Grafting tool input needed

[Pooh]

I've always used a Jenter system but would like to graft some by hand. I can't find a lot of info. on the details of transferring larva. I understand the temp. humidity aspects. All I have been able to find is don't flip the larva over.
When slipping the tool under the larva does it matter if you come in from the back of the larva or front (open part of the C)?
Besides not flipping, any other tips for placing the larva in the cup?
How do you prime the cups with royal jelly?
All info is greatly appreciated!

[Velbert]

I Graft using a automatic grafting needle that is retractable. I will use this grafting tool to put my royal jell into the cups also. you need very little r-jelly it helps keeping the larva from drying out also aids in floating the larva off the grafting tool. I USALLY TAKE A QUEEN CELL THAT IS FULL OF ROYAL JELLY ABOUT 2 OR 3 DAY OLD LARVA IN IT FOR MY R-JELLY I USE IN GRAFTING IT WILL PRIME 30 TO 50 CELL CUPS. I WILL TAKE THE GRAFTING TOOL AND MIX UP THE JELLY EVERY SO OFTEN TO KEEP IT FROM DRYING OUT SOME TIMES I MAY MIX IN A DROP OF WATER BEFORE PRIMING. JUST 1 DROP IS USALLY ENOUGHT AT START. AND I ONLY PRIME 4-5 CUPS AHEAD OF PLACING IN LARVA. AND I USE A WET PAPER SHOP TOWEL TO KEEP THEM COVERED SO THEY WILL NOT DRY OUT.

[Joseph Clemens]

I think selecting a grafting tool is a personal choice. I've tried all those I could afford on my meager budget. I've tried several Chinese Grafting Tools, they are okay, but for me they are too bulky. My personal preference is the stainless steel double ended German tool. I like to work quickly, outdoors, in natural sunlight, I find it easier to get under and lift the larvae from behind them like this [->c]. Sometimes I like to use one end of the tool and sometimes the opposite end. At some point I may even want to try some of the other tools again. Tastes can change - just about everything does.

I use a 1.0 ml insulin syringe with the needle cut off, fill it with royal jelly, then squeeze a small droplet - dab it into the cell cup, repeat, until the cell bar is primed. I prime then graft one cell bar at a time.

[TwT]

Chinese Grafting Tool for me, might take about 10 before I find one I like, never worried about weather or not I got the larva from front or back because larva smaller than tip on the tool, usually in royal jelly and hard to see witch way they are turned, seems to not make a difference in my opinion....I do not prime cells. do most of the time get some of the royal jelly that come with the larva but im not trying to get it, its just hard not to when they are swimming in it ;) .

[bleta12]

Chinese Grafting Tool for me, might take about 10 before I find one I like, never worried about weather or not I got the larva from front or back because larva smaller than tip on the tool, usually in royal jelly and hard to see witch way they are turned, seems to not make a difference in my opinion....I do not prime cells. do most of the time get some of the royal jelly that come with the larva but im not trying to get it, its just hard not to when they are swimming in it ;) .


The same here too.
I use Chinese grafting tool, graft dry, use a wet towel to cover the grafted cells, use a swarm box, this box is kept in cool dark basement 1 hour before grafting and 24 hours after, then the grafted cells are transfered into 2 deep supper strong finisher, the 10-th day they are distributed into nucs.

Gilman

[BerkeyDavid]

I would start with a Chinese Grafting tool, then if you want to try something else, take a piece of wire and make your own. There is a good pattern for that in the book by Spivak and Reuter on Queen Rearing: the Short Course. It is an excellent book, you can get it from U. of Minn. or Dadant.

[jeff123fish]

which company makes the best chinese grafting tool. I got mine from betterbee but when I got it I was very dissapointed seemed more like a cheap plastic piece of junk to me

[Putz]

The grafting tools I've seen, other than the chinese one, has a hook for picking up the larva, I never could graft with those, always flipping the larva and whatnot. I made a tool by using a paperclip that works absolutely great! Bend out one leg of the clip so it sticks out 90 degrees from the bulk of the clip. The remaining bulk is what I hang on too. I pounded the tip of the leg i bent out so it is flat, rounded it and tapered the end of it with a honing stone. I bent the nice rounded tip out 90degrees with needle nose plyers. 1/4 to 3/8" up from the new tip, I bent the leg of the clip back so the handle of the clip is back to the right from the foot I made on the end. That's because I'm right handed and it lets the leg of the clip lean back for easier to get to the bottom of the cell. This tool I hold in my hand and scoop up the larva and rjelly in one movement by using a sideways slip under and scoop motion. To release the larva in a cup, just roll the clip the other direction in the bottom of the cup and the larva slips right off with the royal jelly. No need to prime the cell cups at all, just grabs the rjelly that was with the larva already in the naturaly comb I grafted from!

[bleta12]

which company makes the best chinese grafting tool. I got mine from betterbee but when I got it I was very dissapointed seemed more like a cheap plastic piece of junk to me


I got mine from Dadant and some from ML.
Some don't work well but if you get few you will find some that do fine. I do have over 10 of those, from different sources, this year I have used only one and is still good.

Gilman

[BerkeyDavid]

which company makes the best chinese grafting tool. I got mine from betterbee but when I got it I was very dissapointed seemed more like a cheap plastic piece of junk to me

They come from China! What do you expect? Yes they are cheaply made, but they are also cheap.:)

There is a piece of flexible horn that slides under the jelly. You are really just picking up the jelly. They work best on larva with lots of jelly.

When you start, if you are not careful the horn will get bent. But once you get a good one the horn stays flexible and smootly transitions from the side of the cell to the bottom of the cell.

[BigDaddyDS]

I use two different grafting tools, depending on which tool I'm better at lifting larva with that day.

I begin with the Chinese tool. My current one came from Dadant, I think. The gently curved flexible "horn" looks more like a piece of feather quill to me. Likewise, it is a little hard at first, but softens up and becomes more flexible with a little spit, royal jelly, or plain yogurt. And that's what I usually prime my queen cups with is this tool. When priming, the gently curved scoop deposits just enough jelly to float the larva off, which is a huge help when I use the other tool.

And that other tool is the JZ's BZ's Grafting Tool. Small, lightweight and cheap. It has a dental pick style crook to allow vision into the cell, and a small tooth on the very tip to facilitate picking up the larva. Unlike the Chinese grafting tool which doesn't seem to care which way you approach the larva, the JZ BZ tool seems to work best when you approach the larva from the back. (Like this --> c ) And, like all grafting tools, somedays are better than others when using them. The JZ BZ tool sometimes digs in too deep and you wind up pulling up the old larval cocoon, but that's about my only complaint with this tool.

For me, I've also tried two different kinds of stainless steel grafting tools, and both caused me to "roll" the larva up the side of the cell wall, which is an action that almost guarantees to kill the larva. But, I'm sure this is personal preference. Try out as many tools as you can, is my advice.

DS

[Joseph Clemens]

BigDaddyDS,
After reading your comment on the JZs BZs Grafting Tool, I decided to pull mine out and give it another try. I retired it last year after trying it a few times with poor results. After having a little more grafting experience under my belt, and hearing you describe how you use the JZs BZs Tool, today I tried it with a set of eight cell cups. If they take, and it looks good, I may have my new favorite grafting tool. It seemed so much smoother than my earlier attempts with it, it may be the easiest tool I've used yet.

[Ishi]

After reading your comment on the JZs BZs Grafting Tool, I decided to pull mine out and give it another try.

Not a very good tool if you are left handed.

[BigDaddyDS]

I will agree! It's not a tool for southpaws due to the placement of the "tooth".

But, for the rest of us "left-brainers" (right-handers), it's a pretty easy instrument to use!

DS

[stangardener]

unfortunatly for me the jz bz tool i bought was missing the little bent over tip. i don't think it worked as well as it could. i suggest inspecting all tools before purchase if possible, and buying multiples of the cheapies.

[Aspera]

In Slovenia, people commonly use a well chewed toothpick

[Michael Bush]

I've used most of them. I mostly use the chinese ones. I buy extra since many are no good at all, but the ones that work, work so well...