# Newbee Shopping List



## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

If you are going to order in the spring, the list isn't bad.

If you are going to order now, for use next year, I would do something more like this.

4 medium wooden boxes (2 brood, each hive)
40 medium frames
40 medium 4.9 foundations
2 Screened bottom board (for ventilation and mite help)
2 Inner cover
2 Telescoping cover
Smoker ( a cheap one is good )
Bee suit ( I am looking at the really nice ones but will probably get a reasonable one to start)
Gloves
Hive Tool
Bee Brush

Cheap smokers do the job well.
A bee jacket and hood combo will be cheaper and sufficient.

Then I would order the remaining boxes and foundation when the bees are installed in the two hives.

Finally, I would order the honey harvesting equip. when the supers are nearing full.

I like fresh wax, not old and dry.


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## kmartin (Apr 15, 2007)

No expert here, so take this with a grain of salt. I'd take ID's advice. My comment;

Build what you can, saves freight. Boxes are easy.

You didn't list feeders. Hive top seem to work well and are easy to build.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would not buy deeps just to hide jars for feeding. Two empty mediums will work just as well. If you buy the plastic round quart jars from Walter T. Kelly they will fit in one medium.


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## NeilV (Nov 18, 2006)

*My thoughts*

I started out this year. Based on my experience:

1. If you need 10 boxes, your having an exceptionally fantastic start. I would get 3 or 4 per hive to start and order more if things go great.

2. As somebody mentioned, you need feeders. I have used division board feeders from Brushy Mtn and liked them. Others I know use cans/jar type feeders inside the hive with success. I would not use boardman feeders unless they are totally inside the hive.

3. I have some really gentle bees, but I do not have a bee suit and don't seem to need one. The beekeepers I know and I just wear long pants and put a heavy dress shirt on over clothes, with or without gloves based on personal preference. I have not gotten not gotten a single sting this year (once again, my bees are really gentle).

4. I would think about holding off on purchasing equipment to harvest honey. Keep an eye out for a used extractor. You may not have anything to extract until '09, if you do not make honey next year. 

5. I still don't know what you're supposed to do with a bee brush. Whatever it is, I understand you could probably do it with a big turkey or goose feather. 

6. Get "deluxe" screened bottom boards that have a slot where you can insert a board for doing mite counts. 

Just my beginner points of view, FWIW.

ndvan


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## NeilV (Nov 18, 2006)

*and . . . .*

I bought but do not really use inner covers, so you may decide to skip that part of the purchase. You can get ventilation by putting a stick or something under the outer cover that creates a small crack between the top box and outer cover.


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

*Easy feeder*



Michael Bush said:


> I would not buy deeps just to hide jars for feeding. Two empty mediums will work just as well. If you buy the plastic round quart jars from Walter T. Kelly they will fit in one medium.


< You didn't list feeders. Hive top seem to work well and are easy to build.>

I just put an empty medium super on top and fill a gallon ziploc bag 3/4 full with sugar syrup and lay on top of the inner cover. Carefully make two slits in the upper side to expose the syrup. Cheap and easy; just be careful when you first put it in there that it doesn't leak out. 
This method has always worked well for me.


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## Troutsqueezer (May 17, 2005)

Sometimes people also buy bees to go into the hives. 

I'd nix the bee brush. I bought one, used it once and noticed the bees hated it so to get them off the frame I just shake'em, smoke'em or blow'em, depending on what I want to do with the frame.


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## Hill's Hivery (Jan 7, 2005)

The list looks good, but I would also make a few minor adjustments from my experiance. (Love to throw in my 2 cents worth too!)

Drop the inner cover and go with migratory covers. It will cut your cost a little per hive. I would also add a hive top feeder. (my preference) Of course I build all of my boxes and feeders from plans on here. If you have any woodworking skills at all, they are rather simple. Besides, you have all winter to get them done 

I agree with waiting until late next year to early '09 for harvest equipment. You never know when a good deal will pop up.


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## Legion© (Sep 7, 2007)

A bee brush is handy for getting the last few bees off a frame when used correctly, the mistake I (and many others no doubt) made when first using one was to try and be gentle, which just results in rolling the bees and making them agro, a quick flick gets them off well.

I would suggest going with a stainless smoker rather than a galvanised one, as the galv ones tend to rust out pretty quick.

Plastic frame feeders are not a bad way to go, and saves having to put an extra box on top, just replace an outside frame in the top box with the feeder full of syrup and you're good to go. A couple of sticks in there at angles gives the bees something to hold onto, and saves possible drownings.


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## BigDaddyDS (Aug 28, 2007)

*Two-cents*

I'm in on this discussion...

I agree with several people here on several things:

* Boardman feeders (the ones you jam into the entrances) are worse than useless; they can start robbing. Avoid them.

* Don't bother with the bee brush. It's something that you'll carry with you in the bee yard a few times, but you'll wind up using the knife-edge of your hand/glove if you've got to wipe bees off the frames.

* If you're standardizing with medium supers all around for both honey and brood, don't bother with buying deep supers used only to hide your feeding buckets. Use two mediums stacked, instead.

* Hive top feeders are good, as are bucket feeders. Both should prevent robbing situations and should be easy to check/fill/replace as needed. (I use both.)

* Invest in a good stainless steel smoker. A 4x7 smoker will burn for 40 minutes, after you've gotten some practice with it. Those wire shields are kind of useless, IMO. Instead, save the money and purchase a galvanized steel pail to set your hot smoker in and to keep it from falling over in your truck. You'll find other uses for the bucket in the long run, too.

* A bee jacket with separate pants are cooler than a one-piece bee suit, and provides adequate protection, most times. And, it's cheaper.

* A deluxe screened bottom board is worth the extra money. It'll feature an "insert panel" that'll help you to count mites or close off the screen for thymol and formic acid fumigations.

* I'm not sure if you've thought about it, but spring would be the time to add a queen excluder, if it fits into your plans. (I use metal ones with no problems.)

* On a personal note, I thought I'd save a couple bucks and get Dadant's el-cheapo "Lighter Weight Vented Leather Gloves". Well, I'm glad I didn't. The $15.95 heavier weight "Ventilated Leather Gloves" are WELL worth the higher price. (Side by side, the build quality is MUCH higher on the more expensive gloves, and it was clear to me that they'll last years longer than the cheap ones!)

* Used extracting equipment will turn up. Be patient.

* I'd hold off on the bee escape board and jars, for the time being, too.

* White, food-grade plastic buckets (honey buckets) can be purchased (or acquired) locally from bakeries and restaurants MUCH cheaper than you can get them from any bee equipment supplier. (Stay away from pickle buckets, though. Blech!)

* Personally, again, I'm sticking with the inner cover and telescoping cover arrangement, rather than a migratory lid. I feel that the insulating qualities of the dual covers offset the meager savings. If I do pollenation next year, I'll use migratory lids to transport, but the dual lid system at home.

* And lastly, I think it's a good idea to have extra woodenware on hand at all times. If you have a hive that swarms and you're able to catch it, or need to make a split, or someone calls you to see if you want a swarm, or someone gives you a killer price on a package of bees, etc., you can't wait the two days for Mann Lake or someone to overnight you necessary equipment! You need to have them ON HAND, just for emergencies! 

Just my thoughts.
BDDS


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## Aisha (May 2, 2007)

Things I wish I had bought when I started this year include: 

* a frame rack/holder for inspections - (I currently use a 3' x 4' white peg board with insertable metal tool holders to hold the frames, if you know what I mean, but I have to haul it out and put it away every time I use it)

* a good frame grip with flat grippers (I got the pointy-tip grippers and it's useless). I use my hands now but I think a frame grip would be really useful

I use my bee brush for powder sugar treatments to brush it off the topbars. 

Good luck! I love it.


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## Troutsqueezer (May 17, 2005)

On the hive tool, its worth the couple extra bucks to get the one that has a hook on one end to pry up the frames. If you get that then you don't need the frame grippers IMO.


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

You know, I have to say that I really like the one piece plastic hive top feeders, either for the 10 frame boxes or the 5 frame NUC boxes. I would put those on my list and order them to feed your bees. All you do is pop the top cover and fill without disturbing the honeybees and put the cover back on.

Also, I disagree with a post from above: "* Invest in a good stainless steel smoker....Those wire shields are kind of useless..." I have burned myself many times with unshielded smokers and one with a wire shield will save you from burns, if you are like me. I agree with the galvanized bucked to put the smoker in when it's still hot and plugged after use.


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## mac (May 1, 2005)

If ya live in an area that has Small hive beetles I would purchase a West SHB trap. I lost my first hive to SHB here in Fl. It has been said that a strong hive will be able to control them but if ya buy packages they will not be a strong hive for a while. I use a brush all the time. If your swapping brood frames around, for me it’s a simple tool to get the last bees of the frames. When I extract I check all the frames and use the brush to get the last stragglers before bringing them in the house. So it goes. ;-)


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## Hampton (Apr 24, 2007)

Sorry to jump into the thread but I have to ask.

Talking about top feeders..

Some of the top feeders have the enterence on one end, and some in the middle. Both have the enterence going across the hive side to side. (see the Beesource plan). Would it be better to have the enterence in the middle and running from front to back. Does it make a difference?

I'm planning on building top feeders. I figured I should make any changes to the plans now before I start cutting wood.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Would it be better to have the enterence in the middle and running from front to back. Does it make a difference?

Top feeder issues:

If you use a top entrance (and I do) it's advantageous to have the entrance to the syrup at the back where it can be better protected.

In cold weather its advantageous to have it running crossways of the top bars so that the entrance to the syrup is more likely to be in contact with the cluster. They will often use it in cool weather if they don't have to go too far from the cluster to get there. The disadvantages of this are that you have to fill two sides (and one could run out) and you have to put more wood into it to build it.

I see no advantage to the ones that run the length with the bars except the slightly more likely occurrence of having the cluster in contact with the entrance, but if that's your motivation the one right angles to the top bar is more likely to help. But the work ok.

An entrance at both ends is also more likely to be in contact with the cluster than only one end, but less likely than with it in the middle.

A deeper top feeder holds more syrup. In warm weather it works fine. The colder the weather the less distance the bees will travel from the cluster to the syrup. The shallow ones I have they will get into on a cool day. The deep ones they won't. Also less volume of syrup warms up more on a warm day than a larger volume of syrup. Bees won't take syrup that is less than 50 F. Also the syrup in a deep one is more likely to get wasted or to spoil as it will be there longer.

My preference would be either the back (for my top entrances) or the middle crossways of the top bars and about 3" deep.

But if you outyards are an hour's drive away and you feed early when it's warm, you might prefer a really deep one that holds a lot more syrup.


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## lizzybob (Aug 28, 2007)

Dee Bee said:


> Sometimes people also buy bees to go into the hives.


I was going to lurk for a few months more before posting, but that was just too funny not to respond to!


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## Hampton (Apr 24, 2007)

MB,

Thanks for answering my question. Makes sence to keep the feeder enterence in the center of the hive. I plan on using the Beesource feeder plan as a top feeder. I enjoy wood working and making a feeder will be right up my alley.


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## newbee 101 (May 26, 2004)

*Save trees and shipping costs..*

I would forget the triangular bee escape boards and go with the $2 plastic bee escapes that go into the inner cover slot. They work much better, and the shipping cost is almost nothing.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I would forget the triangular bee escape boards and go with the $2 plastic bee escapes that go into the inner cover slot. They work much better, and the shipping cost is almost nothing.

I never had any luck with the Porter escapes. I even built an inner cover with about four holes for them and that was an improvement, but not enough for me to keep using them. Perhaps, as Jim Fischer keeps saying, it's a matter of adjusting them perfectly, but I always seem to get a drone stuck in them and then they don't work at all and if they don't get clogged up they still take too long to clear the supers.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Buy the BIG smoker


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## Gene O (Feb 19, 2006)

I to use the gal ziplock bags and i take a wire hanger and the bend that the sholder hangs on cut maybe 4in. back and put a hook on each end opsite direction and reuse the baggs put the wire in and go cross wise and it wil hold the slit open and you can refill the bag. cutting cost reuse lots a times. my 2 cents worth.


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## rantcliff (Sep 16, 2007)

*huh?*

Could you perhaps show us a picture of that zipper bag/wire hanger feeder? I can't picture it.


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## BenC (Mar 18, 2007)

get two hive tools, you will lose one. I like smokers with wire shields, it's quicker to hold the smoker between knees than bend and put it down or locate a stable platform for it. No shield= ouch! Don't bother with the beebrush, one more encumberance to carry around. Do you have a table saw or woodworking experience? If so, consider making at least the boxes yourself. Wait until the season pans out before investing in harvesting equipment, you've got plenty of time for that.


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## JC (Jun 3, 2006)

rantcliff said:


> OK, so I've read and I've talked and I think I am ready to buy. I thought I'd put my list here and get some feedback. I am a newbee, this will be my first purchases.
> 
> I have decided to go with two hives made up of all 10 frame mediums with 4.9 mm foundations. (I decided to go with 10s because I worried about the hives getting too high with 8s if I need 4 mediums to hold the brood and then a couple of honey supers on top of that). I am concerned about using 4.9 for my supers as I will have more volume of wax, but I'll figure that out later.
> 
> ...



This is where I buy my beekeeping equipment:

Telescoping outer cover – Brushy Mountain

Inner Cover – Rossman

Hive bodies – Prefer cypress wood from Rossman; however, I bought hive bodies (white pine) with box (finger) joints from Brushy Mountain last Christmas when they had free shipping.

Frames – Walter T. Kelley

Screen bottom boards – Walter T. Kelley

Plastic foundation – Black “Rite Cell” from Mann Lake

Wax foundation – Walter Kelley

Pollen patties – “Bee Pro” from Mann Lake

Bee Jacket - #1 choice - "pollinator jacket" from Mann Lake ($106) or #2 choice - jacket from Kelley ($92.50)


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## rantcliff (Sep 16, 2007)

*My first purchase*

OK, so now I have shelled out some money - I'm committed (or I should be.

From Dadant I ordered:
Hooded Jacket (V01200)
4x7 Shielded Smoker (M00927)
Hooked Hive Tool (M00856)

I have been invited to look over the shoulder of some others, so I needed to get some protection so I don't have to borrow theirs.

Here we go!

Rich


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

Rich, Congrats! Now the journey really begins


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## rantcliff (Sep 16, 2007)

*Wow - Fast shipping*

I placed my first order by phone with Dadant in Lynchburg on Tuesday evening and received my order Thursday afternoon - that's quick.

The BeeJacket looks and fits great - I am looking forward to trying it out!

Rich
Antcliff Farms


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## yoyo (Jun 13, 2007)

*and more thoughts...*

If your are going to try and catch swarms you will need the brush, otherwise I don't see a need for it most of the time. You will also need a spare hive body and some empty frames to tie comb into. I always try to stay ahead of what you need which (like in the springtime) can be very hard to do for a beginner like you and I , with no equipment. I was surprised how quickly I was told about swarms after the word got out I had started keeping bees and I had nothing to put them in. An empty deep is also nice to have when doing inspections because you can place frames in it keeping them in order and off the ground. A couple of cement blocks to set your hives on or some other structure is needed per hive. I had to make special trip to store for those. I also would skip the honey equipment for now as that is a big expense and maynot be needed the first year. Spend a little more on some spare woodenware. Start learning about the different medications and tell-tell signs of deseases NOW and be ready for those Mites! Get some apilife-var (no pesticide license requirment) and be ready when the time comes. Screenwire #8 is hard to find locally, and 10' is nice to have around. Order some of that. I was caught off guard by these "extras" that I thought were not needed to start with, but when you need it, you need it now. Oh, and a chair so you can sit and watch your bees, while you rest


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