dem heavy hives

[Dane Bramage]

First, some thread background music to go with ~> Them Heavy People - Kate Bush

I needed to move a load of hives from clip pallets to SBBs & all over the apiary here as well.  No other way to do it except by hand.  A couple dozen nectar locked double deeps and three flights/terraces of stairs later - Currahee!!! and I'm experiencing some brand new sensations... why, yes - it's excruciating pain of the "I think I found a new form of carpal tunnel syndrome" sort.  I guess 120lbs held by finger tips in floppy goat-skin gloves was too much for the connecting tendon in my left (weak) arm.  Oh my, was it ever tweaked (still not quite right either).  I couldn't even move - of course it hurt to keep it still too.   :roll:  Anyways - it quickly occurred to me that splitting and moving them by 1/2's would be necessary (I didn't actually move very many full hives unsplit) but that pain/strain persisted.  Single deeps are darn heavy when full of nectar too (guessing ~ 60lbs).

So, being as no one else was going to move these things for me - I had to figure out something.  Here's what I came up with, lifting hooks:
   

The hives are still heavy  :-P but getting all that weight off the finger tips really saved my tendons.

Anyone else have good tips for heavy hive lifting?

Cheers,
Dane

[poka-bee]

That's why I got 8frm meds....being old & feeble!  What a great idea you had though, I'm gonna remember that when I have to move something heavy, spreading the weight straight to the whole arm instead twising of hands/wrists.  I'm sorry to say that you will be finding more aches/pains that last longer as you get older until you wake up in the morning wondering who beat & ran over you in your sleep!!!! :evil:  Jody

[DayValleyDahlias]

Dane,

You look like a new kind of super hero!  Hookwrist the Magnifiscent ~*~

[randydrivesabus]

maybe you can get Kate to help you. if you didn't have to go up steps a wheelbarrow would help.
I wonder if you have started a new trend here....music to go with the post.

[annette]

Dane

I never heard this song before. Guess I am not on top of things, but it was adorable and she is adorable too.

I do not have any suggestions on how to help you with the moving. Only hope you did not hurt yourself with this moving.

Annette

[HAB]

Kinda look like the gloves they used to use to pull corn by hand in the fields.  Except yours has a hook and they had a blade. :)

[Kathyp]

drugs!  :-D

[Dane Bramage]

Thanks for the replies all!  :)

Jody ~> it truly helped.  I'm unsure the name of the tendon injured - it runs from the forearm over the bottom-inner elbow and to the lower bicep - but I could feel the strain more than just in the wrist, pain extending all the way to my middle two digits.  There was just too much torque... hopefully my 40 years aren't a factor.  :-\   & thanks for the cheery outlook!  hahaha I do know that waking feeling! 

Sharon ~> thanks.  All I need is some sort of propolis encrusted cape eh?  :mrgreen:

randydrivesabus ~> ha, forget the bloody hives - I'd get Kate in the studio to put vocal tracks to my songs!  8-)  I use a hand-truck on the flats when & where I can.  I can't even imagine how perturbed the bees would be if I bounced them down the stairs on that thing tho!  :shock: 

Hi Annette ~> that song was released in 1978.  You might like some of her other songs as well.   :-D  Thanks for the kind wishes.  I really did hurt myself, but I'm healing.   "That which doesn't kill us..." eh?

AHB ~> I haven't seen those corn pulling gloves, but makes good sense to me.  That's some work I imagine!

Kathy ~> heh, are those the cause or solution (to all life's problems)?!  ;)

Time for sleep... I hope it's only a prius and not a semi that runs me over tonight.  :-D

Cheers,
Dane

[DaveKow]

Dane, if you don't mind could you explain how you made your hooks or where you got them?  Someday I may need the same.

Thanks,
Dave

[Dane Bramage]

Sure thing Dave - these are made for weightlifting (which is how I knew of them) and available from several outlets.

[Barbara]

At least if it's a Prius you'll get good gas mileage.  Ours gets 51 miles to the gallon :)

[HAB]

Thanks for the link to the weight lifting hooks.  Ordered a pair for the whole gang.  They were both saying, just yesterday how hard those hive finger grips were on their hands. :) :)
Learning everyday. :)

[Michael Bush]

Eight frame mediums.

Some people add cleats so they can get a grip.

[KONASDAD]

I had same  experience when moving only two hives. Double deeps and wow. Heavy. Loaded w/ early season honey and I added two supers as soon as I got them where i needed them. Two people make it easy. I too am looking for a method to move big overwintered hives