To any and all of you out there who have suffered from wrenched backs,
aching muscles, and bone chilling weariness at the end of a day of
supering, pulling honey, or moving bees, there is something new here for
you in the Billet Easyloader.
 
November 1997 my wife and I were in an auto accident which wrecked my
shoulder. I feared that my 27 year career as a commercial beekeeper was
finished. Taking advice from Mervin Cloake of New Zealand who has two of
these beauties, I contacted Copeman Engineering of Ballina, Australia
about their Billet Easyloader. The long and short of it is that I bought
my first loader in the spring of '98, a rear mounted manual model.
 
This loader is unlike any other boom loader I've ever seen. Please refer
to Copeman Engineering's website at www.om.com.au/beeload for graphics
and information. You must check this out!!!
 
What this machine will do for you.
It will allow you to move colonies up to six high, bees, honey,
everything, alone. No need for a two man team to move bees.
It will assist you in supering by carrying stacks of supers to the
colonies, rather than making multiple trips to the truck.
It will allow you to bottom super your bees without having to hand lift
2,3,or 4 boxes of honey off the colonies and without disturbing the bees.
It will allow you to check broodnests, insert queen cells, or escape
boards by lifting the honey up and off again without disturbing the bees.
 
It will assist you in taking off honey by lifting stacks of honey on drip
trays onto the truck rather than making individual trips back and forth
with single supers. I cannot stress this feature enough! And, as a bonus,
you will find that your exposed time in the yard will decrease resulting
in less robbing.
It can assist you in unloading your truck at day's end if your are not
already using a loading dock.
 
This machine allows ONE man to operate 600 colonies or better with
virtually NO ADDITIONAL LABOUR!
 
These machines come in sizes taylored for flatbed pickups and 1-tons on
up to 3 tons or better. They can be mounted forward, middle or rear. Rear
mounts are good if you wish to load a truck plus attatched trailer.
Models are either manual leveling or hydraulic leveling, and all with
electric winches. Winch motors and hydraulics are all US made and readily
available. There really is very little to break down with these machines
anyway as they are really well made.
 
I used the RM200 all summer with no difficulties whatsoever and would
strongly recommend these units to anyone who wants to work smarter and
longer in this industry. I have just purchased my second loader, a
hydraulic unit, from Copeman Engineering and will be selling my manual
unit. From personal experience, I would recommend the manual model in
relatively flat terrain and the hydraulic model for hilly areas. This
part of New York is quite hilly.
 
Copeman Engineering quotes prices that include delivery to the nearest
major center and shipping takes 6-8 weeks. Prices range from USD 6800 to
11000 depending on the model. That may seem expensive at first glance but
that price is easily recaptured in 1-2 years from reduced labour cost
alone!  Not to mention that honey production should increase due to
better, more time sensitive management of the colonies. And your wife
will still love you when you've got energy left for more than a grunt
when you come home at the end of the day.
 
I haven't been this enthused about a beekeeping product for a long time
and just could't resist the opportunity to share it with others.
 
Regards, Alan