A few weeks ago there was mention of a technique used in New Zealand (as
I recall) for sanitizing hive parts that involved dunking in a boiling
lye solution. I would like to try this; having provided myself with a
suitable tank, I wonder if anyone would care to offer comments on its
reasonableness before I make the first experiments.
 
The process sounds reasonable on its face: the lye should saponify most
of the stuff on the frames, and the residue should become harmless fairly
quickly (sodium hydroxide + carbon dioxide + moisture --> sodium carbonate).
I am curious about time, concentration, and so forth. The tinning on the
reinforcing wires will probably go to sodium stannate, so rinsing seems
to be in order, no? Should the  frames be rewired afterwards? Re-nailed?
 
For general information: large quantities of boiling water are dangerous
enough even without adding strongly alkaline substances. This will
definitely be an outdoor activity, standing upwind with gloves, apron,
goggles and a water hose handy.
 
It sounds somewhat less obnoxious than scraping old frames, which are too
good to throw away and too grubby to re-use as is.
 
Harold Levie
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