Used equipment

[Killervector]

Someone locally just placed an ad....

I have about 30 big and small boxes. Some have dividers in them. They have been in storage for several years in barn and may need to be cleaned up.


What would I have to do to ensure no FB? I'd love to have that many boxes on hand to expand and/or start some more hives. They want $4 per box.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[beeware10]

to me that price is very high. If paying that much buy new. to be safe you have to burn most of it and scorch the boxes.

[Roland]

If you are worried about AFB, and you should be, do not buy them.

Crazy Roland

[indypartridge]

If it's not too far, go take a look at them and see what condition they are in. Drive a truck and take cash. If they are in acceptable condition to you, make him a cash offer - say $75 and start dickering the price.

Keep them away from your bees until you've scorched the insides. I'd burn any frames.

Everyone has a different tolerance for risk, but if I could get 30 boxes cheap, it would be worth spending an afternoon with a torch.

[soupcan]

Don't wast your time!
These boxes have been sitting for 10 years or so I was told.
If they were free it still may be to much money.

[bigeddie]

Seems to me when you buy a nuc to start with you are buying used equip. When you buy a package of bees they came from someone else and you most likley have never seen thier operation, so whats the big deal about 30 boxes at a good price. Not everyone has the dough to just go out and buy new. I say check them out like Indy said and if you think its a good deal, go for it!

[Acebird]

Has anybody tried to disinfect equipment with a pool shock. Fill a drum and submerge the equipment for a day or two and then air out for a week or longer.

[soupcan]

Bought a number of loads of used equipment in my 30 plus years in this business.
Nothing holds a piece of foundation like a new frame that is glued a stapled.
After you have refurbished ( boiled ) those frames they just don't hold a piece of foundation worth a flip. Nothing like pulling a deep of honey & have a bottom bar break & you drop a foundation insert on the ground or???? and make a mess of honey all over you & what not.

[Killervector]

Thanks for the tips all. I'll post an update if I end up taking a look at them.

[fish_stix]

I would go look at them and inspect for condition. If you buy them throw away/burn all frames and scorch the boxes. A propane weed burner/brush torch works real well. Available at Northern Tools, Harbor Freight, Tractor Supply. No reason to char the insides just get them hot enough to kill spores.

[jean-marc]

The value of boxes is in the comb. If you throw the frames out , you've just lost the value of the used equipment. If you have to buy a propane torch and a tank to scorch the equipment then you may as well buy new.

Look at the comb. Look for AFB scale. If you see it don't buy the equipment. If in fact the equipment has been sitting around for 10 years, the wax seems to disappear from the frames and you are left with a sort of papery cells, kinda like a wasp nest. I think these are layers of the wax skins. I'm not really sure about the composition of the cells. In any event what I am sure of is that the bees need to refurbish the cells. So first, they tear out the remainder of the wax skins (what the wax moth and the mice have not gotten), then they have to rebuild.

If the frames are in good shape and the wax is good and no AFB then $4.00/box is good. Otherwise buy new. It will last a long time.

Jean-MArc

[PeterErickNelson]

This year will be my first time as a bee keeper and I'm using my fathers and grand father's old hives. I'm cheap so my plan is to torch them really well, repaint them, and replace the wax foundation. Hopefully it doesn't take forever. I'm getting two hives to start off with. Wish me luck. Any tips would be appreceited.

[jajtiii]

I'd buy the boxes for sure, unless they had rotten/suspect corners. I don't scorch - the one time that I had a bit of paranoia about the used equipment, I just painted them with bleach solution.

In my opinion, it comes down to a cost-reward risk assessment. I have 50 used supers from 3 different sellers. The cost of a super is materials (small), shipping (small) and my time to build (huge) and my time to paint (huge). For $4, I would be getting a steal if the boxes are not rotten.

Basically, I would (and have) purchased used equipment. So far, my bees have not complained.

[Acebird]

Look at the comb. Look for AFB scale.

Would you have a picture so we could all know what we are looking for?