Randy said:  
 
1) Place a digital bathroom scale on top of a stack of supers, put a block onit to hold the hive bottom cleats off of anything, allow it to tare, andsimply have two students place the hives one at a time to weigh.2)I now use a digital crane scale, self taring, hooked onto the bee boom ofmy truck. 

We do variations on this.

1) - too much work.  If you've got two students, put a tight web strap around each hive with a D-hook at the top.  Then give them a pole with a hanging scale in the middle.  Walk up to hive, one person on each side, hook the scale to the D-ring, lift just high enough for the scale to take full weight of the hive.  Much easier and faster, although a 3rd person is useful to read the scale, keep the hive from spinning, and write down the down.

2) - I can send you pictures of a simple boom we made from parts from Harbor Freight -  I got rid of the manual crank, added an electric winch with a remote.  Mine fits in the receiver hitch.  Then we use the same digital scale as we use with the pole.  One person can do the job, two if you want someone to read and write.  Still, getting the truck in place, bringing in the boom, is easier on the back but slower than the pole lift.

3) I've tried the tripod - fussy.  For some trials I've lined up hives, put an inverted v-stand on each end, and ran a heavy pipe btw with the hives centered underneath.  I've a portable electric winch - just slide down pipe, center on each hives, lift, weigh, go to next.  One person can do easily, and this is the fastest approach.  Again, same digital hanging scale, strap, and D-ring.

Jerry

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