching and browsing. I have joined my local BK Association, ordered a suit and enrolled in a course plus have a friend who has offered to show me round as he does his inspections. So far so good - then out of the blue came an offer to purchase a load of stuff from someone who has decided to stop - I am now the proud (and somewhat confused) owner of 2 WBC’s, brood boxes, numnberous lifts, supers, excluders, bits of frames, an extractor, plastic buckets etc! My initial question is what would you recommend as far as cleaning. I am assured there was never any Varroa or other pest history with the previous occupants and generally everything is in good shape - a little paint missing and some damp in the roof. Had this been any other piece of equipment for the garden I would be rubbing down, treating and painting/staining etc. but I am not sure I should be doing this apart from a good stiff brush - any thoughts/wise words?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am assured there was never any Varroa or other pest

Did they try and sell you a bag of magic beans as well?

The lifts you can rub down and paint/treat whatever with no worries, the inner lifts you just need to scrape clean and give them a quick flaming with a blowtorch.
The roof may just need a repair to the outer skin to stop ingress of water.
What material is the extractor? stainless steel or food grage plastic I hope - otherwise it will just make a nice quirky flower planter for the patio

 

[Murox]

Ask a member of the association to cast an eye over it all and offer their thoughts.
Clean and wash/sterilise everything.
brood boxes – inside – scorch flame it.
Lifts and roofs – clean and repaint. (flame the inside part of the lifts)
Supers – scorch flame them.
Excluders – scrape clean and if metal flame them. Wash plastic ones.
Wood frames – if wood is not too broken or grotty simply boil them after removing old blackened wax (an old Burco boiler works well) and then new wax foundation
Extractor, plastic buckets etc. Sterilise everything. If extractor is galvanized steel its good for the museum only or as was suggested a garden ornament.
This link has some useful information about sterilisation and cleaning
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct....cfm?id=1069&usg=AOvVaw2F3efv59AC8n7_SfYnMTjt

 

[Poly Hive]

Do I see the start of a steep learning curve here.

No varroa... dream on, so that says a lot about the previous owner so if that was the extent of their knowledge be prepared for surprises.

Any bees or just the "stuff"?

PH

 

[beebopper]

Do I see the start of a steep learning curve here.

No varroa... dream on, so that says a lot about the previous owner so if that was the extent of their knowledge be prepared for surprises.

PH

I think that statement explains exactly why they gave up.

 

[For want of a better word]

I think that statement explains exactly why they gave up.

Perhaps he gave up before 1992?
Never mind we all had to start somewhere!

to the great big world of keeping bees.... and do not let the forum know it all put you off asking questions here... we all may learn something new!!!!!

 

[Troutmill]

Thanks so far! No bees but will be getting them in time don’t worry! So when you all say ‘clean’ is there a substance I should use/avoid? And for ‘flaming’ does this mean actually charring the wood or simply heating it up? Extractor is a table top plastic one from Thorne and in very good order. The excluders are metal and again in pretty condition.

I assume for paint to the lifts and roof I can use anything or is there a paint I should/should not use?

Sorry lots of questions but it is refreshing to have enthusiastic answers (I once joined a BMW motorbike forum and was stunned by how agressive and unhelpful people were!)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any paint will do for the lifts, flaming just means passing the blowlamp flame over the wood, taking especial care to get into the corners, no need to char just stop when the wood starts changing colour if its a flat pressed metal excluder (just a sheet of thin metal with holes punched in) I wouldn't flame them, even a momentary strong heat may distort the metal (well the holes particularly) and it may, afterwards fail to do it's job - exclude the queen.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

welcome and enjoy it...im loving it 4 years in

 

[JazzJPH]

I'm pretty new here too and slightly behind you as I have less stuff. You'll find a lot of helpful information here!

 

[Torq]

Beekeeping is ups and downs, highs and lows. Be prepared for crushing confusing failures and the thoughts of giving it all up but ploughing through and having one great season that makes up for all the bad.

Learn and enjoy.

 

[Newbeebeekeeper]

I haven't been at it long and it was rough enough already you will love it once you get going.

Also don't worry about the trolls if thay could do half of what they say they could then there wouldn't be any decline in bees at all and the uk export of honey would be huge

 

[Murox]

Thanks so far! No bees but will be getting them in time don’t worry! So when you all say ‘clean’ is there a substance I should use/avoid? And for ‘flaming’ does this mean actually charring the wood or simply heating it up? Extractor is a table top plastic one from Thorne and in very good order. The excluders are metal and again in pretty condition.

I assume for paint to the lifts and roof I can use anything or is there a paint I should/should not use?

Sorry lots of questions but it is refreshing to have enthusiastic answers (I once joined a BMW motorbike forum and was stunned by how agressive and unhelpful people were!)

Equipment, tools, smokers (not the leather bit though) can be cleaned using a solution of washing soda crystals (Sodium Carbonate). 1 kg of washing soda to 5 litres of hot water with a squirt of washing up liquid. Immerse equipment in the solution, use a 'soft' wire brush, or similar to scrub off residues until clean. Rinse and air dry. Wear some marigolds!

 

[For want of a better word]

Equipment, tools, smokers (not the leather bit though) can be cleaned using a solution of washing soda crystals (Sodium Carbonate). 1 kg of washing soda to 5 litres of hot water with a squirt of washing up liquid. Immerse equipment in the solution, use a 'soft' wire brush, or similar to scrub off residues until clean. Rinse and air dry. Wear some marigolds!

AND safety goggles,,,,,evil stuff!!!

[Imagines that Trolls ride BMW motorbikes.... I can see that,,, always seem to have a certain air of self opinionated big IAM about them..... More smiles per mile... and you meet the nicest people on a Triumph!!]

Chons da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

AND safety goggles,,,,,evil stuff!!!

You're thinking of caustic soda - washing soda is pretty benign, no need for a solution quite so strong as 1kg to a gallon though.
I leave a sealed bucket of washing soda solution at every apiary with a hive tool in each, wax and propolis dissolves off it pretty easily, any remaining gets scrubbed off with a nylon washing up brush

 

[enrico]

My advice is to start with the beekeeping equipment that you intend to continue with. You done want to start mixing different sized hives. So if what you have been given doesn't fit then scrap it. Cheaper and easier in the long run!
E

 

[Poly Hive]

Having had at least 6 types at one point I could not agree more.

Do get someone with some knowledge round to have a look and help you sort out what is useable and what is scrap.

Good luck

PH

 

[Troutmill]

Thanks - v helpful

 

[Stiffy]

My advice is to start with the beekeeping equipment that you intend to continue with. You done want to start mixing different sized hives. So if what you have been given doesn't fit then scrap it. Cheaper and easier in the long run!
E

Oh I wish, would have saved me a fortune! IMO this is the best advise to anyone just starting out.
S

 

[jeff33]

My advice is to start with the beekeeping equipment that you intend to continue with. You done want to start mixing different sized hives. So if what you have been given doesn't fit then scrap it. Cheaper and easier in the long run!
E

If you buy a nuc, they will usually come with national frames.
Did you inherit drawn frames? If so, bin the wax, sterilise as mentioned above and put fresh foundation... If the previous owner didn't have any Varroa I doubt they would have recognised other diseases!!!