What's in your Tool Kit?

[ME Beekeeper]

Tool Kit - I thought it would be interesting to hear what everyone takes to their apiaries in their tool kits. Lets get past the obvious veil, hive tool, and smoker.

[danno]

I have a box I made out of 3/4 pine and luan that is the size of a 5 frame nuc. Its light weight but strong. It holds my smoker on the outside end and is stong enough to sit on. I carry 2 or 3 hive tools, a screw driver, a small hammer, a small asortment of nails and screws, a heemostat, a queen catching clip, a paint pen, a small can for wax, a small spray bottle of alcohol, a bee brush, a frame grippers, a dental pick and a couple of deep frames with foundation

[Hobie]

Besides the "obvious" I only take a bee brush and an extra telescoping lid to place the supers on (because my 2 hives have the fancy peaked copper roof.) Of course, if I need anything else, I have to walk a whole 50 yards to the workshop...

[wildbranch2007]

a small spray bottle of alcohol

drinking or other? what do you use it for?

In adition to previous posts I carry duck tape, normal and color of queens of that year, a nine frame spacing tool, water bottles, spare reading glasses, a set of "doctor" magnifying glasses that go over my glasses with lights, a small awning that can go over a hive when raining, a folding pocket knife, magic markers, and my hive notes.

mike

[danno]

I use the alcohol to wash propolis off my hands

[Alex Cantacuzene]

Hi, I made and carry with me a metal frame holder. It can be seen in some catalogs. Mine is made of metal electrical conduit, about twenty inches long, with 1/4" rods welded at 90 deg about an inch from the ends and sticking out about eight inches with a little hook. On the other side there are two flat bar hooks for hanging over the edge of the open hive box. They help a lot when inspecting frames. Take care and have fun

[Jack Grimshaw]

I like that awning idea

[Ski]

Awning does sound neat.
Any pictures of the awning?

[wildbranch2007]

Awning does sound neat.
Any pictures of the awning?

no pictures just use a small one that sets up fast, have also used a tall umbrella and attached it to my belt so that when bent over it stays straight up but gets interesting at times when it fell over. I try only to use them when I'm making queens and "have' to go in the hives.

mike

[danno]

One more thing that I didn't mention is a small casset voice activated recorder. I have a great memory but its short. I turn it on and stick it in my top pocket. As I work I talk to myself. when I get back to the truck or home I listen and write it down

[Ben Brewcat]

I also use a converted 5-frame nuc box. In addition to the basics (smokerlighterhivetoolsetc):

Sharpie marker
duct tape
push-in cage
baby powder (for hands, bees seem to dig it and hands stay cleaner)
frame rest
frame grip (don't really use this much anymore)
queen hairclip catcher
newspaper for combines
ratchet strap
uncapping fork
entrance reducers (well, scrap bits of wood :))
gloves just in case
couple old queen cages
draft British mild ale at cellar temperature, oh wait that's at home :D

[wayacoyote]

We did a bee tool and equipment "show and tell" at this month's meeting.
One fella uses a 5-gallon bucket tool apron. It works pretty well and holds a lot of stuff.

We use a small plastic (stanley I think) tool box. The top has flip up lids where we keep our queen clips and other small things that we might need quickly or need the son to find easily. The removable tray holds our hive tools, matches, ink pens, and other regular everyday needs. The lower compartment holds some paper, bee brushes, duct tape, wood shims, level, Bee Quick, and other lesser needed items. The size keeps me from carrying unnecessary things to the field but is stackable and quick to grab and go.

Things that we find useful in our box that others might not have on hand:
1 Thumb tacks for marking hives or frames (ie =this one has a queen cell)
2 Folded full-sheets of newspaper for combining hives in a jiffy
3 sheets of vinyl window screen (we wrap them around a queen excluder as a moving frame or in a pinch, stuff them in an entrance to move it)
4 Duct tape- to make a the moving frame mentioned, seal or reduce entrances, etc
5 (not in our box, but in all of our vehicles) ratchet straps for moving hives
6 (not in our box) a jug or two of water- I went into heat exhaustion once alone in a bee yard. I was fighting for my life and went to the landlords house and calapsed at her garden hose. We drink and wash with this water.

By keeping these unordinary items handy, we're always equiped at the yard.

[honeyshack]

as well as most of the things said, and some new ideas, thanks,
I keep:
-a rubber hose because the fence is juiced to 5000v and i rather not get zapped when opening the gates,
-epi pen and benedryl just in case...we do live in the boonies and atleast 45min from the hospital.
-propane torch to light the smoker and wood chips, i seem to run out of smoke at the most in oportune times
-lots of water to drink
-several hive tools, cause i always loose them, and find them on return trips...or the lawnmower finds them...hubby is usually not to impresses
-frame lifter...that to has seen the underside of the lawn mower.

[ME Beekeeper]

Does anyone pack a camera to take that once in a lifetime picture of something unusual?

[bnatural]

Does anyone pack a camera to take that once in a lifetime picture of something unusual?

I put that in my pocket when I head out.

Even though my hives are only a little over 100 yards from my garage, I got tired of having to schlep back after I set up, because I forgot something. So, last year I bought one of those cheap Rubbermaid knockoff plastic storage bins with the snap on lid at Wally World. I keep it out in the bee yard, and it holds all of my 'stuff'. I put four bricks on the bottom, which serve two purposes - 1) they help keep the bin from blowing away, and 2) they provide a fireproof surface, so I can put my smoker back inside, even if it is still lit. Since the lid snaps closed, it suffocates very quickly. I keep most of the bee equipment mentioned in previous posts in it. I also keep a long butane grill lighter in it to make lighting the smoker easier. Besides keeping all my 'stuff' organized and on hand, the bin is also useful for supporting a deep, when I am working a hive. Don't have to bend as far or stack it on another deep already stacked on a cover. Makes it easier to find queens in three deeps.

Probably not as useful for those, who have several yards, but with only one yard, I like it a lot.

Bill