Beekeeping Bag

[beeno]

Hi all,
I am endeavouring to become a bit more organised with my beekeeping regalia and other essentials particularly since one has to 'bring it all' for the Basic Assessment. I would not want to be faffing around more than necessary searching for things at the bottom of the bag. Does anyone know if there is a particular 'trade's bag' which would be suitable for the purpose of bee inspections?

 

[Norfolk]

Hi all,
I am endeavouring to become a bit more organised with my beekeeping regalia and other essentials particularly since one has to 'bring it all' for the Basic Assessment. I would not want to be faffing around more than necessary searching for things at the bottom of the bag. Does anyone know if there is a particular 'trade's bag' which would be suitable for the purpose of bee inspections?

Sorry but no.
Personally I don't want to rummage in a dark bag with the odd stray bee to appear as I'm driving off so I use a plastic tray with a moulded handle.
The box has other bits and bobs but stays in the boot generally.
This kind of thing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-19-Pl..._Tools_Tool_Boxes_Storage&hash=item51ae688864

 

[VEG]

I use a plastic tool box for my bee stuff

 

[REDWOOD]

I made on of these out of a couple of scrap bits of ply and a broom handle (not the one shown in the photo) it holds a smoker one side and a compartment for fuel and all the bits and bobs the other side but never take the thing into the apiary I just fill my pockets with the basics.
you can find them in car boot sales quite cheap, don't buy them from ebay they want stupid prices

 

[Norfolk]

I made on of these out of a couple of scrap bits of ply and a broom handle (not the one shown in the photo) it holds a smoker one side and a compartment for fuel and all the bits and bobs the other side but never take the thing into the apiary I just fill my pockets with the basics.
you can find them in car boot sales quite cheap, don't buy them from ebay they want stupid prices

Nice work.

 

[Tom Bick]

I have a light weight box with removable tray. The box doubles as an emergency 5 frame nuc or swarm collecting box with a mesh in the base, I can hook the smoker on the end and is handy for travelling between apiary’s when lit. It also makes a handy seat. I blatantly stole the idea from MuswellMetro on this forum cheers Geoff.

 

[REDWOOD]

I have a light weight box with removable tray. The box doubles as an emergency 5 frame nuc or swarm collecting box with a mesh in the base, I can hook the smoker on the end and is handy for travelling between apiary’s when lit. It also makes a handy seat. I blatantly stole the idea from MuswellMetro on this forum cheers Geoff.

Cool pics please tom

 

[Tom Bick]

I will take a few tomorrow redwood.

 

[beeno]

I have a light weight box with removable tray. The box doubles as an emergency 5 frame nuc or swarm collecting box with a mesh in the base, I can hook the smoker on the end and is handy for travelling between apiary’s when lit. It also makes a handy seat. I blatantly stole the idea from MuswellMetro on this forum cheers Geoff.

That sounds promising. Any chance of a pic please from yourself or MM??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I made on of these out of a couple of scrap bits of ply and a broom handle (not the one shown in the photo) it holds a smoker one side and a compartment for fuel and all the bits and bobs the other side but never take the thing into the apiary I just fill my pockets with the basics.
you can find them in car boot sales quite cheap, don't buy them from ebay they want stupid prices

Basically what my father had me makefor myself when I 'took up the tools' with him helping with carpentry work on evening jobs

 

[barry]

I use an old Sainsbury plastic shopping basket

 

[farbee]

I use an old Sainsbury plastic shopping basket

Me too.

 

[Stiffy]

I use one of the Stanley tool bags from B&Q. I can carry most things I need
S

 

[REDWOOD]

Asda shopping baskets have a security tag on them now and hells bells go off if you try to accidentally nick one, a big apology and a red face

 

[fiftyjon]

I use an old Sainsbury plastic shopping basket

Me too.

And an old Land Rover for the other bits.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I am endeavouring to become a bit more organised with my beekeeping regalia and other essentials particularly since one has to 'bring it all' for the Basic Assessment. I would not want to be faffing around more than necessary searching for things at the bottom of the bag. Does anyone know if there is a particular 'trade's bag' which would be suitable for the purpose of bee inspections?

Probably not a good idea to buy anything specially for a single event such as the Basic Assessment when you should only need the minimum of equipment.

I currently use a large toolbox, but it has a nasty habit of falling over if I leave the lid open. A deeper box would be more stable, but it would get filled with clutter.

 

[pargyle]

You are all so bloody anal and organised ...

I need a container that loads itself with everything that I need for an inspection, which has compartments the size and shape of everything I use (like one of those kiddies shape sorters) and which self cleans propolis, beeswax and sugar syrup, that stands upright at waist height and weighs next to nothing. It must also move out of the way when you don't see it through the corner of your veil. It needs to automatically expand and contract according to the contents with everything in it permanently on view and immediately accessible.

I haven't yet found the ideal container and if it weren't for the fact that my hive is only a modest walk from the garage (sorry, rapidly becoming bee shed) I would probably never get everything done !!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I just rummage amongst the fishing tackle, Barbour jacket, boots and cartridge bags in the back of the jeep and most of it is in there from smoker lighters to a variety of queen cages and frame spacers. I even have a box of matches lying around there somewhere

 

[pargyle]

I just rummage amongst the fishing tackle, Barbour jacket, boots and cartridge bags in the back of the jeep and most of it is in there from smoker lighters to a variety of queen cages and frame spacers. I even have a box of matches lying around there somewhere

That's reassuring ... sounds like my sort of organisation ... my Rover Estate (that tells you something) is currently awash with a bag of hen food (been in there a week !) half a bag of floor screed, two assorted bags of tools, a wallpaper steamer, 15 pieces of turning wood blanks I was given and a cherry log I found at the side of the road, a timber fence post, my umbrella, work boots, wellies, my allotment tools and allotment bucket plus one bag of assorted garage rubbish on its way to the tip. Thank goodness I don't need to drive to my apiary !!

 

[itma]

Probably not a good idea to buy anything specially for a single event such as the Basic Assessment when you should only need the minimum of equipment.
...

Something WELL worth buying specially for the big day is a kilo of Thornes smoker pellets. Utterly fuss-free lighting and staying lit.
Practice with them a couple of times, then save for the main event.
Not really for everyday.
A couple of (plastic) ex-Ovaltine jars (full of those pellets) in your B&Q tooltray and you'll start to look organised ...