Jean-Pierre
 
Good to hear your comments about paraffin dippers.
 
In the 'Bibliography of New Zealand apiculture 1842-1986' there are a number
of articles about paraffin dippers going back to 1939.  The most recent are:
 
Reid, G M; Matheson, A G (1978) Waikato version of a paraffin dipper.  New
Zealand Beekeeper 39(2): 27-28.  (AA 137L/79)
 
Matheson, A G (1980) Easily-constructed paraffin wax dipper.  New Zealand
Beekeeper 41(4): 11-12.  (AA 192L/82)
 
The AA numbers are the reference numbers from Apicultural Abstracts.
 
In my running update the only extra reference is a little piece I wrote for
Cornucopia 4(2): 2-3 (1990), but I don't think it reported anything new.
 
The 1986 article you refer to is probably from that year's 'Beekeepers
Annual' (pp 115-117).  It describes the same dipper as in the 1980 article
(my shortcuts are now catching up with me!).
 
Has anything changed in the use of paraffin dippers since the mid 1980s?  I
don't think so, but Murray is the person to ask.  He reads BEE-L, so may
respond to this.
 
Other comments on your message and its enclosure
 
 I also noticed
> that if the wood contains too much humidity the paraffin solution swells
> rapidly and quickly boils out of the dipper.  It is dangerous since
> paraffin is very flammable.  Does anyone know a trick to prevent this
> problem.
 
There are a couple of reasons for avoiding this.  Apart from the obvious and
very real danger of overflowing wax, I believe that dipping wood that hasn't
been properly dried can lead to it rotting 'from the inside out'.  The timber
must be properly dried before dipping.
 
> PARAFFIN DIPPERS
>
> For now I use a 45 gallon barrel as a dipper.  It is not convenient.  It
> holds only one super at a time.
 
It is also dangerous.  I imagine the seams could burst or break when the
barrel is over the fire.  The designs described in the article specify a
thicker base with the seams welded from both sides for strength.
 
 
 
> MICROWAX???
>
> Jean-Marie, you refer to MICROWAX.
 
I think this is probably microcrystalline; the Australians who have adopted
the paraffin dipping technique swear by the addition of this.  Sorry I don't
know much about it.
 
 
And a few points relating to recent postings.
 
Boxes shouldn't feel very waxy after being dipped.  If they do, and
especially if there are 'candles' of wax attached to the corners, the wax was
too cold.
 
The 'Waikato version' dipper mentioned in the 1978 article above
features the internal block mentioned in a recent posting.  It does cut down
the amount of wax you need to begin with (though of course not the wax
consupmtion), but the chimney height is often an unsatisfactory compromise
between getting smoke in the eyes and having to lift the boxes too high.  And
of course you need the wax bath slightly wider at one end to accommodate lids
and floors.
 
 
> Thank you France Desjardins for initiating the discussion on this subject.
 
Agreed.  Paraffin dipping is a very useful technique, and it's good to see
more discussion on it.
 
Andrew
 
 
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