Varrox vs cheaper Chinese versions

[elainemary]

Vape from the top.. use a vaping hood, easy to make!

Thanks. Is that the same as an eke with a transparent crownboard?

 

[elainemary]

Vape from the top.. use a vaping hood, easy to make!

This is my Heath Robinson attempt at vaping from the top on an older wbc that doesn’t have a slide in varroa tray so can’t vap easily from below. Is this the sort of thing? My wand was a bit unstable - tried to stabilise with 2 strips of metal but the pan still tipped inside the hive

 

[Newbeeneil]

This is my Heath Robinson attempt at vaping from the top on an older wbc that doesn’t have a slide in varroa tray so can’t vap easily from below. Is this the sort of thing? My wand was a bit unstable - tried to stabilise with 2 strips of metal but the pan still tipped inside the hive

It must have taken a while to arrange the strips as well. When I vaped the 2 WBCs recently it took me a matter of seconds to put the eke in place 2 minutes to exhaust the Gasvap and another 10 seconds to remove the eke again. I tried using a pan system in my first year of beekeeping but it was a pain to do. Using a positive pressure device is much quicker and easier. I now quite enjoy the task. (Not an ad for Gasvap as I'd probably use a more expensive machine if I could justify the expense but the convenience of gas is also a factor.)

 

[Buzz Off]

Hi, my cheap Thornes vaporiser is on the way out. The head fell off yesterday whilst doing my winter oxalic vaping of each colony. Still working, but will definitely need an upgrade next season. I vape under the OMF of my WBCS, using a slide in metal tray to hold the vaporiser & plugging any gaps with foam, also vap under Nucs using a hardboard cut out for the Vaporiser beneath.

There are lots of Chinese copies of the Varrox on eBay, significantly cheaper than the original (c£25 vs £100+). Anyone know the difference? Does the old adage 'you get what you pay for' apply & if so, what's the difference?
Appreciate your feedback
Elaine

Have a look at the Gas Vap

Hi, my cheap Thornes vaporiser is on the way out. The head fell off yesterday whilst doing my winter oxalic vaping of each colony. Still working, but will definitely need an upgrade next season. I vape under the OMF of my WBCS, using a slide in metal tray to hold the vaporiser & plugging any gaps with foam, also vap under Nucs using a hardboard cut out for the Vaporiser beneath.

There are lots of Chinese copies of the Varrox on eBay, significantly cheaper than the original (c£25 vs £100+). Anyone know the difference? Does the old adage 'you get what you pay for' apply & if so, what's the difference?
Appreciate your feedback
Elaine

Google the Gas Vap

 

[Gunner]

Hi, my cheap Thornes vaporiser is on the way out. The head fell off yesterday whilst doing my winter oxalic vaping of each colony. Still working, but will definitely need an upgrade next season. I vape under the OMF of my WBCS, using a slide in metal tray to hold the vaporiser & plugging any gaps with foam, also vap under Nucs using a hardboard cut out for the Vaporiser beneath.

There are lots of Chinese copies of the Varrox on eBay, significantly cheaper than the original (c£25 vs £100+). Anyone know the difference? Does the old adage 'you get what you pay for' apply & if so, what's the difference?
Appreciate your feedback
Elaine

I have a Varrox vaporiser in very good condition that I would be willing to sell you for a reasonable price. I upgraded to a Sublimox a few seasons ago hence the Varrox is surplus to requirement. Message me if interested.

 

[Apple]

This is my Heath Robinson attempt at vaping from the top on an older wbc that doesn’t have a slide in varroa tray so can’t vap easily from below. Is this the sort of thing? My wand was a bit unstable - tried to stabilise with 2 strips of metal but the pan still tipped inside the hive

The Varrox pan type has a stabalising strip of metal attached to the pan end of the wand... no need to block entrance... I now do not even fix varroa slide in.. clear cover allows you to see what is happening.

Weather seems to be getting warmer.. may now hope for a cold snap at end of January to vape!

 

[Nannysbees]

Hi, my cheap Thornes vaporiser is on the way out. The head fell off yesterday whilst doing my winter oxalic vaping of each colony. Still working, but will definitely need an upgrade next season. I vape under the OMF of my WBCS, using a slide in metal tray to hold the vaporiser & plugging any gaps with foam, also vap under Nucs using a hardboard cut out for the Vaporiser beneath.

There are lots of Chinese copies of the Varrox on eBay, significantly cheaper than the original (c£25 vs £100+). Anyone know the difference? Does the old adage 'you get what you pay for' apply & if so, what's the difference?
Appreciate your feedback
Elaine

We bought the thornes vapmite a few months ago and used it a few times, seems sturdy enough and for £35 if it lasts a few years I think it'll be worth it, reviews on ebay didn't seem that great and I thought If we had any problems at least we'd by able to get hold of them easier than a company in China

 

[Swarm]

The Thornes pan screws on and off, if it's falling off has it possibly just come undone?

 

[Angry_Mob]

Weather seems to be getting warmer.. may now hope for a cold snap at end of January to vape!

January is leaving it a bit late. This weekend is looking perfect, 10 degrees on Sunday so a loose cluster followed by a period of cold weather and before the solstice.

 

[The Poot]

I find the varrox a good tool, been using for four years and is no different than when new. Recommend it.
I believe you do get what you pay for.

 

[elainemary]

We bought the thornes vapmite a few months ago and used it a few times, seems sturdy enough and for £35 if it lasts a few years I think it'll be worth it, reviews on ebay didn't seem that great and I thought If we had any problems at least we'd by able to get hold of them easier than a company in China

That’s the one I have, but the head has dropped off (pins have failed). Wand is quite unstable due to the cable. Definitely replacing next season. Agree re China.

 

[elainemary]

The Thornes pan screws on and off, if it's falling off has it possibly just come undone?

Hi the pins have failed. Mine doesn’t screw on & off, maybe they adjusted the design, had it about 3 years. The bigger issue is how unstable the wand is & easy to tip the powder out accidentally when preparing to vap.

 

[elainemary]

January is leaving it a bit late. This weekend is looking perfect, 10 degrees on Sunday so a loose cluster followed by a period of cold weather and before the solstice.

This week has been perfect. Lots of cold days and nights leading up to it and the bees were freely moving around in my WBCs when I vaped.

 

[beeno]

I try as much as possible to avoid anything Chinese usually very poor quality. Was the Thornes vaporizer made in China perhaps?

 

[The Poot]

I try as much as possible to avoid anything Chinese usually very poor quality. Was the Thornes vaporizer made in China perhaps?

Pretty darn difficult these days

 

[Newbeeneil]

I carried out the vaping of 20 hives today using my latest idea for vaping via the crown board instead of putting in an eke.
I glued and screwed 3 pieces of oak (I tried 2 originally but that wasn't heavy enough to counterbalance the Gasvap) and drilled a 8mm hole at 45deg through the oak. This lump of oak was placed over one of the holes in crown board prior to vaping through the hole. The weight of the oak meant I could retreat from the area.