Looking for a few hive tools

[SwedeBee1970]

Anyone got any of the following tools that they're not going to use anymore or are getting out of beekeeping ?: Economy Frame grip, smoker fuel pellets and a mini hive tool ?

Looked at the latest Brushy mountain flier and costs 14 bucks for the items plus 15 to ship it all. What a rip... Anyone got any of these ????

[Haraga]

Please improvise or save up some money.

[Haraga]

I have everything you need for free. Just show up in person to pick it up. Tell me thanks and be on your way. All of a sudden that 15$ for shipping looks inexpensive.

[odfrank]

Why are freight charges a "rip"? Do you offer all your services for free? The post office, UPS and FedEx should work for you for free why again? No one is stopping you from obtaining these items using cheaper methods.

[chaindrivecharlie]

Check craigslist and also equipment for sale here on forum. You could do a search on google for used bee equipment. I use plain brown cardboard for smoker fuel along with pine needles and punk wood and dry grass. I have a painters putty knife for a hive tool, and my frame grip is the same 2 hands I have had all my life.

[willyC]

"Anyone got any of the following tools that they're not going to use anymore or are getting out of beekeeping ?: Economy Frame grip, smoker fuel pellets and a mini hive tool ?

Looked at the latest Brushy mountain flier and costs 14 bucks for the items plus 15 to ship it all. What a rip... Anyone got any of these ????"

Yup got them all.
Frame grip = Fingers
Smoker Fuel = Anything brown and vegetative, cats are hard to keep lit.
Mini Hive tool = screwdriver, scrap iron, pocket knife, I make my own.
Spend a little to stimulate the economy, maybe. Or be self reliant, maybe.
It can be fun and rewarding!

[wildbranch2007]

Wilmington Illinois to Hamilton Illinois 62341(dadant) 225 mi, 4 hours 2 mins one way, the shipping looks cheap to me.

[Swobee]

Try a trip to a loacal hardware store and look for a hive tool in the handtool section. Every finish carpenter used to carry one in their tool belt. They won't call them hive tools in a hardware store. Frame grip... you have one or two already - your hands (I never use one and don't know many who do). Smoker fuel- there are more Traeger & Green Mountain pellet BBQ grilles around here than you can imagine and a huge number of stores selling the pellets also. I like the food grade ones better than the pellet stove fuel pellets - less creosote/soot, etc. If you only have a few hives, pellets are unnecessary. They do burn a long time for serious numbers of hive inspetions. You can get many 'beekeeping' supplies outside the typical supply market circles by just looking around some. Another good time to stock up on supplies is at a local or state association meeting. Many vendors are usually attending and they will save you shipping if you buy at the meeting. Keep searching and you'll find much of what you need in your neighborhood.

[KQ6AR]

In the Christmas season Brushy usually ships for free east of the Mississippi river.
If they'd just do it for California, I'd be placing a big order.

[waynesgarden]

Yep, I have all that stuff lying around too. Just can't see me spending my $15.00 to mail it to you. Sorry.

As was said, improvise until you have an order worth using your own money on. Mann Lake ships most orders over $100 for free.

Wayne

[Gary L. Glaenzer]

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardw...&storeId=10051

$ 3.87

[Radar]

I see you joined the forum 2008 and over 800 posts you must have managed up to now without these items.

[indypartridge]

If you look over in the Beekeeping 101, you'll find this thread on "most useless equipment":
http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...for-beekeeping
Note how often frame grips are mentioned.

As others have said, head to a big hardware and look at prybars, also known as hive tools. They'll have all sizes.

Likewise, there are a multitude of things which make great smoker fuel that don't require paying shipping costs!

[keeper]

I buy the pellets at the local feed store. They are bagged in 50 lb bags as stove pellets and cost 4.50 for 50 lbs.

I am still on my first bag.. 4 years later.