# Testor's Model Paint?



## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

>Is this stuff OK?<

That's what I use. Easy to work with, and lasts pretty well. If it get's too thick, add Testor's thinner. I use grass for my brush, preferring Timothy. Pick a small seed head, with a thin stem. Cut the stem about 3" below the seed head. Dip the stem into the paint, getting the smallest possible drop of paint on the stem. Touch this to the queen's thorax. It will spread out. Wipe excess paint off stem...on the hive, and spread the paint spot on the queen until it is the size you want. Let it dry for 30 sec., and release the queen.

Color Code: years ending in

1 or 6 white
2 or 7 yellow
3 or 8 red
4 or 6 green
5 or 0 blue


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I'm fond of the testor's enamel pens from the hardware store... Easier to manage one handed.


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

*color code*

Wow--- what is the little saying to remember the color code---you know using the first letter of each color. I can't recall which mag i read it in.


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## Beemeister (Jun 26, 2006)

*Color Code Memory Device*

This is from George's Pink Pages.....Will You Read Good Books?.....White, Yellow, Red, Green, Blue. I have trouble remembering if White starts with 0 or 1. If I mark every year, I can usually remember what color I used last year and pick up from there!.....The Testors paint that I use has a green and red that are a little on the dark side. To make the Queen more highly visible, I take a little white paint and then add a dab of green or red and mix it up and then apply it to the Queen. This gives her a lighter color paint and I can spot her a little easier....Sometimes, I need all the help I can get!


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I use Testor's as well.

My "brush" is a pencil. I sharpen the pencil, then rub down the graphite tip until it is flush with the wood. it makes the perfect size dot for the queen. After I shake up the bottle, I unscrew the cover and dip the tip of the pencil in the paint on the lid. It's the perfect amount.

Also, I highly recommend a queen catcher (one of those spring-loaded clam shells) and the marking tubes with the foam plunger. These two things revolutionized my queen marking techniques. I also added a queen muff from Brushy Mountain to keep my queens from escaping.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

Thank you all! Expert advice if ever I heard it.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

> Color Code: years ending in
> 
> 1 or 6 white
> 2 or 7 yellow
> ...


a helpful mnemonic for remembering the colors is to ask yourself the question:

Will You Raise Great Bees?
Edit:
Oops....I just saw that had been previously covered. Next time I'll read through the entire thread first.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

http://www.apiservices.com/_menus_us/index.htm?menu.htm&0

On this page look under "Tools and Goodies" for "queen Colors" they have a nice pic that you can down load to remind you of the color code.


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## Ray Michaud (Dec 7, 2005)

I buy my Testors at Wallmart

Wallmart carries both the enamel and acrylic the acrylic dries faster. Take a finnish nail ( 6 or 8 penny) grind the point off, drill a hole in the cap the size of the nail when you pull the nail out it wipes the nail but leaves enough paint on the tip to give you a perfect dot. Leave the seal under the cap when you drill it out.I leave the nail in the cap and the paint will not dry in the bottle.


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## Beemeister (Jun 26, 2006)

Dick,

I like your mnemonic device better...I think it's more appropriate for beekeeping! I'll have to start using it. Thanks also for using the word mnemonic. When I posted the other day, I bet I spent 15 minutes looking through the dictionary trying to figure out how to spell it. I couldn't find it and finally gave up. I was looking under n and p.....I never thought about it starting with m.....

Thanks again.

Tim


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