How to clean gift of old supers

tillie · July 30, 2006, 06:30:22 PM

I have a friend who hasn't kept bees in 20 years. This weekend he gave me three shallows and two medium supers, with frames. He has lots more but I only took what I needed - I can get more later if I want them.

These supers have been sitting in his barn for 20 years. They are in pretty good shape - the boxes don't need repair - some of the frames do. All of the boxes have those spacers to make a 9 frame rather than a 10 frame super.

I want to use these but want to clean them properly. Obviously the boxes need new paint - what should I do to clean the frames and interior of the boxes? Is there any type of cleaner I should use other than soap and water? Since they haven't been used in 20 years, should I worry that they carry disease - we did pull a mouse nest out of one of them.

Linda T in Atlanta

mark · July 30, 2006, 08:48:53 PM

i would scorch the insides with a torch

Brian D. Bray · July 30, 2006, 11:40:38 PM

The AFB virus can linger for decades and even longer. Char the insides with a torch until the grain of the wood starts to stand out. I've found that less and the AFB virus can still survive. Also dismantle then before charring as the lap of the wood will give any virus a hidding place to survive the torch.

tillie · July 30, 2006, 11:50:20 PM

What do you mean - a torch? What kind of torch? I'm a hammer and nails woman and can use the drill, but I'm not acquainted with a torch other than when the Olympics were in Atlanta.

Linda T

Brian D. Bray · July 31, 2006, 12:00:46 AM

The cylinders of bottled gas often used to sweat solder into copper pipes etc. Just got to the Hardware store and tell the man you need a gas torch.
Coleman's makes lanterns and stoves that use the same type of gas bottle.

tillie · July 31, 2006, 12:08:39 AM

Brian, would you use these, if you were in my shoes, or look the gift horse in the mouth and just order new ones?

Linda T

Brian D. Bray · July 31, 2006, 12:16:31 AM

I've done so several times in the past in previous beekeeping incarnations. It might be a little time consuming to disassemble and burn out the insides of the supers, but if they're free think how much it would cost to buy that many boxes.
On the matter of frames it is best to replace them as well as the wax. It's very hard to sanitize the frames without destroying them unless you boil them. The wax can carry viruses etc so it's best to discard it.
As they used to say, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth (to tell its age) unless it has a swayed back."

randydrivesabus · July 31, 2006, 08:12:14 AM

you can get a tip for the torch that is kinda fan shaped instead of the more pinpoint like standard tip used to sweat copper. the fan shaped tip is used to strip paint. when you get your torch try to get one of those long butane lighters to light your torch.
you should examine the box construction to determine if the boxes are glued or just nailed. if glued forget about taking them apart.

Brian D. Bray · July 31, 2006, 08:51:12 AM

Being old fashioned the only glue in my bee hives is propolis.

tillie · July 31, 2006, 09:17:53 AM

These are nailed together - At least it will be an adventure to learn to do this - I may not end up using them, but I'll learn about the torch! My two hives are so healthy that I'm not sure I want to be the one to introduce disease - and you think AFB will be alive even if the supers haven't been used in 20 years?

Linda T

melliphile · July 31, 2006, 11:43:03 AM

If you have alot of them, there's a method described in "The ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture". Stack them up and throw a wad of newspaper inside and douse with a little kerosene or lighter fluid, light, put a lid on and let burn for maybe 15-20 seconds or until the insides are lightly charred. knock the stack over to douse flames. The book describes it in pictures. Very simple. AFB spores can live a loooooong time. 3 decades or more. Good to be careful, but chances are, you'll be cleaning eqiupment that doesn't need it.

randydrivesabus · July 31, 2006, 03:56:04 PM

would bleach work?

Kathyp · July 31, 2006, 04:31:27 PM

Quotewould bleach work?

my question also.

tillie, those torches are fun. take a few minutes in the open to play with it so that you can control the flame, etc. before you go to torching boxes. if you have some scrap wood to play with, practice on that.

i love those things. i use them for everything from lighting the burn pile, to getting a campfire going. you'll find lots of uses for it! 8)

Brian D. Bray · August 01, 2006, 01:52:05 AM

The only treatment that has been proven to work successfully, time after time, on AFB is burning the virus. I've know many beeks that "inherited" equipment and never had a problem with it.
But back in the 60's AFB was more a common problem than it is today--today Varroa mites have superceded AFB as the number 1 destructor of hives. It was common then to practice the art of preventative maintenence by treating any used equipment as it it had been exposed to AFB.
I see no reason to change that practice as it can solve a serious problem before it has a chance to occur.

Bleach, to my knowledge, has never proven successful mainly because it had to be used in such concentration that it possed a serious threat to the user.

buzzbee · August 01, 2006, 06:48:14 AM

On the issue of the torch, your building supply places have some that are self igniting. You turn on the gas and click the trigger. they light instantly and also work great to light the smoker on a breezy day. Check the prices on refill botttles. I have found the larger propane cans used for lanterns and camp stoves cost anly a little more for much more gas and they stand up better.