Hive Marking

[Sundance]

Any ideas on marking hives for ID and ownership???

I would love a system that would number and one that can be changed quickly to sequential numbers.

I am thinking that a wood burning system is out because it would be too slow in changing form say 56 to 57, etc.

[Gregg]

I have a stencil so all my hives are labeled with my name, address, & phone number. Just spray painted on so not the best, but better than nothing. For each individual hive ID, I used to use little square blocks of wood with numbers on them that can be nailed onto the hive bodies, can be removed and changed quickly and easily.

[Dave W]

Greetings . . .

I use an engraving tool intended for metal. It works good on wood too [img]smile.gif[/img]

I number deep supers; DS1, DS2, etc. Frames are FR1, FR2 and so forth. Every wood item is numbered.

I figure it could be removed by sanding, but . . . and yes, it fill in (some) w/ paint.

I numbered my items for "my reference only" [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Dave W]

Oh . . .

A good way to number your "colonies", is to use the "Hive Stand Number".

A top cover or other item may get moved around.

[James Burke]

For a non permanent ID tag that can easily be moved from one hive to another:

Use aluminum roofing flashing. Cut a strip 3 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches long. Make a 90 degree bend 1 1/2 inches long from the 4 1/2 direction. Make another 90 degree bend back 3/4 inches on the first end.

This may be difficult to visualize in your mind, but you will be left with a tag that measures 3" by 3" inches that will clip over the edge of your hive body.

Use a marker to write numbers on the tag and then take a sharp center punch to pierce holes along the lines you marked. You now have permanent lettering pierced into the removable tags.

These tags work well BETWEEN hive bodies (hanging on the lower box) and are not disturbed when you manipulate the hive. They can easily be changed when needed and are very inexpensive.

Regards,

Jim

[mark williams]

Something that I've heard,But have not checked myself.Large trucking Company's use to brand there tire's & DOT stopped that.
So if you know anyone you might be able to get branding iron's from them cheap,being they don't use them anymore.Mark

[Sundance]

The branding iron idea is great if one can change numbers rapidly and easily. Like the old grocery store price stampers,

[Michael Bush]

Branding is kind of the standard against which everything else is measured as far as ownership. As far as ID, I think you want something that can be moved and reassigned. Equipment gets rearranged all the time.

[Sundance]

I stumbled onto my own solution.

Metal or plastic ID tags!! Used in livestock and industrial valve ID.

1 1/2" numbered stainless steel tags are 25/$5.95

They can be screwed onto the hive bodies and removed later as needed.

Heres a link

http://www.ketchummfg.com/index.cfm?...4938&do=detail

They also do Rabies tags which might be ideal as they would allow your name and phone number as well as consecutive numbering. And as low as $8.00 per 100 in lots of 1000.

http://www.ketchummfg.com/index.cfm?...4696&do=detail

[Dave W]

If you have ever worked in Inventory Control, you know you dont EVER want the same number assigned to two different items.

[Sundance]

Each of these ID tags are numbered separatly so there would be no duplicates. Numbers run up to 99,999. There are 8 different colors (including plain aluminum)so you can color code as well giving you the abbility to individually number 799,992 items with their own color/number identity.

All for about .08 cents per tag. 4 lines (17 caracters each line) for address, company, and phone. and the 5 didget number