# Hive Handling Equipment...Help!



## Bee Draggle (Apr 5, 2006)

I have some physical problems that make it very difficult for me to lift a deep super full of honey. Although I don't have to do this very often it still presents a problem. After searching the internet I came up empty on hive handling equipment other than a forklift. I was thinking something along the lines of a tripod hoist fitted with a device that would grab the handholds on a super. I remember seeing such contraption in the bee magazines many years ago but nothing recently. I would appreciate anyone who can point me in the right direction. If need be I'm pretty good at building stuff in anyone has plans. Thanks


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

*Here is how I do it*


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## justgojumpit (Apr 9, 2004)

I would be thinking of something that mounts to the back of your pickup with an arm that reaches out over the side. A rope that passes through a few pulleys to multiply your strenth, and some sort of crade you could slip under the box. This could be two boards with a eye hook on each side. Slip one board under each end of the hive body. At the end of your rope, you have four shorter ropes with a snap on each one. Snap the ropes to the eye hooks, lift your super, tie the rope to something sturdy, like your hitch, and then you can even have a fifth rope to pull the super away from the line of gravity to get it out of your way while working the hive. This way you could load full deeps on honey onto and off of your truck, and you could work the hives without ever lifting the full weight of a box! Maybe not as fast as hand-lifting, but with an injury, that might not be so fast or fun either! If you want to get fancy, you can have your pulley system ride along a track so you can roll the supers from your tailgate all the way up to your cab! This might be a job for a welder, but you would have a life-long piece of equipment that would work for other things as well as the bees. A welder could even make you a set of forks so you don't have to mess with the boards and snaps.

justgojumpit


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## justgojumpit (Apr 9, 2004)

Gary, you must have posted that while i was typing. you could've saved me a lot of typing by posting it a few minutes earlier! Where did you get that lift?

justgojumpit


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## Bee Draggle (Apr 5, 2006)

I guess I should have mentioned that I can't get my pickup truck close enough to the hives to be of any use so I need something that can be set up on the ground over the hive.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

*First rule*

Never put your hive where you cant get the truck to!!


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## TodesSchatten (Feb 20, 2009)

a liter type handtruck w/ pneumatic tires

like - http://www.handtrucks.com/material-lifts/hand-crank-winch-lifts/geniegl4materiallift.cfm


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## bermybee (Nov 2, 2008)

Like Like the hand truck.:thumbsup:

I look at your question again. Misunderstood it the first time, but have you ever considered a BAR CLAMP ? I don't know if you can weld but if you put two of them at 90 degrees to each other.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Hand truck

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=491


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## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

I made several nuc boxes with covers. When I must move a deep of honey I take a couple of empty nucs. Put 5 frames of honey in each one and then replace the frames
with empty ones. You should be able to carry 5 frames of honey.


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## bermybee (Nov 2, 2008)

bermybee said:


> Like Like the hand truck.:thumbsup:
> 
> I look at your question again. Misunderstood it the first time, but have you ever considered a BAR CLAMP ? I don't know if you can weld but if you put two of them at 90 degrees to each other.


Better yet forget the 90 degree trash an just use the two clamps


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## Jorn Johanesson (Mar 30, 2005)

*hive lift*

I think he was thinking of somthing like this device from http://swienty.com/?pid=5&id=82048&ref=1033&root=1033
located in Denmark.


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## Bee Draggle (Apr 5, 2006)

Now that looks like something that would work for me. Sometimes I want to raise the top deep super which can be heavy with honey so that I can look at the frames in the bottom deep super. For example, I might want to find the queen in order to requeen in the fall. Probably all I need is a tall sturdy tripod with a chain hoist. I noticed that manufactured tripods are pretty pricey.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Here are some carts:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beescarts.htm

And here's a hive that requires no lifting:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeshorizontalhives.htm


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

Honeyman: Where di you get that at?


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

I bought the hoist at Northern Tool and Harbor Freight has one like it and I built the rest.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

can you elaborate on "I built the rest"? Remember.... I am not to smart on putting things together!


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

It sets on 2" square tubing that goes into the reciver hitch


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## bermybee (Nov 2, 2008)

Bee Draggle said:


> Now that looks like something that would work for me. Sometimes I want to raise the top deep super which can be heavy with honey so that I can look at the frames in the bottom deep super. For example, I might want to find the queen in order to requeen in the fall. Probably all I need is a tall sturdy tripod with a chain hoist. I noticed that manufactured tripods are pretty pricey.


 $880 odd dollars plus shipping is still pricey have you every considered switching to smalls or mediums?


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

honey: What did it cost you? Does it weigh a lot? Advantages that you like and disadvantages?

Is your truck 4x4?


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Truck I have now is 4x4

I dont remember how much I spent on the hoist and the rest was built outa my scrap box.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

was the truck in the pic a 4x4?


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

no :no:


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## Jer733 (Oct 5, 2008)

*Heavy Hives*

Have you thought about switching to a Top Bar type hive? 

If these are backyard type hive(s) they work great, not so much for moving around though.


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## rkwool01 (Dec 15, 2008)

HONEYMAN46408:

Would it be possible to get a larger picture or two of the lift on the back of the truck? Unable to see how the cable is attaches to hives and how the lift is attached to the track. Does the hive have to swing over the side of the truck to load?


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

*this has more detail on how its built*


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

I use a rachet strap around the hive and hook the hook in the strap, it is a 1000 pound rated strap and make sure its tight


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## BEEMAN0852 (Sep 6, 2008)

honeyman46408

I just read your post on the lift to load hives. I noticed in your picture that you have a trailer hitch loaded list system. Can you advise where you purchased the lift and any information that you may be able to supply on it purchase. Does it work well when loading hives in a truck bed? Appreciate any info you may be able to give me on the lift. BEEMAN


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

I think I got the lift from "Northern Tool" "Harbor Freight" has lifts like this.

I made the atchment for the lift from 2" square tubing I had.

I use it to load hives when the need arives but I dont use it a lot, lift the hive and swing it around to the truck

When I went to pick up 2 hives (doubble deeps) a few years back I knew real quick I needed help so this is what I came up with.:doh:


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

*View with hives*


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## BEEMAN0852 (Sep 6, 2008)

Thanks honeyman46408. I need to get something like that to help load hives and other items into my pickup when needed. I looked at one that was hidden in the rear bumper but it is kind of costly. I will check harbor freight and northern tools for the lift and get someone to weld the 2" tubing for me. I am only 57 but my back is not what it used to be. I appreciate you fast reply to my request.
BEEMAN


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

HM, real nice set up.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Here are some other ideas on what to use for lifting hives. I could not find the "Trailer Hitch Portable Engine Hoist". But if some could put the pieces together and I can have them welded at the local shop I think that would be a cool thing to have as an addition to my tools. Please post the steps you used to make the THPEH.

http://www.easyrack.org/hitch-lifts-a-321.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47591
http://cgi.ebay.com/1000-LB-PICKUP-...temQQimsxZ20090522?IMSfp=TL090522154008r32421
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6981834.html


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## rkwool01 (Dec 15, 2008)

*Hive Handling Equipment*

Honeyman46408, Eastsidebuzz, and all:

Thanks for the enlarged pictures of the trailer hitch receiver lift and other lift info. I had already purchased a lift similar to the one in the pictures from Harbor Freight for about $100 on sale awhile back, but was undecided how to mount it. I like the receiver hitch idea and the low cost compared to other rigs. The lift is just right for small pick ups and drop offs as a hobbyist beekeeper. Will have to test out how many supers on the hive the lift can handle and still swing into the truck bed. The only disadvantage of this rig I can think of is it would not work well with trucks with a topper.

RKWOOL01


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

rkwool01 said:


> The only disadvantage of this rig I can think of is it would not work well with trucks with a topper.
> 
> RKWOOL01


I know you already bought something but, with a topper on the 500 Lb. Capacity 12V Winch Powered Hitch Lift would be the best choice. You can slide it off the lift into the truck and slide it around. The winch system would not work so well.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47591


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Hi bermybee, yes bar clamps or pipe clamps are my choice for lifting hive boxes with populations. Maybe you look at Photobucket.com under Habedere for more ideas. Take care and have fun


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