to paint or not to paint

reinbeau · August 18, 2007, 07:40:20 AM

:shock: :shock: :shock: Zoot, thank goodness you weren't hurt - or killed! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Michael Bush · August 18, 2007, 10:57:38 AM

>I attempted M. Bush's technique of dipping box components in hot parafin.

Not only did I not invent this technique, I use beeswax.

>pay CLOSE attention to the temperature of the wax

"You can't leave this unattended or unmonitored (you need a thermometer) as the fire hazard is huge if you do. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. I use a timer so I don't lose track of time. This isn't like burning your beans. If this catches you have a couple hundred pounds of hydrocarbons for fuel!" --Michael Bush

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesdipping.htm

You are lucky you didn't burn the house down and yourself with it. I'm glad you survived.

Zoot · August 18, 2007, 11:56:25 AM

I could have sworn you had mentioned parafin somewhere. Actually I could have contained the damage to my burning teeshirt and burned hands but in my panic I attempted to kick the pan I had made away and merely succeeded in creating a wave of napalm-like flame (you had to see it to belive it!!!!) over everything. Total insanity.... Yes, I will use beeswax next time. And definitely not an open flame heat source.

Did you dip/coat any of you stuff this year?

Michael Bush · August 18, 2007, 04:04:36 PM

>Did you dip/coat any of you stuff this year?

300 new boxes, about 200 old boxes. 60 new lids and 40 old lids. 40 old bottom boards and 160 new bottom boards and a few other odds and ends.

The beeswax will be just as flammable. The main thing is to be careful, have a fire extinghisher handy and keep a candy/fryer thermometer in the wax and make sure it doesn't get too hot. My biggest problem, if I kept boxes in it all the time, was boiling over. If you don't keep boxes simmering the temperatures can go up very quickly. The simmering boxes keep boiling off water which keeps the oil cooler. If you leave boxes in it and the temperature gets high enough then it boils over (like soup expect the wax is flammable and soup usually isn't).

Cindi · August 19, 2007, 12:58:20 PM

Micahel, wow, you must have some huge dipping operation going on over at your place!!! Eeks, can I bring my boxes over to your place? :-D Good for you, it must be an enormous undertaking. Done yearly? Curiosity never got this cat. Have the best of this wonderful day, gotta donn my gumboots and go let the chickens out of their house, rainin' like cats and dogs. Cindi

Michael Bush · August 19, 2007, 10:18:29 PM

>Done yearly?

No. I just got the tank this spring. None of the old stuff had been dipped. About half was painted and half not. I don't intend to ever dip them again. It should be fairly permanent. I only decided to dip since I was buying so much new equipment and I wanted to protect my investment.

Cindi · August 20, 2007, 02:17:59 AM

Michael, I am such a curious person. Define the size of your tank. I picture something that is about 4 feet deep, by about the same perimeter. Tell us about it, I am not the only one curious. Have this wonderful day, beautiful day. Cindi

Michael Bush · August 20, 2007, 07:53:11 AM

Here are pictures of it:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesdipping.htm

I'd guess that it's 18 inches deep, 22 inches long and about 17 inches wide. That's off the top of my head, but give or take an inch that's what it is. If I were building another I would probably do it slightly different. I'd like it to be about 24 inches deep. That would let me do three mediums and one on end and have all four under the wax.

Cindi · August 20, 2007, 12:36:02 PM

Michael. Nice. I still can't get over your work you have done on the website. Yeah!!!! Good for you. Enjoy this beautiful day, beautiful life. Cindi

UtahBees · August 21, 2007, 08:36:00 PM

Michael -

Great information. I would like to find a big tank to dip my equipment some day. The little that I have.

A suggestion - even with all of the information you have for free reading on your website, I'd still buy a bee book written by you, if you happen to ever write one.

Regards,

UtahBees

Michael Bush · August 21, 2007, 10:20:08 PM

>I'd still buy a bee book written by you, if you happen to ever write one.

Maybe if I gave up beekeeping for a year, I'd have time to write it... or gave up work...

Zoot · August 22, 2007, 12:58:21 AM

regarding a tank for melting beeswax (not parafin): I made my own out of copper. It's just a bit bigger in width and length than the longest side of a hive box and is about 6 inches deep. My intention is to dip/soak one panel at a time using a simple wire lifting device.