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1 lb. calcium hydroxide (lye) to 10 gal. water. Lye always added to the cold water.
Frames to be striped of old adhearing wax from solar melter or comb removed from frame are boiled for about 5 min. Rinse with hose, dry in sun.
Frames from AFB hive are BURNT.
Other hive furniture is boild 15 min. if from AFB hive.
Walt
I have salvaged about 470 deep frames. I am scraping them clean and then soaking them in 30% bleach solution for 3 minutes, then setting them out to dry. I am stunned by the outcome. They turned out very well. I feel a lot better about using them now. Here are some pics:
Before:
Attachment 3731
After:
Attachment 3733
Attachment 3735
Attachment 3737
Attachment 3739
:update:
I was able to track all this old equipment back to the original owner. I called him and asked him about the history of this equipment: disease, etc. He said, "Why yes, there was AFB in 3 out of those 90 hives. I treated them and it went away; I'd reuse it all if I were you." But I don't want a big risk, so I will just use the boxes, covers, and bottom boards, but I will pitch/burn the frames. Oh well, better safe than sorry.