Vaporising Oxyalic Acid Against Varroa

[TryingToLetThemBee]

After reading through this thread 'm going to give vaporising a try, is there a straightforward how two I should be following / recommended method, or is that being too optimistic? Thanks in advance

Well a couple of clues would help answer that question. What equipment are you going to use? (Range = Sublimox to bending down puffing with a lighter and a bit of tinfoil: not recommended. A starting point is not to breathe the stuff. Whether you are happy doing that upwind in a stiff breeze or want full PPE is a controversial point on here...)

 

[fred scuttle]

Well a couple of clues would help answer that question. What equipment are you going to use? (Range = Sublimox to bending down puffing with a lighter and a bit of tinfoil: not recommended. A starting point is not to breathe the stuff. Whether you are happy doing that upwind in a stiff breeze or want full PPE is a controversial point on here...)

I'm thinking an eBay special maybe to start with given that th***es have already tempted me to spend my annual beeking budget! I might see if I can get hold of the type of PPE suit that Walter White used in Breaking Bad... although would probably look dodgy walking across rural fields and attract unwanted attention... Any recommendations far a newbie OA vaper?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Any recommendations far a newbie OA vaper?

Post 35
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=515332#post515332
is how I do it

 

[fred scuttle]

Post 35
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=515332#post515332
is how I do it

Perfect thanks for that, I'll give it a go this weekend

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Post 35
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=515332#post515332
is how I do it

That whole thread Erica quotes is bang on your question. There's a load of other stuff on here as well.

I note Erica uses a Varrox, as do I. Recent posts (in this thread?) give links to the lowest price. But it is a C-note in any case and as such would be one of the biggest capital outlays we make but I reckon mine easily paid for itself in a year (as 20 jars of honey).

You seem to be going the lower-cost eBay route, and some have had good results doing that, others a "phut". Again, all on the forum. There are also some pretty cool DIY plans on here. If you have the skills (and I reckon, the equipment), poke around; there is good money to be saved.

 

[Cussword]

This one works well for me, and is well built.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxalic-Ac...abehandlung-/281619045550?hash=item4191cd9cae

 

[alldigging]

This one works well for me, and is well built.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxalic-Ac...abehandlung-/281619045550?hash=item4191cd9cae

Their shop does tablets of oxalic acid which from a handling point of view look perhaps safer than powder.

 

[Tremyfro]

That's the same one I bought last year....but was about £30 or thereabouts. Works perfectly. Especially with the new small battery I bought....very quick and easy to move about. The long leads on the sublimator allowed me to do 6 hives without moving the battery. I use the crystals and a small spoon...holds about 1/2 a teaspoon. One spoon for single BS brood boxes and two spoons for double brood and 14x12 brood boxes.

 

[fred scuttle]

That's the same one I bought last year....but was about £30 or thereabouts. Works perfectly. Especially with the new small battery I bought....very quick and easy to move about. The long leads on the sublimator allowed me to do 6 hives without moving the battery. I use the crystals and a small spoon...holds about 1/2 a teaspoon. One spoon for single BS brood boxes and two spoons for double brood and 14x12 brood boxes.

Out of interest Tremyfro what size battery do you use with yours please as some of my hives are a good walk across fields and my arms aren't as strong as they used to be... I'll be going with the one recommended by Cussword and getting some of the tablets Alldigging mentioned as I can't justify the £100 for the Varrox (yes she will find me out! )

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Out of interest Tremyfro what size battery do you use with yours please as some of my hives are a good walk across fields and my arms aren't as strong as they used to be... I'll be going with the one recommended by Cussword and getting some of the tablets Alldigging mentioned as I can't justify the £100 for the Varrox (yes she will find me out! )

if you don't want to go to the expense of tablets, get some of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120891551439?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
takes up to 3 grams of crystals, so you can fill them up in the comfort of your own home and they fit neatly inside the cup of the vaporiser so you can just flip it in with no spillage

 

[Tremyfro]

Out of interest Tremyfro what size battery do you use with yours please as some of my hives are a good walk across fields and my arms aren't as strong as they used to be... I'll be going with the one recommended by Cussword and getting some of the tablets Alldigging mentioned as I can't justify the £100 for the Varrox (yes she will find me out! )

Ha ha ...had to laugh at your post....you can be assured that your SWMBO has eyes and ears on full alert.....we know when the sales are on!
The battery is a 12 volt small battery....can be found in Mole Valley Farmers or similar farm shop. Used for electric fencing...especially the solar ones.
It's about....6"x4"x3"....PS -1270....it work a treat. Went from 12.63 to 12.3 volts. After doing 8 hives. So should be good for this job for a while....beats carrying a large car battery even using a wheelbarrow! I should think lifting a car battery in and out of a car would be a real pain! The one I bought I got from eBay...Hobby Power....you could carry it in a small satchel.

 

[ianorsven]

Out of interest Tremyfro what size battery do you use with yours please as some of my hives are a good walk across fields and my arms aren't as strong as they used to be... I'll be going with the one recommended by Cussword and getting some of the tablets Alldigging mentioned as I can't justify the £100 for the Varrox (yes she will find me out! )
Hi. I too have just bought and used (today!) the same item and tablets (from Germany). I asked my local garage for an old car battery and they were happy to supply free of charge. (Honey going their way in summer!). It would be too heavy for carrying across fields though. I think a previous post suggested 12V and 10Ah for around 3 hives without needing recharging.
The vaping went really well. One minute to come to temp and 2 mins for OA tablet to completely sublimate and vapour subside. Just stand well away and be sensible. I didn't use a mask (watched a from distance - no breeze at all today) but did use gloves. I would use a mask if vapour was swirling around in a breeze.The tablets certainly are easy to use - no weighing etc but more expensive than crystals. With just 4 hives to manage this didn't worry me. Trays were in and I used foam to seal the entrances.

There have been many useful threads on this subject recently and because of the views of the experienced beekeepers who use this method, I have been convinced that vaping OA must be worth a try! Good luck with your varroa control - or is it hive cleaning?!

 

[Tremyfro]

if you don't want to go to the expense of tablets, get some of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120891551439?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
takes up to 3 grams of crystals, so you can fill them up in the comfort of your own home and they fit neatly inside the cup of the vaporiser so you can just flip it in with no spillage

Gosh! You are so well organised!....I just use a spoon and the jar of crystals....I expect one day I will tip it up and see the wisdom of prior organisation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Gosh! You are so well organised!....I just use a spoon and the jar of crystals....I expect one day I will tip it up and see the wisdom of prior organisation.

Actually, it's the fact that I am a naturally disorganised person that made me think this one out
in my view, the crystals and the dust which settlers on the vaping tray is more of a hazard than the gases whilst vaping (let's be honest - you have to stupider than a tory MP to get a lungful of that whilst vaping) I just thought it out well before buying a varrox, the little sample jars just seemed the logical way to go - no chance of a puff of wind blowing a load of oxalic around from an open tub

 

[For want of a better word]

you have to stupider than a tory MP and whatever happened to the special license to buy the dammed stuff?


Nos da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

and whatever happened to the special license to buy the dammed stuff?


Nos da

No idea - you'll be telling me next they're thinking of banning fox hunting

 

[Tremyfro]

It usually blows a gale around here....but today was sunny and hardly a breath of wind....ideal vaping weather. Once you've had a sniff of the vapour....it doesn't take a second one to ensure there are no repeats.
...did they ban hunting ...I must have missed that!

 

[Millet]

Here is what i am using at the moment, as you can see its a 12V 24Ah sealed lead acid battery, which can be easily carried in a shoulder bag.
The battery in question is around 4yrs old and it has been used to work the lights on a caravan and also to start the quad bike and also the odd lamping foray with the running hounds.
Anyway i tested it out with my little Gasser today to see how many vapes i could get out of it.
From this old battery i managed 10 vapes of 2gm oxcalic for 2 min 30sec's each time, the heating pan was quickly cooled down in water and started again, on the 10th vape it took 10min 40sec till the pan was clear and not smoking so i stopped there.
A newr battery will no doubt give you more vapes per session but a 10 hive owner can easily carry this item for miles if need be as its lighter than a bag of shopping from aldi .

 

[vgoncalves]

Hi,
Can someone tell me if it's possible to connect 2 vaporizers like the one above to 1 battery in order to use at the same time?

The idea was to reduce the time, like while one is vaporising, prepare the second one and place it working on the next hive...

 

[sparky]

Yes