Gum Rosin Supplier in Southern California

[GuerillaBeek]

Hi All,

I've just constructed a dipping tank and now I need to fill it. Does anyone in the Orange County/LA area know of a supplier for bulk gum rosin? I never thought I'd have this much trouble tracking it down. Driving up to LA, as horrible as that is, will save me a boatload on shipping, so I'd really like to find a supplier somewhere in the LA area. IF rosin is going to prove difficult to obtain, are there acceptable alternatives? A line on bulk paraffin would be helpful.

Once I get the tank filled, I'd also like to offer dipping services to local beekeepers.

Thanks!

[Jim 134]

Bill.......

This may help you


 http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228499

  and you got Mann Lake in Woodland, CA Hughson, CA Bakersfield, CA

  
  http://www.mannlakeltd.com/



    BEE HAPPY Jim 134  

[Jim 134]

Mann Lake sold  HD-910 Gum Rosin and HD-900 Paraffin Wax in 2010 now

  

   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  

[GuerillaBeek]

Hi Jim,

Thanks!

I had originally looked on the Mann lake website but they don't have it posted, so I assumed they no longer carried rosin. I gave them a ring, however, and they have plenty. The price is also better than every other place I contacted - about $3.90/lb. It's coming from Minnesota but they are shipping it to the distributor here in CA, so I'll only have to pay freight from the location here.

I am so tired of painting my woodenware. I can't wait to try out the tank. 

[Jim 134]

 3 parts paraffin to 1 part gun rosin
 Heat to 180F dip for 5-15 minutes
 USED EQUIPMENT HEAT TO 200-215F
 Dip for 15-20 minutes
 about 1/4 lp. or 4 oz.
of mixture per deep 9 5/8 box


   BEE HAPPY Jim 134 

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesdipping.htm

I cook mine about ten minutes at 250 F

[Acebird]

I cook mine about ten minutes at 250 F

Sorry, I have to ask.  Why do you dip the hive bodies?  It looks like an expensive operation.

[Jim 134]

I cook mine about ten minutes at 250 F

Sorry, I have to ask.  Why do you dip the hive bodies?  It looks like an expensive operation.

Acebird................
 Did you read the link in reply #5 of Michael Bush


    BEE HAPPY Jim 134 

[BlueBee]

How long does the wax/rosin coating protect the woodenware?  Forever?  Do you ever have to re-dip?  I do hate painting.  Michael mentioned dipping in Bees Wax.  I wonder if that has any effect on attracting more wax moths.     

[Tommyt]

Before I read this I saw 10 to 30 years will see I'm sure others will
give the right numbers

But the most surprising result in the 20-year test was that window
units treated with a simple water repellent (1.5 percent paraffin
wax in mineral spirits plus 10 percent exterior varnish resin with
no chemical preservative) performed as well as did the water-
repellent preservative (which contained both wax and a chemical
preservative). This showed that a non-chemical water repellent
like paraffin wax with a small amount of resin, such as exterior
varnish, was capable of providing protection to wood exposed above
ground to the elements for 20 years in a northern climate.

 
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Found this on-line......

Quote:
But the most surprising result in the 20-year test was that window
units treated with a simple water repellent (1.5 percent paraffin
wax in mineral spirits plus 10 percent exterior varnish resin with
no chemical preservative) performed as well as did the water-
repellent preservative (which contained both wax and a chemical
preservative). This showed that a non-chemical water repellent
like paraffin wax with a small amount of resin, such as exterior
varnish, was capable of providing protection to wood exposed above
ground to the elements for 20 years in a northern climate.  

Sounds like boiling is not necessary at all.


Quote:
The water-repellent treatment is easily done before or after
construction and before painting. A simple formula, easily
prepared is:

- Exterior varnish 3 cups

- Paraffin wax 1 ounce

- Mineral Spirits, or
paint thinner, or
turpentine Add to make 1 gallon

Treatment is best done by dipping the wood for 1 to 3 minutes in
the solution. If dipping is inconvenient, liberal brush
application can be made - paying particular attention to heavy
treatment of all board ends and joints. The treated surface can be
painted after 2 or 3 days of warm weather. In fact, paint should
last longer over the treated surface than over untreated wood.

 


http://w3.gsa.gov/web/p/HPTP.NSF/1d8fa6562d011533852565d10061946d/e1bbfe6c79704835852565c50054b449?OpenDocument
 

[Jim 134]

This may help you.

How to dip your Beehives Part 1

How to dip your Beehives Part 2

    BEE HAPPY Jim 134

[GuerillaBeek]

Jim,

Thanks so much for the videos. I started laughing when I saw your setup and the huge stacks of woodenware - it looks *just* like what's going on at my place.

I finally have everything set up and am going to fire up the rig tomorrow afternoon. The vids really help in knowing what to expect. Thanks especially for the info on the flash point. With any luck I won't burn down my house.

And thanks to everyone else for the input - the info you've given me has been invaluable. There's a lot of up-front cost in this but just the savings in time alone justify it. And *hate* painting.

[Acebird]

And *hate* painting.

You consider dipping to be less work than painting?

[Jim 134]

 Acebird ...
  
  Now long will paint   
  
  Now long will  Gum Rosin and Paraffin wax 


   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  

 
  

[Acebird]

I think you are asking me "how long"

You bring your dipping equipment and a thousand boxes and we will race.  It is going to take you a half hour to get the wax melted and up to temp and by then I will have half of them done.

[hardwood]

Acebird, you can paint 500 hives in half an hour??? You gotta video that one for me! Even with 3000psi sprayers the best I can do is 700-800 a day.

Scott

[Jim 134]

 Acebird ...
  
  Now long will paint lasts  
  
  Now long will  Gum Rosin and Paraffin wax lasts


   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  

  Paint may bee 4-5 years and will bee rot out in about 7 to 10 years

  Gum Rosin and Paraffin wax 30 years  or more and no rot on one dip. If you get AFB you can
re-dip to kill it.



   BEE HAPPY Jim 134

[Acebird]

Acebird, you can paint 500 hives in half an hour??? You gotta video that one for me! Even with 3000psi sprayers the best I can do is 700-800 a day.

Scott

Almost all sprayers will produce 3000psi.  What matters is how many gallons per minute.  You need a wife like mine that can keep up with the pump.  Never mind the video.  Bring your boxes and gun we will have a contest.

Jim, boiling wax is somewhat dangerous.  There are many ways to sterilize.  Hot water or steam would be my first choice.  If I were commercial I think my equipment would be all stainless.  Then I wouldn't worry about longevity.  The equipment would retain its value.

[GuerillaBeek]

Acebird,

Some people simply don't like to paint.
I don't like to paint.
I don't have a spray booth and don't want to build one.
While the wax & rosin are melting, I'm doing something productive.
While a set of boxes are cooking, I'm doing something else productive.
I like the look and feel of the dipped woodenware more than I like the look and feel of paint.

There's no wrong answer when it comes to dipping or painting, just personal preferences.

[Acebird]

just personal preferences.

I think your are right.  I am surprised that the equipment manufacturers don't offer a prefinished box because many people don't like to paint or have the time to treat the equipment with anything.  A coat of paint, wax or even vinyl can easily be applied at the point of manufacture prior to assembly.  You would think the commercials would be crying for this.

[VolunteerK9]

just personal preferences.

I think your are right.  I am surprised that the equipment manufacturers don't offer a prefinished box because many people don't like to paint or have the time to treat the equipment with anything.  A coat of paint, wax or even vinyl can easily be applied at the point of manufacture prior to assembly.  You would think the commercials would be crying for this.

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/10-Frame-Assembled-Painted-Hive-w_-IPM-Bottom-Board/productinfo/960/

They already do..

[Acebird]

There you go.  Good find.  First I have seen it.

[gumrosin]

Hope it helpful for you.
There are two rosin manufactories, SUNNY ROSIN  and FOREVEREST.

[Cheech]

I'm wondering, has anyone experimented with mixing paraffin/bees wax with propolis for this application?

[CapnChkn]

I've been scraping all the propolis from my hives and dumping it in a 3 liter can I keep some beeswax in to work with.  Surprisingly the propolis settles out when the wax is melted.  I've seen propolis melt in the Solar collector, at some where around 225°F (107°C).

The reason for the Rosin is Paraffin, a long straight carbon chain, doesn't stick to the wood very well.  Small branching carbon chains bind to the wood better and don't "sweat" out of the wood when it gets hot in sunshine.  If anything, you can get hold of Microcrystalline waxes that will help to bind the long chains to the wood fibers.

I might not be doing it right, but I've dipped some small pieces of woodware in beeswax and haven't seen any problems.  Of course by the time I got around to actually DIPPING the parts in the limited beeswax I have, I'd already put plenty of scraped propolis into it.

[Michael Bush]

I've used 150 pounds of rosin over the last few years.  If I had 150 pounds of propolis, I would sell it,buy the rosin, and pocket a few thousand dollars...

[Cheech]

Thanks for that one Michael, LOL. didn't look at it that way...guess I gotta start searching for gum rosin or microcrystalline-wax.