Beekeeping Basics - Cleaning Honey Frames - The Norfolk Honey Co.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2024
- Our Beekeeping Basics series continues with a video showing how to clean old, dirty honey super frames by cutting out the wax and boiling the frames using a large vat made from an old oil drum and lots of washing soda.
- แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I can't believe how easy this method was! I'm so glad you posted this video!! You are a Super Hero!
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for taking time out to comment. It works really well for us, I'm glad you found it useful.
Have a great season.
Stewart
안녕하세요 반가워요 와우 넘 멋져요 새로이 잘 만드시네요 너무 좋아요 즐청하고 좋은 선물과 함께 응원합니다 즐겁고 행복한 멋진 오늘 되세요❤
Great method! I really enjoy your Beekeeping style!
Hi Stewart...tried the process you described...used 30 quart pot, 4 frames at a time, with washing soda...worked great...saved us so much money by refurbishing...thanks for your help
How much washing soda to water do you use?
Thank you very informative. A mouse made his next in amongst my frames so a deep clean definitely needed.
It's like seeing a black bee for the first time. You raise bees, so you eat honey every day.
I just discovered your channel and really glad i did.
Hi Thor,
Thanks for commenting, it's great to have you along for the journey :)
Stewart
This channel - solid gold. I live on ten dolars daily income in the middle of EU and half of it state takes from me. But living otherwise I would be your patron. Thank you.
Thanks for your comments,
Happy to have you along as a subscriber to my channel.
Thank you for supporting where you can.
Stewart
Thanks for this.
You are very welcome.
Hi Stewart, great video as always! I have some frames that are part drawn out, there is nothing in the cells, and on the whole that are clean. Is it safe to use these frames please, or do we have to clean them somehow, even if we retain the wax? Thank you.
Hi Stewart how do you store supers with drawn frames once you extract them?
Great video! Do you change out the water/washing soda solution at all during this process since it appears to get really nasty after the first submersion?
Hi Mike,
Thanks for commenting, I change it out after a days washing, it gets pretty mucky but still does a great job cleaning as long as the water is kept nice and hot.
Stewart
Thanks
Hi Stewart
Great collection of videos - I have just stumbled across them.
Regarding this video - do you keep the wax that accumulates or do you consider it contaminated by the soda?
Thanks
Russ
Hi Russ,
Thanks for your comments.
I don't keep the wax from the washing soda, it seems to react with the washing soda and turns crumbly so I prefer to keep it out of my pure beeswax. I would hate it to contaminate all of my recovered wax.
Stewart
Wow, a Garmin 920xt whilst working with wax..... you must be loaded! Great video, thanks.
Funny, I was just looking at that watch on my desk and think I really should charge it up and get back out on my bike! Don't forget to subscribe and join in the chat on our facebook page. If you need more detailed help/support consider signing up on my Patreon page. www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney
Cheers
Stewart
I know what you mean about the bike. I've just had to pull out of Ironman Barcelona as my dad has recently passed away and it seems I no longer have time to do anything. I'm not of Facebook but have subscribed to your channel and will definitely be watching and learning.
what about frames with foundation? how do you clean those?
Great video Stewart.
How often do you change out the wax in the frames?
Hi Sally,
A lot depends on how the frame has stood up but if it's been a perfect frame, well drawn and well used it gets replaced every three years or thereabouts. If it is somehow misshapen, chewed with holes or poorly drawn then maybe only one year.
Stewart
HI Stewart, thanks for the great video, I am about to get on with this job today but wanted to know roughly how many bags of soda crystals you used for a drum this size, I don't have an oil drum but a steel dustbin I was going to use. Are we talking about 5 or 10 or more. I saw the "Wash bucket" video and you were using 1/2 bag to 2 litres of water are you using a similar ratio of crystals to water for this? Thanks.
Hi Tristan,
I used something like 6-8 bags of washing soda in the oil drum. It seemed to be enough for what I needed and the key was definitely having really hot water. The propolis and wax just lifts straight off, once the temperature drops a little it becomes more difficult so you will know straight away if it is hot enough.
Stewart
Hi Stewart, how long would you wait before putting the frames back on to the hives. Im after getting about 300 frames from a retiree beekeeper and I'm wanting to be able to clean them up and put them on to my hive for may!.
Hi Killian,
They need a day or so to dry out in the warm sunshine (I'm told we will be getting some soon!). As long as you remember to rinse them well to remove any washing soda residue you should be fine.
Stewart
Nice watch.
Thanks Simon.
Stewart
Another great video, thanks vm Stuart. Do you also dip your wooden hive boxes in this sort of bath, Or would they get waterlogged? Is scorching the inside of hive bodies sufficient to clean and sterilize them?
If you dont pay him on patreon he will ignore You same as all of us and our questions
@@robertkajor3774 Thanks for the heads-up. I’m a Patreon subscriber, so I’ll try that. I can’t remember Stewart’s minimum subscription fee, maybe $5/month? I find his work is worth much more than that, considering he does a weekly podcast in addition to videos.
Highly recommended
Have you considered boiling the frames in hot beeswax?
Hi Howard,
Thanks for commenting. No, I've never boiled the frames in beeswax, is this something you do and if so, is it cost effective? I usually render the beeswax for exchange and clean the frames in washing soda and then rinse.
Stewart
Hello Stewart. How do you dispose of the contents in the oil drum when you have finished cleaning the frames? Thanks Neeta
Hi Neeta,
I checked with the local council and the washing soda is ok to be disposed of into the normal drain system so that's where it goes.
Stewart
Hi Stewart. Love your videos. When disposing of the oil drum, doesn't all the wax that is melted in the boiling water start to solidify when the water cools down? Would this no coat the drains and waste pipes?
@@TheNorfolkHoneyCo Jen beat me to it but I don't recommend putting wax down a drain (assuming that's what you do. I let the water cool and then lift the wax off manually for the rubbish bin.
Can you define the washing soda? Just powdered laundry soap?
Hi Louise,
thanks for the question.
It's a specific powder for general cleaning and not just powdered laundry soap. Here's a link with furhter information from the manufacturers website.
www.dri-pak.co.uk/cleaning-products/soda-crystals/
Regards
Stewart
Is 3/4 mins long enough to kill germs/wax moth eggs??
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for commenting. It's all about compromise with time versus risk and I think with the washing soda/water being at near boiling point it is adequate. It may be useful for longer immersion time to kill some bacteria hidden deep in a joint but certainly it will kill wax moth eggs and larvae. A good scrubbing of any stubborn areas helps.
As of writing I have never had any problems with disease spreading due to the amount of time I use in cleaning my frames so hopefully I am getting pretty much all of the cleaning right.
Stewart
Hello, just found this, but hope you may still answer. I hope to attract a swarm after cleaning out my old hive by scorching. How long do you think it should air after scorching as I have left it near swarm season to do?
Hi Julia,
Just leave it in the apiary and it will mellow, remember not to scorch it too much, it doesn't need to be blackened.
Add some frames of drawn comb if you have them and you could always add a swarm lure. I've never had much luck with them but we always seem to pik up a few of our own swarms each season.
Good luck and have a great beekeeping season.
Stewart
@@TheNorfolkHoneyCo Thank you so much for answering. Usually lots of healthy swarms around in this part of SW Cornwall. Thanks, I think, to a large, young orchard and all-year forage surrounding it. I’ve not had trouble attracting them with brood comb, but haven’t scorched before.
Hi Stuart. How do you add foundation to these washed frames?
Hi Michael,
Yes, once they're dry we give them one last clean over to remove any residual wax/dirt to allow the foundation to slide in easily and then add fresh foundation.
Stewart
Hi Stewart where did you get the gas burner from please?
This is a great idea. I will make this system for my frames. But define "washing soda" Being an American I'm not sure what you are talking about. Are you meaning baking soda?
Hi Danny,
Washing soda or soda crystals are basically a cleaning product that softens water so I imagine you need to look out for water softener?
The actual ingredients of the washing soda are
Sodium Carbonate DecahydrateMagnesium HydroxideSilica
I hope that helps
Stewart
@@TheNorfolkHoneyCo Hello from South Africa! I managed to find a supplier of washing soda (not well known over here). Could you perhaps advise on the quantity of washing soda to water for effective cleaning?
i like your system, i will implement it in my yard. i am not familiar with " washing soda" might there be another name for it?
Hi Wayne,
Where abouts are you? here in the UK it's called Washing Soda or Soda Crystals, not to be conofused with Caustic Soda, that's something completely different and not to be used by mistake!
Stewart
@@TheNorfolkHoneyCo hi stewart, thanks for the reply. yes i am well aware of caustic soda, i use that in my hot tank to clean engine blocks and heads before machining. i am in washington state right on the border of british columbia. i found washing soda at walmart. when the wash tank cools does the wax come to the top? or is it no good because of the soda?
Thanks alot 🙄
The boiler does not rust after using soda crystals?
Hi,
We're still using the same drum to boil our frames so although there is a little rust the straight answer is no, it's still working well.
Stewart
Thanks a lot Stewart!
I have plastic foundation. How d I clean them?
I’ve been boiling my wooden frames (w plastic foundation) using Stuart’s system, and the hot water seems to clean plastic pretty well. It’s not spotless, but at least I know it’s been sterilized in the soap bath. If you use those solid plastic frames, though, they will probably warp in the hot water. I’m giving up on all-plastic anyway, since they provide many hiding places for shb
good. mvt bee farm
Does the washing soda have a brand name I can look for?
Hi Michael, It's called Dri-Pak here in the UK. Available in most supermarkets the price has increased dramatically over the last couple of years but it's still invaluable for cleaning hive tools and gloves between inspections.
Stewart
Goodday sir. How much washing soda per litre water do you use? What indicates that the
mixture is not working anymore? Can you store this mixture? Thanks,Cobus🐳
Like to know answer to same question svp
Water temperature ? Cobus?🐳