Hello all ! Hi Adam !
 
On Mon, 15 Apr 1996 22:52 Adam Finkelstein <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
>  Frame Bath for AFB
>
> My opinion? Burn frames and buy new ones.
> Sorry if you have to convert to metric.
[cut...]
 
> Lye Bath:
> 1 lb lye per 10 gal H2O
 
I don't know what you mean with lye (I found: a liquid produced by
passing water through the ashes of wood, used in washing and in making
soap).  If it is Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate) OK! but if it is NaOH
(sodium hydroxide) your boiling bath is a real danger for the user.
Brother Adam use NaOH while cleaning his material, but only 1 lb per
100 lt of boiling water (your recipe gives 3x more).
 
> All H2O should be boiling or almost that HOT.
 
> Keep frames submerged with post or weights.
> These materials will harm you if proper protection isn't employed.
 
PAY ATTENTION, WEAR SUITABLE STRONG GLOVES with SLEEVES and EYE/FACE
PROTECTION.  Use OLD CLOTHING : all stain will become a hole !
 
Moreover, and for AFB I had already give my $0.02
 
When all is rinced and dry, according to the works of the Dr Shimanuki
and coworkers (Feldlaufer et al, 1993), after this cleaning in an
alcaline boiling bath (at least 10 min of boiling for removing **ALL**
the wax and propolis), I would dip this material in a solution of
lauric acid** 0.2 % in methanol (2 g per liter).  Such a treatment
will inhibit the development of each remaining spore (few and no
scale) of AFB.  I personnally do this dipping in a flat square bucket
while the foundations are already in the frame.  A few seconds dipping
is enough.
 
** No problem of legality : lauric acid is a minor component of the
beeswax (1.5% of the acids) and it is maybe why we, beekeepers, never
had any problem with the foundations made by the wax suppliers with
the AFB contaminated beeswax from the wordlwide market...
 
 
 
Hope this helps !
 
Jean-Marie <[log in to unmask]>