# Marking Hives: Cheap(er) Branding Iron



## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Did they offer words? Or just images?


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## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

Words, #'s, or custom logos. Various sizes available. Just finished doing 200 frames and worked great!


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

When your equipment is stolen and driven a hundred miles away nobody will know they are yours. No name, no number ID. In my area that shallow brand will disappear under propolis in a year or two.


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## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Thats what I am looking for. A solid Name ID/ Can you pm me the manufacturer DLS so I can see if it will suffice. Thanks. G


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## Bee Herder (Jan 26, 2014)

Dirty, I like the bee brand on your top bars. 

Ralph, who made both my brands is also on etsy under (ralphpossa1). He had the irons built and a photograph of the test burn emailed to me within a week for approval. A week later I had the irons in my hands. He is a metal worker/blacksmith in cali. Being a retired lawman, a five point star seemed appropriate even-though I wore a seven point star. I tell people if Wyatt Earp were a beekeeper, his hives would look similar to mine. I use my camp stove burner, which gets the brands nice and cherry hot. The boxes in the photos have also been wax dipped. I looked into registering my brand with the state, but they require I own horses, cattle and or sheep to register a brand. 

Thread Hijacking was never intended!


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## tech.35058 (Jul 29, 2013)

odfrank said:


> When your equipment is stolen and driven a hundred miles away nobody will know they are yours. No name, no number ID. In my area that shallow brand will disappear under propolis in a year or two.


Yup.
But, I think in Alabama we are "required" to mark our equipment & register our mark with some one ... 
I sound a little foggy on this, its one of those things I haven't gotten around to.
and which ones were stolen, & which ones did I sell as nucs or starter hives ?
no easy answers, but it looks like some folks are "doing". CE


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## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

All good points and from reading many threads and my own experience in the past, if thieves want to steal your stuff they will. My intent for branding is to ensure I don't get them crossed up with other's in the field and for marketing purposes. A sharpie pen adds my last name and phone #. Anything beyond that is overkill imho. Better than nothing and better than spending $200-300 on an expensive iron.


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## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

"Better than nothing and better than spending $200-300 on an expensive iron."

Well no its not "better", its merely an alternative choice based on financial consideration.


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## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

That'd be correct. I guess I shoulve added "for me its a better option than spending $$$". 
Geez beez, who'd I piss off to be pig piled over a silly branding iron!? LOL Its an option for some of us sideliners and hobbyists. If I were running 1,000 hives my choices for managing my equipment would be very different. Your experiences may vary. I like adding a little distinction to my stock. My problem not yours.


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## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

DirtyLittleSecret said:


> Geez beez, who'd I piss off to be pig piled over a silly branding iron!?


I read that as 'getting pissed on under a pig pile...which, I think you should use that expression. 
It looks cute. Nice job.


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## sweetas (Apr 16, 2012)

I brand all my woodware before assembly. I use a 1/4" router with a 45 degree bit . Very cheap very fast. For boxes I do my registered brand (two letters and a number); three digit box number and month/date ie 01/16.

I draw two lines 19mm apart and do it all freehand

Frames I do brand and month/year. Takes 16 seconds per frame in lots of 10.

Cheers

GEoff


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