# Oxalic acid vaporizer



## exmar (Apr 30, 2015)

OOPS, I did a search here on this topic and didn't get anything, so I posted. Did a search on Google and found lots of entries in this forum, guess I misspelled something?

Apologies.....:-(


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## machado11 (Mar 29, 2015)

Hi, I used the immersion heater and like you said it blew out after one test. Looks like it has to be in water. Try using the glow plug.it seems easy to make. Good luck! John


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

You may have found these threads by now, but just in case, there are two "sticky" threads about homemade vaporizers at the top of this 'Equipment' sub-forum. Here are direct links:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?288693-diy-oxalic-acid-vaporizer
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?288482-Homemade-oxalic-acid-vaporizer


For future reference, the search function on the left side of the Beesource home page, here, is the best way to search Beesource for this kind of information. It is a better choice than the search box at the top right of most forum pages.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

exmar said:


> Wondering if anyone has made one? They're available online but are either pricey or come from "foreign lands." There's youtube videos on making them. The ones using an immersion heater were amusing, as, evidently no one bothered to read the instructions that they had to be immersed in liquid or would burn out. In the comments for those videos it was noted that they only work once or twice.
> 
> Other videos used a glow plug (diesel engine) which seems very viable as they're inexpensive, sturdy, last a long time, and get hot fast.
> 
> ...


I bought mine from Oxavap, but I have friends who made theirs using glowplugs. Several have had the glowplugs burn out, but the glowplug is cheap and that is all that has to be replaced.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

I think this one has the most advantages; 
Biggest is you can see exactly what is going on every second, you know the second OA starts, stops and is no longer vaporized. So you wont need to unnecessarily continue heating the pipe or waiting for the vapor to disappear.
Very inexpensive to make.
May get better coverage from the top of the hive as OAV is heavier than air.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALHz4B1vqKo


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## larryh (Jul 28, 2014)

You may save a few bucks building your own, then again, maybe not. 
I figure my homemade vaporizor cost me 80 bucks, plus a BUNCH of my time, plus a colony of bees before I gave up bought a quality unit.

If you can find a glow plug that burns hot enough, but doesn't burn out after a use or two, you might be OK. I certainly couldn't find one.


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## Eric Walls (Feb 8, 2013)

Just my $.02 but I think the Oxalic acid dribble is a way cheaper and more effective option. I was going to purchase one of the vaporizer units until I heard Randy Oliver speak last weekend at Oregon's beekeeping conference. It sounds like there are not many studies of the vaporizer or it's effect on the healthy bees. He really advocated for the dribble method, 5ml of solution per seam of bees. You dribble the solution on the bees, not the top bars and it takes about 20 seconds per hive.
He has tables for mixing on his website Scientificbeekeeping.com


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## exmar (Apr 30, 2015)

Flower Planter, that is one slick idea! Many thanks for sharing. Going to get busy with some 1/2" copper, compression fitting and pipe cap, add in a tubing bender and it'll be done in about 10 minutes. Particuarly since I probably have it all in the barn. 

Thanks again!!


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## VardO (Feb 16, 2016)

*12 Volt Oxalic acid vaporizer* :thumbsup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-12-volt...r-EVAPORATOR-BInGO-Varroa-mite-/321765516803?


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## VardO (Feb 16, 2016)

*12 Volt Oxalic acid vaporizer* :thumbsup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-12-volt...r-EVAPORATOR-BInGO-Varroa-mite-/321765516803?


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## rookie2531 (Jul 28, 2014)

exmar said:


> Flower Planter, that is one slick idea! Many thanks for sharing. Going to get busy with some 1/2" copper, compression fitting and pipe cap, add in a tubing bender and it'll be done in about 10 minutes. Particuarly since I probably have it all in the barn.
> 
> Thanks again!!


Don't waste your time exmar. Too inconsistent. You will have many bad burns and never know for sure.


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## rookie2531 (Jul 28, 2014)

VardO said:


> *12 Volt Oxalic acid vaporizer* :thumbsup:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-12-volt...r-EVAPORATOR-BInGO-Varroa-mite-/321765516803?


That model looks like a stamped pop can that won't last one season.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Also, the vaporizer that posts #12 and #13 are referring to is only _40 watts_! 

A more typical OA vaporizer is around 150 watts. Don't waste your money on this imitation.


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