Author Topic: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?  (Read 26785 times)

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Offline tbonekel

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Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« on: March 01, 2014, 04:53:15 pm »
I got this thread idea from Blueblood who has a bee tool box. I don't have a dedicated kit with essential tools for beekeeping, but am needing one. I'm interested, how many of you have a bee tool box. What's the essential "tools" in that box. I would start with lgo, queen clip, rubber bands....

Offline Perry

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2014, 05:13:15 pm »
extra queen clip and hive tool(s), staple gun, pieces of newspaper, butane lighter....
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Online iddee

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2014, 05:15:13 pm »
Mine sets across the back of my pickup, but a few of my friends have this one.


http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Merrill-Tool-Box/productinfo/247/
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Offline Bsweet

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2014, 05:16:49 pm »
I have two.
1. My hive toolbox is used to inspect my hives and contains the basic tools  to do that. smoker,hive tool, bread knife, plyers, hammer,queen clip,notebook,spray bottle with 1-1 sugar water.
2. swarm box is a five gallon bucket w/top (the bucket has 4 holes cut in the side and is covered with window mesh,a couple of poker cards to scoop up bees that are on a smooth serface, also have a kitty litter scoop for the same use , queen clip and a soft bristle brush. All this fits in the bucket and stays in my truck along with a ladder.  And then there is the removal tool kit but that changes each job. Jim
What 5 second rule??? I have rollover minutes

Offline Jen

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2014, 05:21:57 pm »
Good Idea! think I'll work on that this season. One tool I never thought of until my last inspection is a pair of tongs. When I lifted one of my frames out, some burr comb broke off and landed at the bottom of the hive. Couldn't reach in there and get it cause I would harm bees and I was without gloves. Ran into the house to get a pair of tongs. Worked nicely to retrieve the piece of comb.
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Offline tefer2

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2014, 05:49:25 pm »
5 gallon bucket here. The longer I'm into beekeeping, the less stuff I carry with me.
A j-hook hive tool and a smoker with fuel is about it now.
Got a queen catcher on a chain around my neck too.

Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2014, 06:16:29 pm »
Mine sets across the back of my pickup, but a few of my friends have this one.


http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Merrill-Tool-Box/productinfo/247/

That's the one I have.  I keep a magnifying glass, smoker fuel pellets, grill lighter, newspaper, hive tools, and other stuff in the toolbox.  Tongs mentioned above is a great idea.  I'll have to get some.

This tool box is good for sitting on, too, if you get tired.  It also holds frame grabber, frame rack, smoker, etc.  Somebody put some thought into that box.  There's  even a screened hole and the inside is made to carry frames, so you could carry a nuc home in it.
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2014, 06:50:52 pm »
No tool box yet, but I need one badly. It would save many trips from dads place back to my place because I forgot something.
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Offline ablanton

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2014, 09:10:22 pm »
I use a fishing tackle box.  It contains:

regular hive tool
small hive tool
lighters
queen clip
forceps
benadryl cream
benadryl capsules
rubber bands
nitrile gloves
leather gloves
ink pen
sharpie marker
knife

um . . . I think that's about it.
Andy

Offline barry42001

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2014, 09:17:52 pm »
Plastic Tupperware tub, holds smoker, 10" hive tool, wooden matches, leather bee gloves, queen capture clip, bee escapes.

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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2014, 09:23:14 pm »
Might be a good thing to build and sell..   what would yall like to HAVE as far as...  I'll start a new thread on it so Iddee doesn't spank me   :-[
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Offline Jen

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2014, 09:25:22 pm »
 :laugh: :laugh: Stoooop...... I just spit dinner on my keyboard.
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Offline blueblood

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2014, 09:53:55 pm »
My smoker, tinder, hive tool, lemon grass oil, q-tips, plastic baggies, rubber bands, benadryl and zantac, frame puller, queen clip, spray bottle w/sugar water, matches, nails, screws, rubber bands, #8 hardware mesh.

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2014, 09:58:41 pm »
I use a small galvanized pail.  It's not too heavy and it holds everything I need.  Smoker, fuel, butane lighters, pocket knife on a lanyard so that it's easy to find, bee escapes, hive tools and anything else seasonal.  Just basic stuff.
At a glance, Iddee's tool box looks like a nuc box that has been modified with a carrying strap and extra straps to hold tools.  Looks like it would be real handy if you came across a swarm and got them to march into your tool box.

Offline tbonekel

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2014, 11:23:46 pm »
Wow! These are all great ideas! I've got a lot of that stuff, but I just keep forgetting where I put it.  :-[

Offline Jen

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #15 on: March 01, 2014, 11:29:00 pm »
I think for me, beings my hive is only about 30 feet from my back door, I'll get one of those small canvas tool bags at Harbor Freight. But I would like to keep an extra hive crow bar next to the hive at all times.
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Offline DLMKA

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2014, 11:55:59 pm »
I keep a box of toothpicks. They work good for pulling brood out of cell and if you run into something questionable drop it in your smoker and burn it up.

Offline Jen

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #17 on: March 02, 2014, 12:05:02 am »
Hey! Toothpicks! good idea!  I did have AFB and had to put everything down to look for a stick to poke into the sunken brown cap.
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Offline Edward

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #18 on: March 02, 2014, 03:21:34 am »
Duct tape , the beekeepers best friend

great mending/sealing up leaky hives in a pinch

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Offline tecumseh

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Re: Bee Tool Box - Anyone?
« Reply #19 on: March 02, 2014, 06:33:33 am »
an Iddee snip...
Mine sets across the back of my pickup, but a few of my friends have this one.

tecumseh...
in Texas we at least think larger than in other places.  Mine IS the back of my pickup truck.... and this sometimes spills over into the passenger side of the cab.