In case you're interested.
New Web Content:
Box Jig
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesboxjig.htm
Wax Dipping:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesdipping.htm
Clip to hold lids on without bricks:
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/Clip.jpg
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm
Quote from: Michael Bush on March 25, 2007, 06:21:39 PM
In case you're interested.
New Web Content:
Box Jig
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesboxjig.htm
Wax Dipping:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesdipping.htm
Clip to hold lids on without bricks:
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/Clip.jpg
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm
Nice job on the jig.
When you are done dipping the wax:
Do you slowly pull out for an even cover?
How long do you let them cool down?
Sincerely,
Brendhan
>Do you slowly pull out for an even cover?
I just pull them out. The wood is steaming, the wax is very liquid. It just runs off and as the wood cools it sucks it into the wood.
>How long do you let them cool down?
Forever. :) I stack them up zig zagged so they don't get glued too well and I can pry them apart. The next day I restack them.
hey Michael,
nice waxing procedure :-D
one question-could it be possible to wax hives with your recipe, but brushing them with this (heated) stuff instead of dipping them?
regards
>one question-could it be possible to wax hives with your recipe, but brushing them with this (heated) stuff instead of dipping them?
Not really. I'm cooking them. The boxes are over the boiling point of water and well over the melting point of the wax. It sucks the wax into the wood when you take it out of the hot wax. If you brush it on, you have a cold box and hot wax which will congeal on the outside of the wood and not get sucked up into the wood.
I have heard of people mixing boiled linseed oil and beeswax and painting that on.
actually, I was thinking more about using paraffin oil (or another kind of oil) instead of beeswax, mixed and heated with gum rosin or even crude pine resin, and painting that stuff on the hives
someday i will give it a try.....
Hi there MB,
I really like the look of those hives, thanks for sharing the wax dipping info with us. what wood are you using?
In Australia wax dipping is quite common, I don't know how common it is in the U.S. Here we apply paint while the boxes are still hot so they pull the paint in too. I might try wax dipping bottoms and covers if I expand before I try boxes.
I few question for you. When you dip them do you notice any movement in the wood? Also, I didn't notice you gluing the joints in your pics, but do you? My concern here comes with the effect of the temperature and the wax on the stability of the glued joint.
One last thing, what plan do you use for your SBBs?
Thanks.
Bye for now, James.
>actually, I was thinking more about using paraffin oil (or another kind of oil) instead of beeswax
I even bought the paraffin, but didn't have the heart to use it. I used the beeswax instead, with gum rosin.
>I few question for you. When you dip them do you notice any movement in the wood?
No.
> Also, I didn't notice you gluing the joints in your pics, but do you?
I glued the shims on the tops before I dipped them and they held up fine. It was exterior wood glue. I did not glue the boxes.
>what plan do you use for your SBBs?
I bought them from Brushy Mt. Then I cut the landing board off (I cut them to the length of the hive) and used the scrap to make the entrance block which I nailed in to get rid of the bottom entrance. Some of them I had to redo the nylon string that holds up the tray, because of cutting the front off.