# Value of used equipment.



## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

redsnow said:


> Good deal or not?


I would not pay that much for the equipment you listed used.


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## Dave1958 (Mar 25, 2013)

Get a book, and compare it to retail. As to smokers, I don't know the life of one, as mine is 5 years. Hive tools, I keep planting several a year, but never got a harvest. If the woodenware isn't dry rotted good paint its has value. Value is what is worth to you, vs buying, building, painting new. Manufacturer makes profit, so IMO no woodenware is worth price of new, unless it is new. My $.02


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

sitting for 2 yrs they may have been eaten up by wax worms or have dry combs. red flag to me is bees don't freeze out. there's another reason they died.


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## awebber96 (May 28, 2012)

Not a good deal, IMO. Especially not if all the tools are extras for you. I bought a similar package to get started years ago..for $100...from someone who was tried of dead outs. And if it's like mine, whatever comb there was is likely so chewed up by wax moths that it's worthless.


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## redsnow (Dec 26, 2015)

Not sure? Included are 3 feeders also. Inner covers, top covers w/ metal covers, 4" boxes, etc. Talking to him this morning, he said the wood and paint were good. Sight unseen.

I was kind of allowing $10 each for the smokers, veils, gloves, and hive tool. At that price, I'd have $115 in the wooden ware. I'll need to look them over, but thinking about the price of lumber, it doesn't sound too bad. 

Darned if I know?


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

I would not pay that much for the equipment either.


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

A general rule when buying used equipment is that it is worth 40% of new value with the single exception of drawn combs. I would offer $125 for the equipment described.


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## Andy382 (May 7, 2015)

With today's technology I'd have him take a few pics of the equipment. Especially the "worst" of the comb. If he's an hour away that's 2 hours round trip. That's a factor when you can buy most of that new for a little more with free shipping. Time is money. Like said by previous people, you have to be a little cautious of used comb. Sometimes saving a few bucks isn't worth killing a caught swarm, nuc, pkg, or strong hive. Unless you know the person they can say they died of whatever gets the stuff sold. Just my opinion.


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## SouthTexasJohn (Mar 16, 2015)

Don't do it. Too much and depending on the condition, it may be way too much. If you make the drive to go look, you will buy the stuff and be sorry later. It is especially not a good deal if you are buying stuff that you do not need.


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## redsnow (Dec 26, 2015)

Over the phone the man told me that he would come down in price. 

I don't know him, honestly he sounds like an old fart, maybe not? I just checked Dadant, looks like 2 boxes that he described would cost about $200 each. So $400 total, but everything is new of course. The reason he has 2 of everything, his buddy/partner kicked the bucket a while back.

I probably will ride out and look at the stuff, never know, a hundred dollar bill might take it all?

Besides the comb, the box corners and joints, what else should I look for? 

If it looks like trash, I'll be content to take the back roads home, and find some better used equipment or buy new.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

If you need the items 
Buy them 
The price is not all bad 
Offer him less and take what he 
Comes down too 

This is of course if the stuff is in good condition


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Take this for what it is worth. As, I am an OLD Fart too! Last fall I sold 6 complete hives with SBB, 2 deeps, 2 mediums inner and outer covers each hive, 4 hive top feeders 2 extra brushy mountain SBB (NEW) 6 Brushy Mountain winter inner covers, 5 extra inner covers, 8 metal queen excluders, a smoker, a ventilated bee jacket and a hand full of sundry tools. for $300.00 And I believed that fair for sound used equipment! New and used prices are miles apart.


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## zhiv9 (Aug 3, 2012)

I think Fusion was fairly close. 40-50% of new. Used clothing is worthless. Used frames without drawn comb are worthless. Between $50-$90 depending on if either of the smokers are Dadant or just cheap junk.


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## redsnow (Dec 26, 2015)

Not sure? I just skimmed through Dadant's online catalog. About the cheapest starter kit listed is $190. Looking at the other hives, from what the man described, some of those hives are priced up over $300 each. Of course all new.

The man told me that it's 6 or 8 years old. It's possible that the whole works came from Dadant? 

I really don't know how many years service you could expect from a hive? The man specifically pointed out the everything has good paint. Never know, they might be full of drawn comb? And look like new?

I'll take my camera with me. One other thing I've been thinking about, if the old man will let me "bend his ear" for a while, that'd probably be worth a few dollars too. Never know, he might have some other old junk sitting around in his shed, that he'll sell cheap. I'm always looking for good antiques.


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## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

redsnow said:


> Not sure? I just skimmed through Dadant's online catalog. About the cheapest starter kit listed is $190. Looking at the other hives, from what the man described, some of those hives are priced up over $300 each. Of course all new.
> 
> The man told me that it's 6 or 8 years old. It's possible that the whole works came from Dadant?
> 
> ...


I agree. If what he has listed for sale is in good to very good shape it would be worth the asking price, to me. I have more time than money and for just a couple of hours out of my day I would make the trip, enjoy the visit and maybe come back with a bargain.


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## redsnow (Dec 26, 2015)

Well, I went shopping today! I'm satisfied with my purchase. A little bit slippery on the roads, but no problems.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...set=a.1275490732660.2037562.1391721206&type=3

I'll get another picture or 2 in a little bit!


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## redsnow (Dec 26, 2015)

Well, I've got one super pretty much full of honey, deep box with drawn comb, another box with foundation, the tools and all. I really don't know exactly what I do have. The boxes look good and solid. Some kind of big "pig sticker" of a knife, the 4" cutter, boxes. A box full of small wood stuff, reducers, $10 worth of nails.

I gave him a hundred dollar bill, and a 50 dollar bill, loaded up, came home and piled it in my shed. We talked a half hour or better, gave me a few pointers along the way too. And promised to stop here where I work and check on things from time to time. 

I was right, he is an older man, very nice man! But I'm very satisfied!


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## tpope (Mar 1, 2015)

That's an uncapping knife. Heat in hot water... Watch the duraglit foundation. The wax will sometimes delaminate from it or the wax moths will eat the wax down to the plastic. It is worthless at that point.. the bees will never draw comb correctly on it again. Looks like you got some good looking boxes and tools.


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

IMO equipment looks in very good shape. Amazing that honey in comb survived for 2 years in a storage shed. 

There's something else no one has mentioned yet. I would be concerned that the hives could have had American Foul Brood. The chances may be low, but if they did, the impact could be very bad. Spores of AFB can survive for 30 years in woodenware. It is very contagious to surrounding hives. In NC, if it breaks out in your hives and unless it is discovered early, state bee inspectors will require that bees be killed and all woodenware and comb be burned and buried.

I would at least ask the previous owner if he could have had AFB.


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## redsnow (Dec 26, 2015)

American Foul Brood, you're over my head. I'll search the forum, or start a new thread.

I do need someone to look over the comb, and explain exactly what I do have. 

I don't recall ever seeing this before, but the capped honey in the super, it was partially crystallized. The temperature was about 20*F this morning, and the man had it sitting on platform between 2 saw-horses, in an unheated shed. Both hives were sealed up pretty tight, he did have duct tape across the seams. 

I'll ask one of the local experts to come take a look, and explain what all is going on. I honestly don't know.

I'll try to get some better pictures, and post them on the forum. But just touching the comb, it doesn't seem to be brittle. Some of the frames are filled out on both sides with empty comb, and others are partially. 

I also got some kind of gizmo, it looks like some type of "dental pick", that you'd use on an animal the size of a horse! What the heck would you use it for? 

Also found 4 or 5 Queen cages, in the one box. I'd seen pictures, but the first time I'd every had one in my hands. 

But I'll call and ask about AFB. 

Thanks everyone!


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## ralittlefield (Apr 25, 2011)

redsnow said:


> I also got some kind of gizmo, it looks like some type of "dental pick", that you'd use on an animal the size of a horse! What the heck would you use it for?


Maybe a tool for cleaning old wax from the grooves in frames?


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

redsnow said:


> I also got some kind of gizmo, it looks like some type of "dental pick", that you'd use on an animal the size of a horse! What the heck would you use it for?


Is it a frame cleaner? http://www.dadant.com/catalog/tools/tools/m00753-frame-cleaner


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## redsnow (Dec 26, 2015)

Yes, that's the tool. Honestly, I didn't know that it was in the boxes, until I got home. I still haven't dug through all of it yet.

Got a big bag of smoker fuel, burlap. The gloves look good, and he said his wife had washed the coveralls. I haven't taken the veils/helmets out yet, they are sealed in plastic bags. I'd say it's all worth $150.


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