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First equipment & supplies to obtain

172K views 73 replies 58 participants last post by  JWPalmer 
#1 · (Edited)
Focus: Covers all the basic equipment needed to begin. Type, size, cost, etc.
 
#55 ·
Re: b) First equipment & supplies to obtain

You'll always want more than you actually need. When I sell a beginners kit, it includes the following:

Hive:
1 - hive stand
1 - screened bottom board w/ mite count tray
1 - entrance reducer
1 - entrance feeder or division board feeder
1 - deep 10-frame hive body w/ frames and Duragilt foundation
1 - metal queen excluder
1 - medium 10-frame honey super w/ frames and plastic beeswax-coated foundation
1 - inner cover
1 - outer cover

Tools and Equipment:
1 - hat/veil combo
1 - pair of gloves
1 - 10-inch hive tool
1 - smoker
(order package bees separately)

This is generally enough to get a beginner through the first year. In the spring of the second season, you would order a second deep w/ frames & foundation, and probably some extracting equipment.
 
#61 ·
Re: What equipment is needed to start beekeeping?

Epi-Pen but not for each family member, especially if you don't know whether or not you're allergic. If you're going to go to that extreme you may as well have an allergy test done on each family member to see whether or not they're allergic. Using an Epi-pen simply because you got stung and it burns will cause more harm then good, the only time you should use an Epi-pen is if you're going to anaphylactic shock.
 
#62 ·
Re: What equipment is needed to start beekeeping?

When I told my doctor we were getting into beekeeping she gladly wrote scripts for Epi's for each family member.

I was not allergic for 48-1/2 years and then at 48-1/2 years and 1 day all of a sudden I was.

An Epi-Pen will only work if you have it. It's for emergency use only, not for every sting.
 
#70 ·
Re: b) First equipment & supplies to obtain

Who is "nearly all?" One should start with a solid bottom board. Hives in nature don't come with screened bottoms. After you are no longer a beginner, switch to a screened bottom if you want. That way you'll have something to compare it with.
 
#72 ·
Re: b) First equipment & supplies to obtain

Start out getting (or making) your protective clothing so you can begin learning from other beekeepers, and read Beesource! It has more info than any book. Pay attention to the older, more successful beekeepers, and the ones in your area.

My guiding philosophy has been to have equipment on hand, ready to house any bees I come across, be it a swarm, a cut-out, or a gift colony.

I started with a $25 table saw from a garage sale, a $25 set of dado blades, a framing square, a staple gun, a compressor, about $28 for a gallon of Titebond III wood glue, a home-buildt smoker made from 2 coffee cans, and a cut-down nail bar for a hive tool. I did fork out $60 for a bee jacket - hats & veils get you stung way too often - about 50 queen excluders, and I bought a box of foundation.

Looking back, I now consider a frame grip an essential tool, and my strong preference is for a J-hook type hive tool, though I carry a 90 angle one also. A metal bucket is a darn good idea to keep you smoker from starting something on fire. A flatbed, one-ton truck is the big investment for a sideliner, and eventually a forklift - hobbyists are thinking "Whaaaat?"

You'll want to visit several beekeepers' honey rooms before setting up yours, or just decide to take it to someone who does it for the public. Honey equipment is largely dependent on scale of your operation, and entirely unnecessary at first.
 
#74 ·
You can cut holes in the inner cover like I do mine. The holes are 2-3/4" so a mason jar lid fits down inside it. If I need to feed, I can place a queen excluder on the hive body to support the jars, then cover everything with another deep body. Works well if you do not have other feeding options. Otherwise, just leave the holes open. For the winter, you can add a piece of foam board cut to fit to help with insulation. The front range guys will help you configure your hive for winter survival.
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