Best (bee related) purchase...tool...method..approach in the last 10 years

[max2]

There are gadgets which are sitting on the top of my shelve i never use ( frame grip!!) and others which have made beekeeping much easier and much more enjoyable.
here are some to get started:

- The blower. I used to get the bees off the frames with a brush. Bees don't seem to like this process. My son suggested years ago to try a blower. FANTASTIC!! It is a very small model I use to blow away saw diust. I have used Clearer Boards but this means extra lifting and extra trips.

- Ventilated bee gear. Gone are the overalls. The ventilated jacked or suit is great when you have to ( or may have to) deal with defensive bees

- The Frame Perch. I could not do without them when i make splits. So easy to sort frames. So much better than leaning frames against a hive.

[The15thMember]

I agree about the ventilated gear!  My favorite tool is my mini J-hook hive tool.  I got it just for fun at a bee store in South Carolina, never imagining I would one day be unable to live without it.  I'm having trouble finding another one just like it actually, as many mini tools have shallow hooks, whereas this one is very curved.  I love how I can just wedge it in my palm when I lift a frame and then it's always right there in my hand.     

[Terri Yaki]

I agree about the ventilated gear!  My favorite tool is my mini J-hook hive tool.  I got it just for fun at a bee store in South Carolina, never imagining I would one day be unable to live without it.  I'm having trouble finding another one just like it actually, as many mini tools have shallow hooks, whereas this one is very curved.  I love how I can just wedge it in my palm when I lift a frame and then it's always right there in my hand.   

Got a picture of it? I'm curious as to what it looks like.

[The15thMember]

I've got a picture on this thread.
https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=56816.msg521341#msg521341

[Terri Yaki]

I've got a picture on this thread.
https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=56816.msg521341#msg521341

Thanks, I remember seeing that now and thinking I could make that. It is something I could 'tool' with whilst waiting for spring to come around. I still wish I had a bandsaw for metals. I'm actively looking for one up here.

[Lesgold]

Lots of cordless tools have evolved or improved over the past 10 years. They come in handy for all sorts of beekeeping builds. 4 days ago I had a small swarm settle onto a shrub in the yard next door. Grabbed the cordless pruners and snipped off a 1? branch with the swarm attached. Placed it in front of the nuc and the bees marched in while I was talking to the neighbours. If I had to use a saw or any other equipment the swarm would have been disturbed and the task would have been a bit more challenging.

[yes2matt]

Best tool/method improvement I have made is to have a sharpie and a roll of masking tape in my jacket pocket. All my notes are in big letters on the outside of the box and easily "eraseable" if I move the bees around.

[max2]

I've got a picture on this thread.
https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=56816.msg521341#msg521341

Thanks, I remember seeing that now and thinking I could make that. It is something I could 'tool' with whilst waiting for spring to come around. I still wish I had a bandsaw for metals. I'm actively looking for one up here.

I use the "Jakel" Hive tool made in Germany.
I find it fantastic https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/German-Jakel-Multi-Wakant-Bee-Hive_62555061945.html

[Michael Bush]

Maybe these are too obvious.  I use an Italian hive tool (small j hook).  Now I also use a custom made hive tool that Bill Murray made for me.  But you can't buy one of those.  I wear regular gloves under the sleeves of a ventilated jacket.  Easy to get on and off.  I never use those long gloves because they cover up the ventilation and they are hard to get off when I want to catch a queen etc.   I have some ventilated suits but they are too difficult to take on and off when taking a break.  I have a frame perch somewhere.  Never used it.  I have several frame grips.  I did use them for a while when I had a lot of plastic combs with no spacers because I could use them to space things.  Now I intersperse those frames with ones with spacers so I haven't used a grip in a long time.  I have this cute canvas thing that covers all but enough room to get a frame out.  Again, I never used it.  I love the hair clip queen cages.  I love the queen marking tool that looks like a magnifying glass with hardware cloth instead of glass.  I can't find any for sale anymore.  I always have a flashlight handy to see down into cells to look for eggs.  I have a tool belt for all of those and some paint pens.

[Terri Yaki]

I do need to get out in the garage and make a few things. I need a spanner wrench (I think that's what it would be called) for the nut on my angle grinder, using channel locks for that is a a hassle. If Reagan could provide the overall length and width of her hive tool, that would be great, then I could blow the picture up and use it for an outline, and I'd like to see what Michael Bush's favorite tool looks like to see if I like it and if I can make one, that would be great. I need to get more active and that would be a good way to start.

[Michael Bush]

Here are a couple of good ones. 
https://www.dadant.com/catalog/m01948-italian-hive-tool
https://thehoneyexchange.com/products/kent-williams-hive-tool

But Bill's design is better.  I don't have a picture handy.

[The15thMember]

If Reagan could provide the overall length and width of her hive tool, that would be great, then I could blow the picture up and use it for an outline, and I'd like to see what Michael Bush's favorite tool looks like to see if I like it and if I can make one, that would be great. I need to get more active and that would be a good way to start.[/size]

Sure, I'll get those measurements for you some time today.  If it goes well, maybe you'd be willing to make me another one?  I would reimburse you for materials, time, and shipping of course. 

I have this cute canvas thing that covers all but enough room to get a frame out.  Again, I never used it. 

I call that a "robbing cloth", and I just use an old pillowcase.  I lay it over the top of the frames, and then fold it back so only half the frames are exposed.  I really like it during robbing season. 

[Terri Yaki]

Sure, I'll get those measurements for you some time today.  If it goes well, maybe you'd be willing to make me another one?  I would reimburse you for materials, time, and shipping of course.

Sure, if I'm successful I can do that. I did make the tool for my grinder but I only bought the spring loaded roll pins that I needed and when one went flying, I had to improvise with a pop-rivet stem for the other one. It works for now.

[The15thMember]

Sure, if I'm successful I can do that. I did make the tool for my grinder but I only bought the spring loaded roll pins that I needed and when one went flying, I had to improvise with a pop-rivet stem for the other one. It works for now.

No pressure or anything, if it goes well and it would be easy to just whip up another one, PM me and we'll hash out the details.  If not, don't sweat it.  I'll just continue scouring the earth for another one.    It's 1/16 shy of 4 in. long, exactly 1 in. wide at the widest point, and 1/8 in. thick. 

I have a frame perch somewhere.  Never used it. 

- The Frame Perch. I could not do without them when i make splits. So easy to sort frames. So much better than leaning frames against a hive.

I usually just take an extra empty box with me when I'm doing hive manipulations.  I set it on a big old plastic bin lid that I don't have the bin for anymore so I don't accidentally drop a queen in the grass or anything, and then I set any frames I remove in that box.  If I'm pulling honey, I'll just bring along an inner cover or a robbing cloth to keep other bees out of it while I'm working.   

[Michael Bush]

I have a stool I built that gives me compartments to sort tools, queen cages, push pins (how I track everything) etc.  I based this off of plans that were online, but the last one I built I made it 2" taller and 4" wider.  That last 2" makes a difference getting up off of the stool.  I also build what I call "inspection boxes" which are deep boxes with a screened bottom screwed on.  I could have used mediums but that last 3" makes a big difference.  Deeps seem to be about right.   I flip it upside down to stack my boxes on so I don't have to bend over so much to pick up a heavy box and the SBB keeps the bees from falling down on the grass.  Everything is about a foot off the ground.  When I'm doing mating nucs I flip it the other way so I can easily use it to put frames in while inspecting mating nucs.  The deeps help here again because I can throw things on the bottom and I have an extra 3" for anything like that.  I try to keep another screened bottom handy in case I need to confine the bees I'm working with for a while (need a break, etc.)  Mine have the entrances blocked so they work for a cover.

[Terri Yaki]

No pressure or anything, if it goes well and it would be easy to just whip up another one, PM me and we'll hash out the details.  If not, don't sweat it.  I'll just continue scouring the earth for another one.    It's 1/16 shy of 4 in. long, exactly 1 in. wide at the widest point, and 1/8 in. thick.

I have the tool sized and printed out for a template. Seeing it like that, it's pretty small. Would you keep it that size or would you change it's size in any way?

[The15thMember]

I have the tool sized and printed out for a template. Seeing it like that, it's pretty small. Would you keep it that size or would you change it's size in any way?

I know, it's really tiny.  I personally wouldn't change anything, but keep in mind that I've got small hands, even for a woman, so your hands are almost certainly bigger than mine, and a slightly bigger tool could be more comfortable for you.  And I don't use the little tool for any heavy work, like scraping frames or cracking boxes, just pulling frames during an inspection.  You can see how big it is compared to my hand on the thread where I have pictures of it, so if it's significantly smaller in your hand, you may want to make it a little bigger for you. 

[Terri Yaki]

I know, it's really tiny.  I personally wouldn't change anything, but keep in mind that I've got small hands, even for a woman, so your hands are almost certainly bigger than mine, and a slightly bigger tool could be more comfortable for you.  And I don't use the little tool for any heavy work, like scraping frames or cracking boxes, just pulling frames during an inspection.  You can see how big it is compared to my hand on the thread where I have pictures of it, so if it's significantly smaller in your hand, you may want to make it a little bigger for you.

I was tooling around today and cut one out of an old electrical encloser. It's not 1/8" thick by any means and I don't think you can pry with it but it would work for lifting frames. The only other steel I have in stock is 1/4" and that won't be easy to cut. All told it might have taken an hour with stuff I have laying around. So, I need to check and see if it grabs and holds onto frames good enough. Here's a picture of it. Size is about what you specified. I put an edge on the end of it so it might do some scraping.

[The15thMember]

Looks good.  It's just a question of whether it's going to be too thin and not strong enough to hold up to prying out propolised frames without bending.  1/4 in. would be probably be too thick anyway, so I doubt that would be worth trying.   

[Terri Yaki]

It would handle prying in the one direction but not on the thin side.

[Bill Murray]

So, these are the tools I have that I use. Ventilated Bee jacket, dont know how I did without one for so many years. My wife finally took pity on me a couple years back and bought me one. 10 inch Brushy mountain smoker. At least 18 yrs of service, Just had to replace the bellows last year. 2 Hive tools. A regular paint scraping one, and one I made because I never could find a J hook I liked. They were either to big, to small, or the J hook was to big or not the correct size, bend etc.This one is just the right size I can manipulate it and do an inspection and it never leaves my hand. A tool-belt with a leather bag affectionately known as my purse, thanks to my granddaughter. A Stainless queen clip, And a bee brush. Things I have just added to this in the past year are a queen muff thanks to Michael Bush, I never knew there was such a thing, but now never leave home without it. And a magnet clip to go on my belt to hold the paint scraper/hive tool, without it being in my back pocket. Taking a while to get used to but I like it,even though I still reach back in my pocket to get something thats not there all the time. And now that Ive found colpart acrylic pen,s Testors model paint is a thing of the past.

Tools I have I have but dont use. A frame "hanger/rest",  multiple queen marking cups/tools, frame grips (these were nice for my granddaughter at one point, but she has graduated), and a bee blower that someone told me worked, but is shelved forever.