# Best equipment for lifting hives



## David ryle (Dec 2, 2020)

I'm getting older, and starting to think more and more about keeping my back from getting damaged. Normally two of us will lift a colony onto a trailer, but what's out there that would let a man work solo, without breaking the bank?


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## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

If you used staples on your bottom boards, to keep them on, this should work?


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

Harbor freight hand truck,a couple of binder straps and 2 good planks.
Find a local welder to extend the "nose" to about 13 in to balance the hive.
Tire size will be determined by your terrain and you may need a "dually" for side slopes.


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## 123456789 (May 24, 2009)

I'm looking for something that will lift them to a truck bed. I do have an old trailer with a boom but it needs some TLC.

I saw this one, but I don't have any experience with it.









BeeHive Lifters For Sale Made in US. Helps to Lift And Move Hives


BeeHive Lifter is the perfect tool to save your back and your time. It will help you to work more efficiently without extensive physical efforts.



beehivelifters.com


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## ericweller (Jan 10, 2013)

I purchased a hive lifter from Hives Lifter | Bee Breeding Centre and think it is very valuable. I use the lifter to move the hives from a bench to a trailer. Once the hive is on the trailer, I have to man-handle it to put it into position. It is almost identical to what SpadeApiaries posted.


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## SWM (Nov 17, 2009)

I have a trailer with a fold down ramp. With that and a good hand truck I can easily load hives by myself. 
I have what used to be called a Kelley Nose Truck. Below is a link to the same or similar product on the Mann Lake Site.
I just discovered there is no Kelley website anymore...it transfers automatically to Mann Lake.

Kelley used to make a version with dual wheels on each side for added stability on uneven ground. Mann Lake apparently
has discontinued that one.









2-Wheel Box Truck


Buy 2-Wheel Box Truck at Mann Lake. Best & Biggest Beekeeping Supplier - Best Service.




www.mannlakeltd.com


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## Boondocks (Sep 16, 2020)

Any teenagers live nearby?


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## Shelton (8 mo ago)

I just found this. Seems like it might be possible to attach it to a hand truck! Thoughts?



L-E-vator


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## massbee (May 11, 2020)

Shelton said:


> I just found this. Seems like it might be possible to attach it to a hand truck! Thoughts?
> 
> 
> 
> L-E-vator


Looks like a weight limit of 300 pounds. Fine if you're just moving single or double deeps.


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

David ryle said:


> ... but what's out there that would let a man work solo, without breaking the bank?


Around 1941 we had a professor who used a very massy and solid hive bench.
He tilted forward his Zander hives without breaking or even bending the spine. 
Surprising - 
not lifting up but tipping.


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## Charles Prestridge (2 mo ago)

sjj said:


> Around 1941 we had a professor who used a very massy and solid hive bench.
> He tilted forward his Zander hives without breaking or even bending the spine.
> Surprising -
> not lifting up but tipping.


Thanks for sharing sjj. 

What year were you born? Are you over 90 years old? 

Best wishes to you.


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

This idea is probably older then humankind.


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## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

sjj said:


> not lifting up but tipping.








I have been wanting to build one of these





Ohhh, My Aching Back! | Bee Culture







www.beeculture.com


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

msl said:


> ...............


Looking at this video makes me nervous.
Eventually, something is going to give. 

But if hobby people insist running the bees this way too - all the power.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Never in my wildest dreams! When the eventual bad thing happens it could be *very* bad.

Oldtimer spoke of a quick clamp on device they used in NZ that would separate the stacks where desired for putting in or taking out bee escapes or excluders.


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## Gino45 (Apr 6, 2012)

crofter said:


> Never in my wildest dreams! When the eventual bad thing happens it could be *very* bad.
> 
> Oldtimer spoke of a quick clamp on device they used in NZ that would separate the stacks where desired for putting in or taking out bee escapes or excluders.


Certainly the disposition of the hives being moved is a major factor. I remember starting out, hive staples, etc etc. I soon learned that my bees stick the equipment together so well that staples are not necessary in spite of the rough roads and ground I had to deal with.. I used to nail on bottom boards as well, no doubt due to the 'bad' disposition of my bees at that time.
Long ago I gave it all up and learned to throw the hives on the truck and move into position and tie them down. The important thing is placing the hands below the bottom board to prevent its falling off the stack. Obviously, I move single hives and don't have a palletized operation..


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Here is a way a person could work a colony or two without hefting supers. It is pretty slow though. Here is lifting top deep and two supers to examine bottom and top brood boxes. Kept me busy for a while putting that together.

That rig that Oldtimer spoke of would be a keeper though if someone wanted to go the bee escape route. Our routine is to shake and brush bees off each capped frame and hand it off to my wife to put into another covered box in the wheelbarrow. We commonly only pull and extract 5 or 6 boxes and call that a day. Doesn't scale up well though!


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Really, hobby people should just learn about the horizontal Dadants already.
Looking at all these gymnastics is crazy.

All the so-called Lang "standardization" - so then you have to do this crazy stuff?
It really is crazy and over-complicated.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

GregB said:


> Really, hobby people should just learn about the horizontal Dadants already.
> Looking at all these gymnastics is crazy.
> 
> All the so-called Lang "standardization" - so then you have to do this crazy stuff?
> It really is crazy and over-complicated.


Yep! Will see how these do over the winter and next summer. The crazy stuff is half the fun! sanity is for control freaks!


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

sjj said:


> Around 1941 we had a professor who used a very massy and solid hive bench.
> He tilted forward his Zander hives without breaking or even bending the spine.
> Surprising -
> not lifting up but tipping.


The acient 'tilt idea' is good and worth working it out: devise, arrange and resolve difficulties. People will do it. It's bearish.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

When I was at Kirk Webster's he did this. He tips them over and works them.


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