stenciling boxes

[Moriha]

does any one have better method for stenciling name and such on your boxes
i have to say this is my least favorite thing to do and i have 1000's to do
the dripping mess the wipeing and cleaning the stencile after every 10-15 boxes is so time consuming!!

[Eaglerock]

Is this for ownership or for numbering your hives? You might look into a battery Operated engraver, or hand router.

[cow pollinater]

I paid a thirteen year old girl with to much time on her hands to do mine. I paid per box as I knew she would work slow. She did a better job than I would have and was thrilled to be a part of something. We both won big time on that deal.

[alpha6]

Try a branding iron...works great and can't be painted over

[high rate of speed]

We brand our boxes with a county ID number.As well as stenciling a few hives in each yard.Company name and phone#.Our stencil is made out of plastic,so wipping the paint off makes it simple.

[Moriha]

we put our buisness name our I D # town state and my phone #
on every box would be nice to brand all that at once but i doubt i could get one that big our stencile is plastice but cleaning is a pain would be nice to find latex spray paint

[Jim Fischer]

> stencile is plastice but cleaning is a pain would be nice to
> find latex spray paint

Latex has been sprayable for years. I use an airless, which
requires a compressor, of course, and you have to close down
the orifice quite a bit from what you are used to with oil-based
paints.

Most latex paints need to be thinned with 20% water to make
them easier to spray. It is a very trial-and-error thing, and
the amount of water required will vary from brand to brand.

[HarryVanderpool]

Look around on Ebay or somewhere for a used Marsh Stencil Machine.
I was given one several years ago, and you can crank out multi line stencils by the dozen in just a few minutes.
I use el-Cheapo black gloss spray paint.
When the stencil gets to wet after several boxes, big deal; toss it aside and grab another stencil.
The next day they are all ready for reuse once again.
If you use spray paint like I do, please make sure to do it outdoors.
I don't think the vapor is very good for you.
:)

[Sundance]

If theft is the reason for stenciling I'd consider a
different method. Just too easy to paint over.

Branding seems the fastest. Especially the frames.
But noting is fool proof.

[pahvantpiper]

"Latex has been sprayable for years. I use an airless, which
requires a compressor, of course, and you have to close down
the orifice quite a bit from what you are used to with oil-based
paints."

Maybe I missed something here. Every airless sprayer I've used over the years, I used to be a painter, doesn't use a compressor. That's why it's called airless - no air.

[Keith Jarrett]

[QUOTE=pahvantpiper;337949, I used to be a painter, doesn't use a compressor. That's why it's called airless - no air.[/QUOTE]

Ya, but Jimmy been know for hot air once in a while.:)


Hey... speaking of that, why not a large stamp, I've seen folks do that before.

[greenbeekeeping]

Look into screen printing them. Would be very affordable. I have seen some outfits do that. I think bradshaw apiaries.

[berkshire bee]

you can find latex paint in a spray paint can in some hardware stores

[Tom G. Laury]

Go to a place where they make rubber stamps, etc., and sell stencil supplies. Get stencil ink & a roller. Easy fast clean no fumes hard to paint over ink.

[Jim Fischer]

You'll have to forgive me - there seems to be inconsistent use of
terms in play - I was sold a compressor and a set of nozzles, and
told that a set of specific nozzles were "airless".

Does THAT make any sense to a painter?

All I know is, works great.

[honeyshack]

you can use a stencil and a sponge. Wet the sponge and wring out really well. Then dip in the paint and voila. Don't put to much on as it will get drippy and runny just like brushing it.

[mike haney]

You'll have to forgive me - there seems to be inconsistent use of
terms in play - I was sold a compressor and a set of nozzles, and
told that a set of specific nozzles were "airless".

Does THAT make any sense to a painter?

All I know is, works great.

an AIR compressor and AIRLESS nozzles is a contradiction in terms- like a round square. if it works, then fine. you probably just missunderstood or missheard. good luck,mike

[BEES4U]

I use a GRACO airless paint sprayer.
No compressor.
The paint is delivered to the spray gun under pressure that is generated by pistons.
I use anti-freeze instead of their product for preserving the washers and other internal mechanisims.
I may put bumper stickers on the sides of the hives for more identification and advertisement.
I have my county brand number and last name branded onto the hives too.

Regards,
Ernie

[high rate of speed]

Brands and stenciles are like locked gates.They only keep the honest people out.

[J-Bees]

I use a magic marker one of the LARGE Ones:}

[Jeffzhear]

Try a branding iron...works great and can't be painted over

Heard that! I swear by my branding iron. I put my name into the boxes, all four sides and covers and bottom boards. There is no mistaking or rebranding/remarking my equipment without lots of work:).

[Dan Williamson]

Heard that! I swear by my branding iron. I put my name into the boxes, all four sides and covers and bottom boards. There is no mistaking or rebranding/remarking my equipment without lots of work:).

If someone has time to do all that on 1000's of boxes they must not have bees in them! ;)

[high rate of speed]

Ouch.

[Jeffzhear]

If someone has time to do all that on 1000's of boxes they must not have bees in them! ;)

Well, I made time on my hundreds of boxes and look, I still have time to respond back to you!:D
Do what works for you, I do what works for me;) And in all sincerity....I couldn't imagine having 1000's of boxes and maybe my opinion would change...who knows...I can only comment on what I know.

[JohnK and Sheri]

If someone has time to do all that (brand) on 1000's of boxes they must not have bees in them! ;)

:D Beats a big magic marker;).
We brand our boxes too and we have thousands of them. Not on all four sides and not the lids. I consider paint almost a waste of time, a couple guys with a spray can would be able to make your boxes his very quickly. As others have said, it might keep the honest guy honest.
I think one of the ways people get ripped off in California is for the thieving beek to go in with his boxes and strip your colonies of the middle 5 frames, no amount of branding is going to stop him and it is hard to check the frames if they are branded.
With all the selling of used equipment amongst beekeepers over the years, having someone else's brand on your boxes and frames in and of itself doesn't raise any red flags. The fact of the matter is you take a chance taking your bees anywhere out of your sight, more so as the prices of honey and pollination fees rise. A secure location is your best protection.
Sheri

[Tom G. Laury]

If you do have bees stolen and you are able to locate them, ( actually not as uncommon as you might think ) the sheriff will almost certainly require you to provide some form of verifiable ID between you and yours before he will release them to your possession. It helps if the ID is in a form the deputy can recognize, such as DL no., name & address, etc. It may take a little time before they recognize a state apiary ID#. When you want to get your hands on your property and move it, this is important.

[Flyman]

I use a propane branding iron. You can do a lot of boxes and frames in a hurry and it smells better than paint or magic marker:).