Author Topic: My Manipulating cloth (Read 5185 times)

doak · « **on:** April 26, 2008, 05:29:08 pm »

This is one of four.

Hope they take, doak

Gerald in Ga · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2008, 05:31:29 pm »

Howdy Doak,
Ok, I see what you are talking about. I'll make some of those up and try them. I am the one with the queen question from the other post
Thanks.

doak · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2008, 05:44:19 pm »

I find working with the cloth you don't have as many bees staring at you and coming out of the hive from the top.
The ones coming in from foraging are the ones most likely to attack, they haven't been smoked. :shock:
doak

Cindi · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2008, 10:53:26 am »

Doak, beautiful, I always use the manipulating cloths, I wouldn't open a hive and leave the top exposed to the open air, just makes so much sense to keep them safe without their top of their homes being ripped off and exposed to everything in this world, hee, hee. I have something very similar, mine have doweling sewed into the ends, same idea, it holds down the cloth so that it stays in one place. Beautiful and most wonderful day, Cindi

poka-bee · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2008, 11:47:41 am »

Great idea guys! I never thought of this..gonna fashion something up before my next checkup! I love this site, we learn bout stuff we don't even think of needing! Another DUH moment here in Buckley! :roll: Jody

Cindi · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2008, 12:27:08 am »

Jody, you will love the draw cloth, it has many names, manipulating cloth, draw cloth, cover cloth, a cloth of many names, hee, hee. You will be surprised at how much more happy the bees will be when you work with them and you can uncover parts of their hive at at time, instead of the entire hive exposed. C

mlewis48 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2008, 09:32:06 am »

Hello everyone,
I need one of those things. What kind of material do you use to make one? My wife is a master of the sewing machine and could whip me up one.

_Brenda_ · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2008, 09:33:49 am »

I was just going to ask that too. What kind of material?

Robo · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2008, 09:48:02 am »

Just keep in mind, these only work for hives with bottom entrances. I know there are a lot of folks implementing top entrance hives that is why I bring this up. With top entrance hives, you would be blocking their return into the hive with the cloth.

BTW, these manipulation cloths work quite well.

rob..

Cindi · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2008, 09:53:43 am »

Mine are made of old sheets. Cotton. Cotton is lightweight and a beautiful material, it washes well and I am particularly fond of cotton. When I made mine (and I have several), I just took old sheets and made them at least double weight thick. I then sewed the doweling in the end. Other "weights" can be used, use the imagination. I also sewed across the material and made designs, like wavey sewing so that the fabric layers would stay together. Kind of like quilting. Kind of hard to describe. I also have several that don't have doweling in them, I just make them somewhat larger than the box size so that they drape down. Am I painting the picture clear enough? It is clear in my mind, but may come out rather muddled when I try to express it on the computer. Ask more questions if the questions are not answered. Have the beautiful and wonderful day that we all deserve. Cindi

My draw quilts. In this picture you will see that I am using two, I do that now and then, but usually only use one. The one on the left does not have any doweling for weight, the one on the right does.

Cindi · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2008, 09:57:54 am »

Rob, I think that you have a good point, my hives have bottom and top entrances, the bees have a choice of where to enter their homes. That is why I like having both entrances. When you are working the colonies the bees can still get in through the bottom. Many advantages to both the top and bottom. I can't remember quite, but I think that you have both top and bottom entrances because I remember you making comments in a post about the bees all trying to get through the top entrance when there is not an entrance in the bottom and quite a bunch of bees trying to get in, hee, hee, traffic tie up maybe? Have the best of this great day we all deserve. Cindi

_Brenda_ · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2008, 01:33:01 pm »

Thanks Robo and Cindi. I know have some old sheets I can use, so think I may try to make some today. I don't sew, but could tack wood strips on the ends, like in the first photo.
This is a real good idea. Thanks for passing it on.

doak · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2008, 01:38:24 pm »

Good heads up cindi,
I have got to make some new ones.
The material I used has a little fuz on it. I still get by but this should be a no-no.
oops. doak

_Brenda_ · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2008, 02:31:33 pm »

I just happened to think, wouldn't a pillowcase be good for this? Then I looked and I have a couple king sized pillow shams that have a center opening in the back. I think they'd be about perfect. Only problem is they are pinkish/wine colored. A little darker than I'd like to try, but I'm going to give them a try anyway.

doak · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2008, 02:50:49 pm »

If using anything like bed sheets or pillow cases, fold over to about 3 thick. Then hem the edges and sew a line diagonal from corner to corner. They roll up nicely on the sticks, fit right in the 5 gal pail along with all the other stuff.
By the way I'll get a pick of my pail.
doak

Bob Delp · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2008, 07:18:40 pm »

Ah Ha! So that's what was in your bucket of tools.
Bob

bassman1977 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 28, 2008, 08:39:27 pm »

That's not a half-bad idea. I'll have to give that a go. Maybe it'll cut down on all the stings to the ankles as of late.

doak · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2008, 08:45:47 pm »

I have forgot where I got the bucket caddy, but those of you that are handy with a sewing machine can figure it out. It is handy.
doak

Cindi · « **Reply #18 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:59:53 am »

Here is a post that I made quite some time ago that shows an even better picture of how one of the draw quilts looks like. Pillow cases work wonderfully, double them up though, the thicker is better. Like Doak said, sew them together so that they are like an actual quilt, you know, with the fabric with kind of lines through it with sewing, oops, did that make sense. Do it any way that you chose. The more flat the fabric the better.

Doak, yes make new ones, if your fabric is kind of fruzzy the bees may think it an animal and attack it, hee, hee. BEautiful and most wonderful of these days, Cindi

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=8532.0

poka-bee · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2008, 10:30:27 am »

Now I have a reason to get a new sewing machine! Will have to wait till hubby is out of town like w/the air stapler.. :roll: He won't be thrilled but I can say it doesn't eat or poop, would he rather I got a new horse or a llama?? :evil: Jody