# what does my Dad want for Christmas?



## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

Hi!

I spend most of my time in the goat forum, because back when I got interested in bees, my dad got interested in bees, and I decided I would do the cheese and he could do the honey.

So, Dad has several hives (I'm sure you know I can't give you an exact, accurate count in November, but more than 10 if nothing bad has happened)

smoker, clothing, hive tools, extractor, capping knife, funnels, jars, lids, a bad back, and not so great eyesight (he can't see eggs).

Last year he bottled for the farmer's market for the first time and sold out in three days.

the year before he tried to melt wax on an open burner hot plate and nearly set the barn on fire. He decided to put off wax for a while. on the theory that he could produce good quantities of wax or honey, but not both.

I'm hoping you guys have some suggestions for the next toy or tool he needs, because he's very hard to shop for.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

solar wax heater (or oven, am not sure what its called)
Can i adopt you???
solar wax melter.
i'd be a real good mom


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## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

thank you for the kind offer, but I already have a really good mom. Maybe you would like to adopt my husband?

I googled solar wax melters and mostly found plans. As my family refers to the home I built for my chickens as "the frankencoop" plans are probably out for me. I did find a few for sale - mostly wood, but one all metal with no pricing, and they have glass or plexiglass. Does anyone have any thoughts on those? I would lean toward plexiglass as I can see him setting it aside out of use and then dropping a super on it one afternoon. but maybe the plexiglass doesn't work as well?


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

do a search for dadant, they have a couple in their catalog. or try mann lake"s catalog. one is 187.50 and the other is 59.95. cant find my mann lake cat though.

is your husband as nice to parents as you are??


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## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

well, my husband goes to some place like best buy and buys the trendy gift of the year based on age, gender and "appropriate amount of money to spend to indicate filial devotion". but if you were the kind of mil who brought me honey instead of articles clipped from your favorite magazines on how to raise my children and clean my house, I might put you on my list.

Then if it was a good year and I got lots of sub jobs you might get a wax melter. But if it was a rough year you might get handknit socks. (my knitting skills are way better than my construction skills though.)

Is it just quiet in here, or is everybody in agreement that a wax melter is the ultimate Christmas gift for a bee guy who has all the other stuff I listed?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

To safely melt wax on a hot plate you need a double boiler. If you cut cappings off to extract that is really good wax to sell for a high price (I get over $5.00 a pound and shipping cost.) to those who are in need of wax for lip baulms and other cosmitic uses. 
I made my own double boiler out of used kettles I found at the Good will store. I found the one I wanted for a base then looked of one nearly as big that fit inside it. I can melt 10 pounds of wax at a time it it.

My solar melter is home made and uses plexaglas rated for green house use. I had a different type at first but it broke down in the sun and finally broke4 up in a zillion chunks.

 Al


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i knew Al would have some good ideas.


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## FrankRichards (Dec 9, 2004)

I'm not big on the solar wax melter, because I have wax in September after I harvest honey, and sun, September, and New Hampshire are not words that go together.

I picked up a slow cooker at Salvation Army. I put some water in it, then wrap the cappings and scrapings in cheesecloth and drop them in. When everything is melted, I pull out the cheesecloth with the crud in it, turn off the cooker and let the wax harden on top of the water. The stuff in the cheesecloth is great for lighting the woodstove.


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## FrankRichards (Dec 9, 2004)

No actual idea on what to get your dad. But as another geezer that can no longer see eggs, something that would let him see eggs would be priceless.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

*Our Clip & Flip Magnifiers are handy for sewing, reading, writing, workshop time, and any other close-up activity for which you want to be hands free. Convenient flip-up option when not in use. Comes with carrying case. +2.00 diopter. *

http://www.firststreetonline.com/Home+Solutions/Magnification/Clip+amp+Flip+Magnifier.axd?sc=86678

 Al


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## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

so Al, do those really work?

another question - anybody know if eggs fluoresc? Like if I could find a blacklight flashlight or something?


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

rootsandwings said:


> so Al, do those really work?
> 
> another question - anybody know if eggs fluoresc? Like if I could find a blacklight flashlight or something?


I have read, but haven't tried, that using an LED flashlight makes eggs more visible.

As for gift ideas, there are two "classic" books that every beekeeper should own: 
_ABC & XYZ of Bee Culture_ and _The Hive and the Honeybee_. Each is over 1000 pages, and is basically an encyclopedia of beekeeping.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

A friend who is also a fly tier uses a simular set up when he inspects his hives and tieng flies.


I agree with the book suggestion. I have a 1975 edition of the ABC XYZ of bee keeping I bought at Book finder dot com (used books at good prices.). The hive and honey bee edited by Goute was given to me and we bought a new copy edited by Roger Hoopingarner at a bee meeting. I tend to use the ABC XYZ more though.


 Al


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## ChristopherReed (Jan 21, 2011)

a subscription to American bee journal, or bee culture. Some wonderful old beekeeping books can be found on ebay and albis. Kelleys has some promotional stuff, i.e. license plates, etc.. A pollen trap (can make some more money  ) , Or some High X reading glasses for finding those eggs!


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## johng (Feb 14, 2009)

Depends on how much you want to spend. I like your dad I have most of the stuff I need to keep between 10-25 hives. Things I would like to have now would be a nice stainless botteing tank, a Maxant uncapping tank, a uncapping plane, ofcourse you can never have enough hive equipment (hive bodies, frames, tops and bottoms) depending on what kind of extractor he has maybe a new one of those. Maybe some Nuc boxes. Is he interested in raising any queens? Maybe one of the graftless queen raising kits. 

Maybe I should forward this list to my wife. LOL


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## Le Petit Norman (Apr 28, 2008)

johng said:


> Maybe I should forward this list to my wife. LOL



What you did not left this web page open on the computer to make sure she'll see it next time she pass by ?


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## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

ok,
He is getting a queen kit and a book - because he likes to learn new things and I know he has been having trouble and wants to requeen at least two hives. You guys are great!

thank you for the help. Shall I e-mail some wives? 

(not that it would work, I told my dh about the great idea I had to come here and ask you guys and have seen no sign of him frequenting goat or fiber discussions...sigh)


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## bracketeer (Dec 3, 2011)

rootsandwings said:


> another question - anybody know if eggs fluoresc? Like if I could find a blacklight flashlight or something?


Hi all, 
I have read this forum for a while but this question finally got me to register.

I tried this yesterday, in my observation hive the eggs do very slightly fluoresce under a uv flashlight. However they are much more visible with a regular bright led flashlight.

On a side note the bees were very interested in the uv light, several times the number of bees clustered under the glass than the regular led light. I donât know if I would like to use a uv light on an open hive for this reason.

Anyhow thanks for the great question, and Iâm glad you found some good gift ideas for your dad.


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