Mechanical device for lifting brood box/super

[Black Comb]

Is it battery powered?
Looks v. useful

 

[DulwichGnome]

I want one!!

like this, cannot buy it here at the moment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h54MdnOcJvU&feature=related
kev

This is great, powered by a battery drill by the looks of it. If the clamp that holds the boxes can be adjusted it should fit a national.

That's my xmas pressie sorted!!

Mike.

 

[Mike a]

Take a look at the other videos afterwards.

I saw this one which shows another version and the cordless drill used.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Leli7MjaaU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Leli7MjaaU[/ame]

Love the music !

 

[DulwichGnome]

Here is a translation of the site, aimed at the commercial keeper but an interesting browse.
http://tinyurl.com/3x6wqlh

 

[PaleoPerson]

Swienty show some lifting gear in their catalogue.

http://www.swienty.com/shop/vare.asp?side=0&vareid=100915B&catid=1203

 

[DulwichGnome]

Swienty show some lifting gear in their catalogue.

http://www.swienty.com/shop/vare.asp?side=0&vareid=100915B&catid=1203

About £2600, might have to wait till I find that loto ticket....

 

[hedgerow pete]

Loolabelle1,

I have just been reading through the whole thread again, I was wondering do you want to shift the whole hive or is it just a case of getting the suppers out of the way so you can inspect the brood chambers ?

alot of the replys with equipment seem to be designed to just shift the whole lot as a normal proffesional beek would have to , moving his hives from one hot spot to the next.

if it is just a simple case of having your hives in a fixed spot at home say or where ever but you just want to lift the supers out of the way for when you want to do an inspection

 

[Loolabelle1]

Thanks Hedgerow. I need to be able to lift a full super to check the brood chamber in summer on my weekly inspections and then to lift the brood and/or super to replace the floor in spring when it needs changing/cleaning. The Apilift, as well as allowing you to move the hives around, also lets you pick up individual sections of the hive to check the lower levels. It looks as though it does everything so I guess it will be expensive but I thought it was worth checking out the price.

 

[Loolabelle1]

I have just received a response from the company that make Apilift. It is operated by a heavy duty battery which comes with the machine. They are hoping it will be launched in the UK next year. Price in Germany at the moment is just over £2,000 so very nice to have but beyond my budget.

 

[Queens59]

 

[DulwichGnome]

I'll try and post some photos of my Lifting Apparatus, a little cheaper thean the above.

Mike.

 

[Queens59]

I'll try and post some photos of my Lifting Apparatus, a little cheaper thean the above.

Mike.

 

[hedgerow pete]

how about just building some thing that will lift the supers and brood box but without the wheels. would that do??

 

[Skyhook]

I knew I'd seen it somewhere! There was an article in Beecraft 2010 by a chap called Kenneth Peek who'd invented a super lifter which won an apimondia silver medal, but then couldn't find a manufacturer to take it up.

Basically its a pair of sack truck wheels, a shaft, a pair of grabs for the super, continuing to the handle. Downsides (if you could track it down would be it only moves 1 super at a time, looks a bit unwieldy in a small space, and gives at best a 2:1 advantage. Might be better off sawing your supers in half, then getting someone to help change the floor once a year. If you buy a spare suit, it doesn't even need to be a beek.

 

[drstitson]

Probably best solution for the less physically gifted people with only the odd hive is to get a couple of thin ply super depth "nuc-type" boxes made, with lids and proper handles that'll enable you to transport 5 full frames at a time away from the apiary - you could of course have empty supers in the car boot to fill up but a simple robber proof box sounds good idea.

i personally can't see the cumbersome lifting devices being any good in the majority of apiaries.

 

[Loolabelle1]

Thanks all for your advice everyone. I wasn't looking for anything fancy. Just hoped that someone would make a frame that would be portable, would slot round the hive easily, hook on to either the super or brood and I could turn a handle that would lift it but obviously there is not much call for that.

 

[RoofTops]

Simplest and cheapest way is a simple hive lifter (like a pair of scissors on each side) and a volunteer to assist!

 

[Jim Lavie]

Found this on swienty http://www.swienty.com/shop/vare.asp?side=0&vareid=100901&catid=1203#

 

[Queens59]

Thanks all for your advice everyone. I wasn't looking for anything fancy. Just hoped that someone would make a frame that would be portable, would slot round the hive easily, hook on to either the super or brood and I could turn a handle that would lift it but obviously there is not much call for that.

It is like going into a shop and being told 'Sorry, there's no call for it...' except of course YOU are asking for it. Considering 'beekeepers' back is a well known thing, I'm surprised someone hasn't made a fortune on this...

 

[ROCKIT]

This is the sort of thing you could do with!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOYER-Hydraul...907?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5ebd1023

This one is in the states and I'm sure that one of these could be modified to lift hives.
You would need to have reasonably flat floor surface and the supers etc. would need a loop screwed to each side so that the hoist could be securely fastened and not tip over!
We used to use one for lifting outboard motors off the back of boats, and as they are designed to lift humans, they are definitely up to the job!
You will have to search around over the winter! They do come available here.