>
> Date:    Thu, 26 Jun 1997 17:31:00 PDT
> From:    paul desilets <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Backsavers
>
> Absolutely the greatest!   We (my wife and I) routinely move hives
> onto and off of cranberry bogs for our local growers.  Easy to carry
> even with 3 or 4 honey supers on.  We use bee hive straps similar to
> those advertised in Bee Culture also.  Makes life easy
>
 
I'm interested in how you use the Backsaver to move hives.  My
impression of the tool was that it is a lever to pick supers or hive
bodies up and put them down within the radius of the lever and attached
chain.  How do you use them to move hives greater distances?
 
My Backsaver cost me about $75 (shipped from West Virginia to New York).
It's advertised in Bee Culture (which I don't have in my office right
now).  If anyone has an address, please post it.  Otherwise I will
try to remember to do so Monday.
 
> Date:    Thu, 26 Jun 1997 11:41:00 EDT
> From:    Leigh Wiley <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Backsaver
>
> Does anyone have info or experience with the Helvey Hive carrier?
 
Regarding the Helvey Hive Carrier: it is like a poor man's fork lift
with no hydraulics.  To help understand how it works, make a fist and
then extend both your index and pinky fingers.  Now, keeping both
fingers straight, bend your wrist up and down.  That will give you the
idea of the HHC's lifting ability.  Further, imagine tires mounted on
both sides of your wrist with two long handles sticking straight up
perpendicularly from your wrist.  With this in mind, the HHC works by
fitting the standard Dadant hive body between your fingers, pulling back
on the handles (flex your wrist) to lift the hive (the fulcrum of the
lever is the wheels of carrier).  With the hive lifted thusly you can
wheel it around with great ease.  As Paul noted with the Backsaver,
hive straps are ideal to keep the hive assembled during transit.  I like
my Helvey Hive Carrier VERY MUCH!  Wish I had purchased it 20 years ago.
It's a great tool for moving hives.  I also like it for wheeling in
empty supers to hives located in spots to which I cannot drive and it's
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC for wheeling out the full ones!  No more wheel-
barrow for this dude!  However, the HHC is not without it's shortfalls.
It's designed for standard Dadant hives sitting atop Dadant stands.  If
your hives are higher (or lower) the lifts are not at the correct height
for proper lifting.  The lifts can be adjusted, but not easily.  I also
have a spacing problem with telescoping covers and the handles of the
carrier - migratory covers might be better but I don't use them so I
can't really say.
 
The HHC cost a little over $300 (shipped from California to New York)
and is designed and marketed by:
              Albert D. Helvey
              PO Box 1706
              Lodi,
              California  95241
 
There are other carriers on the market.  Anyone care to comment?
 
Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!