Eager-to-bee-writes:
>I'd like to add several hives and wonder what experience people have had
>buying used equipment.   Where do you find it?  Are there any risks?  Or
>would I be better off getting the table saw out and doing the work with new
>materials?  How about processing equipment?  Anyone have any war stories to
>share?
 
           The risk of using old equipment is the chance of infecting bees
with American Foulbrood.  Foulbrood spores can survive in old bee equipment.
But Terramycin treatments can hold foulbrood in check.
 
           Making bee boxes is not difficult if the wood is available.
Making bee boxes of the exact dimensions that will reduce the amount of burr
comb the bees will build is more of a challenge.   Making frames involves too
many cuts to be attractive to me.
 
           Extractors are expensive to buy new and they are of no use to
people who end up with no bees.   Lucky beekeepers can make a deal for future
deliveries of honey in exchange for a used extractor.
 
            How to find used equipment:  drop the word to all of your
acquaintances that you are interested in old bee equipment.   Many people
have dropped out of beekeeping in recent years because the arrival of mites
made more management necessary.
 
Tim
Tim Sterrett
Westtown, (Southeastern) Pennsylvania, USA
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