A how to dip Beehives Video

Hi Everyone,
I have been quiet lately. However yesterday I dipped a bunch of woodware and made a youtube video so it would be easy to understand the complete process. There is a part 1 video you can see it here http://www.youtube.com/user/mrneede#p/a/u/2/MNdRRNfbN7o
Then there is a Part 2 you can see it here http://www.youtube.com/user/mrneede#p/u/3/D7N14X01xw8

I think you guys will like this. I just wanted to share it with you. It is easier to just watch the video then to write it all down.


Enjoy
Bruce

Thanks Bruce, excellent video. Any suggestions about where to get the wax and rosin at? Also, will beeswax work?

Thanks again
Danny

Good video Bruce:)

It was a good time and it went a lot quicker than I thought it would....well for me it did. i know you had several more than me to dip. Man, I didn't realize how hot that sun got, but I got pretty crispy on my neck and face.

Thanks for sharing and let's do it again soon. I think this is THE best way to condition hives:thumbsup:

You can buy the gum rosin at Mann Lake.

Kentuckybee, where did you get the steel tank?

Bishop

Thanks Cameron, It was a great time. The hive bodies came out great. Should last a long time. See you again sometime.

Bruce

I had a friend make the tank up for me. Nothing to special but it has to not leak or it will catch fire. The best price on the gum rosin I found was from a place called PDM chemicals. They were almost have the cost with shipping compared to Mann Lake. The wax came from canldewic.com I think. It was the best price. It will cost you $63.00 for each 50lbs plus shipping. I think I had to buy 250 pounds and 100 lbs of gum rosin to make this work. I can't remember exactly without digging through a bunch of paperwork. I think I spent between $500 - $600 on product. I had the tank made for about $40 a good friend deal. Then a got a Bayou Classic SP10 High-Pressure Outdoor Gas Cooker, Propane. Around $55
So total cost maybe $700.
Yes I am crazy ! But I do what I like to do, and if I am going to do something I like to do it right. I could probably dip 300 more hive bodies and still not have to buy any more product. I read that it take about 28 grams per box, or 1 oz. So it really doesn't go down any when you use it. It will last a lifetime.

I hope this makes everything clear for everyone and easy to understand.

Good luck to all
Bruce

I found PDM Chemicals. Which gum rosin did you order from them? They had 15+ types listed. Had my head spinning.

Bishop

I had to go check to be sure. I bought the Brazilian Gum Rosin Grade WW

I just called them on the phone and they had it to me with about 5 days by UPS or Fed X I can't remember. The price was great compared to Mann Lake.

Hmm... you staple your boxes; what's the treatment on the corners?

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Originally Posted by Ben Brewcat

Hmm... you staple your boxes; what's the treatment on the corners?

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I'm glad you brought that up. I use a brush to paint all the joints with Titebond III glue. I buy it buy the gallon and use a paint roller tray to really make sure I cover all the corners with the glue. Then when I assemble the excess oozes out. I staple the entire box nice and square and flat, then using the brush again I go back and cover all the corners inside and out to give it a nice uniform look and added strength. I let the boxes sit for about 3 days before I dip to make sure it's good and dry. It takes me about 17 minutes to build each large box once I get my groove on. The hot dipping has no effect on the glue at all. I kind of like the look, now that I'm used to seeing them this way.
Thanks for pointing that out. :)
Bruce

Can you dip an old painted box also? If so have you done it what kind of a mess does it make in your wax/rosin solution?

I Can't answer that question. I have never tried it. I myself wouldn't just because I would not want take a chance of messing up my mixture. I like the nice clean boxes fresh out of the tank.

Good luck
Bruce

Yes, you can dip boxes that are already painted
I paint my boxes after dipping while still hot
I wasnt happy with first couple i dipped, so i dipped them again painted and had no problems
Older boxes can be dipped, but loose paint needs to be removed
http://www.bobsbeekeeping.com.au/upl...20Beehives.pdf

sounds like a few guys could go in on a setup together, and maybe do it once or twice a year, now if I could just find the other 2 guys. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. That's quite the set up you have. You make it look easy and simple. Hopefully, I'll get to the point where it makes economic sense for me. Thanks again for the work you put into making this video. It's appreciated.

Regards,
Tucker1

Great Video's thanks for putting them on The Tube! Learned more watching those then all the reading I have been doing on the web. Now I just need to find some fellow Beeks that want to go in on a setup. With only a few hives I just can't justify the costs. I wonder can a samller setup for individual parts be used and then assemble the hive body? You could make the deep fryer much smaller? Again great instruction video.

Thanks everyone. I thought the video would be easy for everyone to get a good understanding of exactly what it was all about.
I really appreciate your positive comments. Thanks :)

How do you think dipping plywood nucs and traps would do? Maybe hold up a littel longer than with out or just painted? Does it seem to seal the ends of the wood good?

I think it would do just fine. I hve dipped a lot of other things also. It completely seals the wood up.

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Originally Posted by Kentuckybee

I think it would do just fine. I hve dipped a lot of other things also. It completely seals the wood up.

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Think it would work on wooden hive top feeders (miller-type)? Debating about building a dipping tank, and have a bunch of leaking feeders that I need so seal up.