battery powered hot knife?

[AllFloridaBee]

Are there any battery powered hot knives available?

[GaSteve]

I would think that would be difficult to find. A large resistive load like a heating element is an energy hog.

[AllFloridaBee]

yah, but I was hoping there would be an 'instant on' knife, similar to batt powered solder guns somewhere.

[Troutsqueezer]

GaSteve is right. Batteries plus heat is a bad combination. Try hooking up a toaster to a 500 watt generator and you'll lug the generator down. The soldering iron only heats a very small tip.

[Kieck]

Why battery powered? Are you looking for something to use in a place with no available AC power?

[Oldbee]

The "battery" powered screw drivers and the weed wacker that I use by my hives [even circular saws] now are quite the thing and amazing to me at my age. I was looking for something "battery" operated for my birdbath in the winter: NO such luck so far. You would think so wouldn't you? Sheesh!, "technology"; It is sooo S L O W!.. lol. Well, maybe next year.

[Flyman]

Ahhh! Now we see the purpose. You would need very little heat to keep a birdbath from freezing. Probably a 12 volt, 50 watt element or light bulb (like in an RV) would do the trick. Either of the above would require about 4 amps/hr. Try hooking either up to a large capacity marine battery. An 800 amp/hour batter should keep you running for about 150 to 200 hours. Usually, cold degrades the ratings substantially, but you get the idea. Maybe even a solar recharger would keep the battery hot enough to prevent frequent recharging.

[AllFloridaBee]

Why battery powered? Are you looking for something to use in a place with no available AC power?

It's hard to admit this, but my shoulder gets sore after doing a few cutouts in a day. I try to use only cordless tools, and I thought a hotknife could help an old man out just a bit

[Gene Weitzel]

I use a map gas torch (one with an ignition trigger) and and old carving knife with the tip bent over. Heat it up a little with the torch and it slides through the comb like butter. You do have to pause and re-heat from time to time, but it beats wearing your self out sawing on the comb.

[Oldbee]

"It's hard to admit this, but my shoulder gets sore after doing a few cutouts in a day"...AFBR [AllFloridaBeeRemoval] I try to use only cordless tools".

Yeah! Aren't "cordless tools",.. great? What a "boon" to,............"society". lol.

And here all along I thought you were looking to do some "uncapping" in some remote area of the everglades; right by your hives, and provide your customers with that unique experience of,................fresh honey.

[Bizzybee]

There ya go. Take a design much like the existing electric heated knife. Removing the element of course leaving the chamber behind. Make it long enough and possibly baffled to allow the air to cool enough when it exits the tip to not start a fire.

A propane fired knife. Somebody draw it up and patent it!! You'll make millions I tell you!!!

[Oldbee]

YUP ! You never know how "engenious" beekeepers can be.

[AllFloridaBee]

Yeah! Aren't "cordless tools",.. great? What a "boon" to,............"society". lol.

And here all along I thought you were looking to do some "uncapping" in some remote area of the everglades; right by your hives, and provide your customers with that unique experience of,................fresh honey.

yup, i try to walk that balance between efficiency & the essence of work.

One day, i'll have that farm west of Gainesville, and I can offer that fresh honey, cane boiling and full moon drumming bonfires to the tioga suburbanites. one day..