Page 4 of 6 FirstFirst ... 23456 LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 51

Thread: Let's talk bee suits.

  1. #31
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    North Wales
    Posts
    639

    Default

    I used a jacket that was identical to that (probably the same make) duirng the 2012 season. I had bought it from Maisemore at the 2012 BBKA convention. I was pleased at first but when I washed the veil for the first time all the black die washed out of the mesh material and all I could see then was glare. I tried a couple of methods of dying it again and after getting a black nose and forehead a few times I eventually found a spray that was semi-permanent. Unfortunately before the end of the season the veil was in tatters. The body of the jacket worked well but I kept getting it snagged on barbed wire. A couple of my apiaries are fenced from sheep so I have to reach over to drop equipment over the fence. I always get away with it with my other suits but this one was a nuisance.

    Steve

  2. #32

    Default

    Thanks Steve
    They are not cheap I would want a lot more than one season
    The plan of overlapping mesh is good though lets the air in and as long as the spacing is right the bees won't get through
    I was helping a friend this summer and we had to squeeze between the barbed wire (while held up)
    After doing ten hive inspections I couldn't bend enough to get out without snagging , luckily the jacket belonged to her (biosecurity)

    Anybody bought a good jacket or suit this year ?

  3. #33
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Jurassic Coast.
    Posts
    1,480

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by The Drone Ranger View Post
    Anybody bought a good jacket or suit this year ?
    Still (due to necessity) patching the one which I planned to replace at the start of this thread! Resolved the hood/zip issue by sewing the spare good hood over the top of the ripped one which had the correct size zip but now managed to burn a hole in one leg and rip the other leg on a wire fence. Next year it will be a new one, had a good shipping quote off Mann Lake earlier in the year which is obviously out of date now but maybe not by much:

    rip-stop of course!
    http://www.mannlakeltd.com/mm5/css/0...ipper-veil.jpg
    Last edited by prakel; 21-10-2013 at 09:25 AM.

  4. #34
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Ardnamurchan & Fife
    Posts
    1,693

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by The Drone Ranger View Post
    Anybody bought a good jacket or suit this year ?
    I've always bought BBwear ones and am generally pleased with them. They're a bit hot mid-summer so I got a lightweight BBwear one this year but never got round to opening the packet. The only issue I have with them is the lack of a hanging loop in some and the - frankly rubbish - knicker elastic they use for the thumb loops. I replace these.

  5. #35
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Scottish Borders
    Posts
    439

    Default

    I tried the Dadant wire mesh veil this year and was not impressed esp as the hat refuest to sit well. So I bought a suit from here: http://www.thebeeshop.co.uk/PBSCCata...?CatID=1708425 apart from the hive tool pockeet being on for me the worng side it is standing up to my abuse very well indeed. Half the price of the premium brands (which I have had in the past) and so far a tough bit of kit.

    Smocks and stand alone veils have issues which allow bees in so not for me thanks, been there got stung and learnt that lesson.

    PH

  6. #36

    Default

    Hi PolyHive
    Thanks for that link I might well give them a try can I ask, are they generously sized I don't want to get one that is too big (again)
    The other thing I was wondering is does the hood have a double layer of material on your head.
    I kept a pretty fierce hive going this year (stupidly) because they were filling the supers well
    The smock I was wearing was a cheap one given to me by a friend
    I got stung on the top of the head loads of times including the top of the ears where they touched the material

  7. #37
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Scottish Borders
    Posts
    439

    Default

    Yes good size. Umm let me check the hood.... single layer. Now I can honestly say I have not had a head sting with it but then again I do run pretty quiet bees. In the event of a stingy colony then I would add a hat of some sort under the hood and find and kill the queen pronto. I have had some pretty nasty units in my time but no longer put up with that nonsense. I can remember returning home with my glove so stung the leather was invisible behind the stings. Not any more thanks.

    PH

  8. #38

    Default

    Thanks PH

    I normally don't put up with too much either, so have been a bit too relaxed about the bee suit, until it was put to the test
    That sort of decided me to get a replacement jacket or suit before I end up with ears a Vulcan

  9. #39
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Nr Stranraer
    Posts
    668

    Default

    I used to use a Thornes smock with the round hat/veil .The fencer type wasn't available at the time . This I owned for over 30 years with no trouble - except the wire in the veil finally rusted and rotted the hat material around the edge. I managed to get another year out of it by sewing the wire back again. I replaced it with a BB Wear smock with the fencer hood - a really well made article. This year I decided that I could do with a full suit and ordered a made-to -measure suit from Sherriff which I picked up and paid for at the National Honey show. Fits like a glove and was sold to me at their show price together with a free good quality hive tool and free gloves (which I never wear) - they will be useful for one of our beginners to wear at our teaching apiary. When washing suits , the instructions always say to remove the veil and hand wash it. I've never had a veil fail me and always keep my bee wear stored out of direct sunlight. Prolonged exposure to U.V. will cause plastic veil mesh to become brittle and disintegrate in time.

  10. #40
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Ardnamurchan & Fife
    Posts
    1,693

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GRIZZLY View Post
    When washing suits , the instructions always say to remove the veil and hand wash it.
    Hi Grizzly … I've always just removed the veil and stuffed it inside the zipped-up suit before throwing the lot in the machine on a cool (40oC?) colour wash. The BBwear suits certainly cope admirably with this sort of treatment. I've not got the smock but find their jacket with fencer veil excellent for most inspections … and easy enough to don that I'm not tempted to have a 'quick look' without suiting-up (jacketing-up?). Additionally, for the truly psychotic colony*, worn under a full suit with the jacket veil removed, it provides much-needed additional protection.

    * Obviously, these are not my bees … For example, when I'm re-queening some hoodlums from a fellow BKA member.

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •