# $10 to make a vaporizer, so why buy one for $190?



## Sentinel (Feb 2, 2015)

Alright so I just ordered everything to make it, my total was $22 and $12 of it was for the Oxalic Acid. I am not sure how well this will work, but have the car charger part connected with a adapter outlet to car charger (The adapter was included in the price) Personally I would prefer it plugged into an outlet then hooked up to a battery. 

(This is what it will look like, but I took the idea from someone else on this thread)


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

I cobbled one out of 1/2" copper pipe, using a shortened air chamber to hold the OA and attached it below and elbow with a threaded fitting to make it easy to refill.

It only takes a minute or two to vaporize the acid when a propane torch is applied to the chamber, and the heavy threaded fitting absorbs heat and prevents overheating the OA powder.

There is no heavy battery to lug around, and here in wetsern Washington fire is rarely a significant hazard since the vegetation is usually well watered.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

"At 372 degrees, OA which has not sublimed decomposes to form formic acid and carbon monoxide".

I'd want to be sure the DIY unit doesn't overheat the OA! Presumably the "high dollar" units have a built in temperature limiter?

(Beregondo appears to have addressed the issue...)


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Colobee said:


> "At 372 degrees, OA which has not sublimed decomposes to form formic acid and carbon monoxide".
> 
> I'd want to be sure the DIY unit doesn't overheat the OA! Presumably the "high dollar" units have a built in temperature limiter?
> 
> (Beregondo appears to have addressed the issue...)


as long as he's not cooking it in a pressure cooker he should be ok


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Yeah, but when I see: 

"The maximum adiabatic flame temperature a propane torch can achieve with air is 1,995 °C (3,623 °F)", It makes me wonder what the other DIY units might achieve...

I'm sure one could carefully dissipate & avoid excess heat. 

'Nothing a cooking thermometer couldn't gauge.

Just sayin - Let's be careful!


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

That same torch won't heat water past 212 (at sea level) what makes you think it will heat OA past it's boiling point ? As long as the vapor can exit freely it will never heat past it's boiling point


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

OK. Must be able to exit "freely".


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

Colobee said:


> "At 372 degrees, OA which has not sublimed decomposes to form formic acid and carbon monoxide".
> 
> I'd want to be sure the DIY unit doesn't overheat the OA! Presumably the "high dollar" units have a built in temperature limiter?
> 
> (Beregondo appears to have addressed the issue...)


At what temperature does OA sublimate?


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## wpoley (Oct 20, 2013)

I think 315 degree f


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Colobee said:


> "At 372 degrees, OA which has not sublimed decomposes to form formic acid and carbon monoxide".


That's true, but only as far is it goes.....in a lab environment. Within a vaporizer, the OA will fully vaporize BEFORE it reaches that point.........


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

"_$10 to make a vaporizer, so why buy one for $190?_"

Because the $190 vaporizer is a known quantity that works out-of-the box with customer support and is more compact than the home made jobs.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

snl said:


> That's true, but only as far is it goes.....in a lab environment. Within a vaporizer, the OA will fully vaporize BEFORE it reaches that point.........


My Varrox came yesterday. Did you see the discount info PM?


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

Sentinel said:


> Alright so I just ordered everything to make it, my total was $22 and $12 of it was for the Oxalic Acid. I am not sure how well this will work, but have the car charger part connected with a adapter outlet to car charger (The adapter was included in the price) Personally I would prefer it plugged into an outlet then hooked up to a battery.
> 
> (This is what it will look like, but I took the idea from someone else on this thread)
> View attachment 16755


 I have the same unit as pictured, hooked it to my truck battery with gator clips and it would get really hot fast ( like one minute ) I added forty feet of number 18 wire, now it takes two and a half minutes to heat up. With the extension I only have to move the truck once to treat my whole apiary, I use a little kitchen timer to tell me when to shut it off. I'm sure a "store bought" unit would be better but as I've said before I'm cheap.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Stan if you'll change your 18 gauge wire to 10 gauge wire I'd bet you'll pick back up your lost time.


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## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

I made a lead out of a 12ga extension cord, Really sped it up.


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## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

Maybe because some people are not builders or do not have the time. I had a beekeeper friend and we bought the first one and I made the second. but, I enjoy making stuff....


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## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

Why buy a vaporizer when someone like yourself can make one for less you ask. I bought mine because I know it works and I needed something to treat for mites. My question to you is how many beekeepers do you think would vaporize if the only choice was to make their own tool. In fact if the commercial vaporizers did not exist would you have invented the idea yourself? Discovering Larry’s vaporizer ($125) has made mite treatment easy, safe, and efficient for me. I suspect most of the posters who intend to make their own don’t have to but rather want to because they enjoy doing it. It is not necessary to knock the commercial devices to promote the idea of building your own. While I am speculating, I suspect you did not intend your question to be critical but as you can see by a few other posts it struck a nerve. Good luck with your project.


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## Sentinel (Feb 2, 2015)

MichiganMike said:


> Why buy a vaporizer when someone like yourself can make one for less you ask. I bought mine because I know it works and I needed something to treat for mites. My question to you is how many beekeepers do you think would vaporize if the only choice was to make their own tool. In fact if the commercial vaporizers did not exist would you have invented the idea yourself? Discovering Larry’s vaporizer ($125) has made mite treatment easy, safe, and efficient for me. I suspect most of the posters who intend to make their own don’t have to but rather want to because they enjoy doing it. It is not necessary to knock the commercial devices to promote the idea of building your own. While I am speculating, I suspect you did not intend your question to be critical but as you can see by a few other posts it struck a nerve. Good luck with your project.


That it did, and the reason why I asked is because I don't like building things, but I am cheap and I would be happy to save $180 if it works the same so that's my question, IF it works, why not do it? I mean you could invest somewhere else or save it for later if needed.


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## Eddie Honey (May 30, 2011)

Sentinel said:


> $10 to make a vaporizer, so why buy one for $190?


Because I earned way more than the $160.00 or whatever I paid for my Varrox with the time it would have taken me to source parts and build my own homemade contraption.


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## kramerbryan (Oct 30, 2013)

Buying the Varrox like I did has already paid for its self in treating my 17 colonies. And it seems to work flawlessly. If yours works great more power to you, but the ones SNL sells do work.


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

Eddie Honey said:


> Because I earned way more than the $160.00 or whatever I paid for my Varrox with the time it would have taken me to source parts and build my own homemade contraption.


This. 

Nothing wrong with building your own gear, but . . . People who build thier own beekeeping gear either like building things or their time has little value.


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

shinbone said:


> This.
> 
> Nothing wrong with building your own gear, but . . . People who build thier own beekeeping gear either like building things or their time has little value.


I agree, for many of us are retired and beekeeping is a hobby, so the time it takes to make something is part of our recreation, I wouldn't say our time has no value, maybe no monetary value. I'm not cheap by necessity, I'm cheap by habit.


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## jcolon (Sep 12, 2014)

Will this work with a portable power source?


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