# OAV with a heat gun



## noljohn (Jan 9, 2013)

Has anyone made their own using a heat gun? Just looking for something faster without spending in the thousands. I currently use 3 vaporizers at a time but its still time consuming if you have very many hives.


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## hex0rz (Jan 14, 2014)

I suppose the only person that's got your interest when it comes to this subject is me. Ive already built one and I plan on improving from the design more. I used it to treat my hives during the December brood break. When I did my transfer to the foam hives I inspected the hives they were residing in. I could see mites that had been killed off in good numbers.

I've been trying to get more testing done with it to prove tree efficacy of it but there has been something always getting in my way of doing it. In hooking this spring I can finally make it happen.

If you supply your item heat gun, this place has a device you can attach to make this work:
http://www.honey-bees-etc.co.uk/buyequipment_beemanagement.html

It's 283 dollars when you convert the currency over. That's not even including the shipping tax or import.

Now you can see why I'm making my own.

Here is a picture of mine during the first revision: http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/..._11243-1216140106b-1283385299_zps7724c2b9.jpg


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## Wimmels (Jul 16, 2012)

I made an oxalic vaporizer with copper plumping pipe and a gas burner.

If you are interested I can make some photo's.

In essence its a T junction which is capped at the ends and the middle connection has a smaller diameter pipe going into the hive.

To add new oxalic crystals for the next hive I cool the T junction and fill it via the top cap.

Total cost including gas burner 20 euro.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

hex0rz said:


> I suppose the only person that's got your interest when it comes to this subject is me. Ive already built one and I plan on improving from the design more. I used it to treat my hives during the December brood break. When I did my transfer to the foam hives I inspected the hives they were residing in. I could see mites that had been killed off in good numbers.
> 
> I've been trying to get more testing done with it to prove tree efficacy of it but there has been something always getting in my way of doing it. In hooking this spring I can finally make it happen.
> 
> ...


I just hit Blue Sky (here in the US) to get pricing on that very unit. They are the importer. They're checking for me.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Here's a very recent thread on that unit as well as a MUCH more expensive one for large commercial guys. http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...body-Using-the-vmvaporizer-to-treat-for-mites


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## toekneepea (Jul 7, 2010)

Wimmels said:


> I made an oxalic vaporizer with copper plumping pipe and a gas burner.
> 
> If you are interested I can make some photo's.
> 
> ...


Wimmels, could you provide pictures? I'm guessing a gas burner is similar to a small plumber's torch here in the U.S.

Thanks,
TP


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## Indiankentuck (Jun 12, 2014)

This is a heat gun vaporizer I recently put together using a 1 1/4" Y inline strainer. The digital readout heat gun is from Lowes.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

D Coates said:


> I just hit Blue Sky (here in the US) to get pricing on that very unit. They are the importer. They're checking for me.


I just purchased one from Propolis-etc in Quebec Canada. Emmanuel at the sales dept seems to know about them. They sell the Vapourizer and check out where best for you to get the heat gun. Certainly not cheap but if works and doesn't destroy your lungs it may well be worth it. He says you heat the OA to liquid and then do each hive for 15 seconds.


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## larryh (Jul 28, 2014)

I have a question.. How do these not torch up a bunch of bees?


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## kramerbryan (Oct 30, 2013)

Indiankentuk That is sweet. We need a video.


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## BeeNurse (Mar 23, 2014)

What keeps the OA from being blown out the end, is there a mesh screen? How long does it take to treat a hive with this setup ?


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

hex0rz said:


> I suppose the only person that's got your interest when it comes to this subject is me. Ive already built one and I plan on improving from the design more. I used it to treat my hives during the December brood break. When I did my transfer to the foam hives I inspected the hives they were residing in. I could see mites that had been killed off in good numbers.
> 
> I've been trying to get more testing done with it to prove tree efficacy of it but there has been something always getting in my way of doing it. In hooking this spring I can finally make it happen.
> 
> ...




that's an expensive in-line flow valve http://www.condorpumps.com/43-PC25-flow-meter-.jpg


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I just got this from Blue Sky. The respective heat gun is $150-$200. So overall expect to spend +/-$300-$400 for this set up. I spent more than that on Apivar in '15 and it's a whole lot faster than the Heiylser I've got. Here's a video of the LEGA unit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9SgYR3uZTE I can't understand a thing he's saying but I understand what he's doing.

Hello Drew:

We will be bringing some of the head units in with our next wave of goods to arrive in approx. 10 weeks (in time for spring applications). Right now the price for the unit is going to be approx. $179.95, maybe a little less, to use with your own heat gun purchased separately in the USA. We know it works with is the Steinel brand (because of fit), but we are looking at the less expensive Wagner or Kobalt gun units that have a digital temp readout to see if they fit as well. If you want to preorder one, you are welcome to do that.

Best,
Jamie Morehead
Blue Sky Bee Supply


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

Here's my version.









Made from 1/2 coppper tubing and some brass garden hose ends. Most of the hot air bypasses the hive. There is a 1/4 inch hole in the end of the cap and lets in enough hot air to keep the tube free of crystals on inside. The air through the tube mixes the air in the hive so OA gets pretty evenly distributed.

Basically unscrew the brass end cap and insert 2 grams of OA. Need to hold the tube close to flat(brass cap end slightly lower) so liquid OA doesn't run out the 1/4 hole.

Takes about 10 minutes to burn the OA. May be able to turn the heat up some but " I read on BS about too much heat turning OA to formic acid ??"

Placed a wetted t-shirt across the bottom entrance to keep OAV from escaping. 

OAV is nasty on the nose and lungs so a respirator should be used. You can get away with taping all seams in the hive and staying up wind but ??????????


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## Wimmels (Jul 16, 2012)

toekneepea said:


> Wimmels, could you provide pictures? I'm guessing a gas burner is similar to a small plumber's torch here in the U.S.
> 
> Thanks,
> TP


Yes its a gas burner you can use for soldering








This is a 22-15-22 T-piece for reducing a 22mm copper pipe to 15mm. The T-Piece is large enough to contain 2 grams of oxalic acid without overflowing once it melts during heating.


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## Indiankentuck (Jun 12, 2014)

BeeNurse said:


> What keeps the OA from being blown out the end, is there a mesh screen? How long does it take to treat a hive with this setup ?










The inline strainer comes with a stainless steel sleeve. I had to make a bottom disc for the sleeve out of aluminum to hold the oxalic acid.
I'm hoping for less than a minute per hive. I still need to do some trial runs.


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## GarfieldBeek (Jan 12, 2015)

I have the Lega Unit from Blue Sky. I called Blue Sky asking for clarification on temperature setting to use. They were no help. The product was new to them and they suggested I come to BeeSource.

It's pretty obvious that the temp reading on the Steinel gun doesn't relate directly to the temp in the chamber because if you set it at the correct reading for OA vaporization you get no vapor.

Some videos show starting at like 1000 degrees then reducing to operating temp after you get vapor. I've done that but I'm afraid that I'm still too hot and may be getting the wrong gasses. I have to stay up in the hight 400 degree F range to keep vaporization going.

Would love to hear from someone with experience with the Lega Unit who is getting good results in mite control.

The Italian video on the Blue Sky page would probably be helpful if you could actually read the temp setting on the gun or I could speak Italian!


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## noljohn (Jan 9, 2013)

I wanted to buy the Lega unit but at the time they were out. After doing some research on the web I made my own. It's made all out of copper fittings. It holds enough OAV to do about 8 hives at a time. I can do those 8 hives in about 2 minutes I use a heat gun and my generator to power the heat gun. Unfortunately most of my out yards I have 10 hives so I have to reload but still with setting up the gen and running the extension cord it's still only 20 mins a yard.


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## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

I made mine using a water meter housing and copper pipe but it takes forever to reach temperature.... Am thinking the design has too much metal acting as a heat sink.... Am trying to come up with a way to thermally insulate the inside of the assembly so that the heat primarily goes into the OAV vaporization chamber and not into the outer housing....


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## DirtyLittleSecret (Sep 10, 2014)

Indiankentuck said:


> View attachment 22579
> 
> The inline strainer comes with a stainless steel sleeve. I had to make a bottom disc for the sleeve out of aluminum to hold the oxalic acid.
> I'm hoping for less than a minute per hive. I still need to do some trial runs.


What's the fitting from the gun to the inline "y"?


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## Indiankentuck (Jun 12, 2014)

DirtyLittleSecret said:


> What's the fitting from the gun to the inline "y"?


It is a EMT conduit coupling with set screws.


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## stever (May 25, 2012)

indiankentuck, I love your design, curious how testing worked out. What temp does it start working at?


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