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Offline BlueBee

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What are you building
« on: December 24, 2012, 02:42:53 am »
So what are people building this winter, bee wise or other?

My plans are to build a few more Jumbo hives, build some new 12 frame deeps to experiment with, and build some shallow supers to replace the mediums.  I might try to build another bumble bee hive if time permits.  I did rescue a colony of bumbles last summer but my BB hive wasn’t suited for making good observations of the bumbles.

Offline kdm

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2012, 05:48:50 am »
This past summer i took a heavy framed boat trailer and converted it to hold 10 hives. they are 10 frame deeps. I am now building 10 frame jumbo hives to replace the standard deeps. I normally have a deep and a shallow for brood. This should do away with the shallow and eliminate super shifting while moving.

Offline RHBee

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2012, 09:05:32 am »
Just building parts & pieces for next years increases. I'm building everything out of scrap lumber that I'm able to procure from my job. Kinda recycling.  Special projects include a combination hive stand/SBB/SHB trap and a external SHB trap. Oh yeah, queen rearing/banking
equipment.
Later,
Ray

Offline JackM

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2012, 09:30:49 am »
after I get out of the wrist splint I hope to make another SBB and roof=type top for a third hive.  Have 3 guitars to finish up too, airplane to build.........
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Offline BlueBee

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2012, 03:04:23 pm »
Yep, KDM, the jumbo boxes are the right size to keep the brood nest in a single box.  It is very nice to have the brood in a single box for a change!  My queens in the jumbos have never ventured up into the supers yet (I don’t use a queen excluder).  The only downside I see with the Jumbos is the extra hassle in making the custom frames and custom foundation.  That is why I’m experimenting with the 12 frame deeps this next summer.  

If I use the low cost PF100 frames I computed that each frame has about 8200 cells.  The bees won’t lay in the outer frames so that leaves 10 frames for the queen to lay in.  10 x 8200 = 82,000 potential cells.  Bees won’t fill all 10 with 100% brood, but in the spring the deeps with brood can average in the 70% range.  82,000 x 0.70 = 57,400 cells for brood.  The worker brood cycle is 21 days so with 57,400 cells available, a queen would have to lay at a rate of 2700 eggs a day to really consume that much capacity.  I don’t think most queens can do 2700 eggs a day.  Although I’m sure (as usual) some beeks with disagree.

I used similar math logic in computing the size of my jumbo boxes and the bees have followed my math so far. :)  My jumbos are using Pierco foundation though that is 5.3 mm cells (may 5.4, I can’t recall for sure).  So it takes bigger frames to get the same number of bees you can get with those PF small cell frames.  My bees don’t really love those PF frames, but they work fine if I spend the extra time to make sure they get combed out correctly.

Offline kdm

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2012, 03:55:19 pm »
Bluebee I have not used the jumbo before but it seems to me that the bees would not have a extra top bar as a honey ceiling . This could help swarming. possibly. Do you have a source for frames. i may need to build them.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2012, 05:55:21 pm »
I'm building a 3600 sq ft pole barn at my farm.  I'm building  6 new screen bottom boards with oil trays and I just finished building a heater box and a dozen nuc boxes to to sell nuc's in the spring. I used the heater to melt a 5 gallon bucket of honey that was just starting to crystallize. It worked real well, sold the honey today.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline BlueBee

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #7 on: December 25, 2012, 12:37:33 am »
Wow!  A 3600 sq foot pole barn; that is impressive.  What are you going to put in there. :)

I've got a buddy who built a big barn for his auto hobby.  Holds a bunch of cars, tools, lift, and a semi tractor.  It is 10x nicer than the house!  I like cars too, but thank God that is not a serious hobby of mine; I would be bankrupt. 

KDM, the source for my jumbo frames is Home Depot.....and the table saw out back  :-D

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #8 on: December 25, 2012, 06:40:29 am »
Wow!  A 3600 sq foot pole barn; that is impressive.  What are you going to put in there. :)


The center truss area is 36' wide by 60' long by 12' high and the wings add 12' on both sides. I finished the center area and the right wing and this past weekend my wife and I put the poles in the ground for the left wing and I topped them and notched them for the header boards. I put most of my tractor implements in the right side, 2 between each set of poles. They are spaced 12' on center. The right side will be closed in to put my wood working tools and probably hive storage. I was to expecting to be able to but a wood miser saw mill to put in the middle and that fell through. It belonged to a friends senior uncle and we were going to buy it together. He gave us a great price but just could not part with it. We waited a long time for him to sell it and then we found out he forgot about the agreement and sold it. That's life.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline derekm

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #9 on: December 25, 2012, 08:33:06 am »
a taller tree nest model  (an extension to current one).
solder test and  coat digital hive temperature measuring pcbs (to do 8 temps per hive)
mk2 solar heating tanks the Mk1 has buckled a bit.
Change the solar heating valves around so the manual by pass is a solenoid valve.
... the list goes on and on
If they increased energy bill for your home by a factor of 4.5 would you consider that cruel? If so why are you doing that to your bees?

Offline Bee Curious

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2012, 04:48:39 pm »
I am a new bee and am assembling my first hive: all mediums, foundationless frames.  Next (I did the easy stuff first), I'm designing and building an insulated top cover, a screened bottom board and a 16" high (anti-skunk) stand.  I'm having a great time and it feels good to be moving forward to finally starting my beekeeping.  By the time it warms up and my bees arrive, I will have a lovely bee corner waiting in my yard.

Offline little john

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #11 on: December 25, 2012, 05:54:57 pm »
I'm working on a prototype mini-mating NUC. Basically the same idea as a Kieler, but made from plywood. Full-width half-length top bars, with a migratory cover over, which will be held in place by a rubber-band (ex tyre inner-tube).
Will have a fixed fondant trough, and 4x comb Top Bars. A fifth Top Bar will be fitted with a Cupkit Queen cage, replaceable by another comb Top Bar, when HM is out and about.
Mini-NUC Top Bars to be removed and strapped underneath the top bars of full-size foundation-less frames or full length Top Bars of 6-'frame' NUCs when the Queen is proven.

The only thing I'm stuck on right now is the ventilation - I want these mini-NUCs to sit on grass, but I don't want to attract ants. So it's either micro-mesh at low level, or standard mesh higher up. Decisions, decisions ...

LJ
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Offline danno

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #12 on: December 25, 2012, 08:13:20 pm »
50 supers,  400 med frames,   300 brood frames, 1/2 doz  4-way pallets,  2 doz all season vent covers,  about 2 doz hive top feeders,  3 doz migratory tops, finish the plumbing and  new sinks in the honey house.   Not sure what I'll do come Feb.   

Offline Joe D

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #13 on: December 25, 2012, 10:24:06 pm »
Well I am not nearly as enterprising as Danno.  I have a couple of stacks of 1x8x12's out in the crib that has been there for fourty or more years, I plan to make some medium boxs and frames.  Some more tops,inner covers and SBBs.  If I get time, already have a list of things to do.  Also get some ground ready for the BeeBee plants after they sprout and got some Laurel Cherry seed also to plant.  Good luck to yall and hope you had a Merry Christmas.



Joe

Offline CapnChkn

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #14 on: December 26, 2012, 02:23:13 am »
I'm cutting down huge amounts of honeysuckle vines, hackberry, and brush to put in an organic no-till field. 
"Thinking is like sin, them that doesn't is scairt of it, and them that does gets to liking it so much they can't quit!"  -Josh Billings.

Offline DLMKA

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #15 on: December 26, 2012, 03:19:45 pm »
6 screened bottom boards, 30 med supers, 6 top and inner covers. Buying 300 frames and need to assemble. Going to make 20 more coates style 8 frame med nuc boxes. That will bring this 2nd year keep to 15 full hives and I'll have nucs for splits and swarm traps.

Offline tefer2

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #16 on: December 26, 2012, 03:46:12 pm »
Bluebee I have not used the jumbo before but it seems to me that the bees would not have a extra top bar as a honey ceiling . This could help swarming. possibly. Do you have a source for frames. i may need to build them.

I was told that you could still special order frames and foundation from Dadants. You will have to call the main office in Hamilton, IL.

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #17 on: December 26, 2012, 06:45:28 pm »
well just finished my over sized solar melter. see my post in equipment. built 30 bottom boards, 50 deeps.150 mediums,and 200 shallows.30 migratory tops. Foraged two new sets of cutout tools. 20 butcher block cutting boards. 12 candle dipping frames. made 200 hand dipped candles. still working on building the honey house. ( and will be for about another 3-4 months.).


John 

Offline wadehump

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #18 on: December 26, 2012, 07:08:16 pm »
Nothing bee related did all of that in the fall, Now i just treat the roads and fight the snow and ice and sleep :roll:

Offline my-smokepole

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #19 on: December 27, 2012, 09:22:07 am »
So what did you forge
David
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Offline minz

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #20 on: December 27, 2012, 05:20:26 pm »
I have two morris chairs on the bench that I have not touched in over a year.  I can not seem to get the assembled sides to the legs.  I thought I had everything labeled better than that.  Got them out and on the saw but seeing them on the bench drives me back to the house.
I have two piles (about 4’ tall) of wood planed and cut to length.  I need to finish my box joint jig (since I bought a new saw the old one does not work and I got all fancy).
If I build all them new boxes I need to make some more frames.  Start buying anything by the 100’s and it begins to get expensive. 
I have some more traps I am going to build, camo and hang for expanding. 
I don’t know if I want to keep building screen bottom boards or solid.  I will see what the hardware store is asking for #8 wire first. 
Poor decisions make the best stories.

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #21 on: December 27, 2012, 07:30:45 pm »

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #22 on: December 30, 2012, 07:27:41 pm »
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #23 on: December 30, 2012, 09:52:06 pm »
So what did you forge
David


here is the post on the forged tools.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,37611.0.html

John

John,
Do you sell them and if so how much?
Jim

I haven't yet I made a set and gave them to David Mcloud in Hampton .I have not heard if he liked them and if they were useful? I have used them on several cutouts and liked them very much . just had to add a piece of wood for the handle. I can make you a set for the cost of the rods  and postage. just PM me and let me know what leaght you want so I can find out what the postage will be to you home.

John

Offline silent hunter

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #24 on: January 05, 2013, 02:41:35 am »
As it's my 2nd year, i'm putting 20 deeps, 20 shallows and lots of frames together. then on to bottom boards, and lids. i hope to add several new hives this year.

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #25 on: January 06, 2013, 02:59:51 am »
Think I have final design for 4'X18" frames. window screen pulled through hot wax, framed with 1/2" oak quarter round both sides. Now for the box  :)
Cheers,
Drew

Offline BlueBee

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #26 on: January 06, 2013, 11:50:56 am »
Hey, I really like that idea of pulling a window screen through wax for foundation!  I might give that a try too.  For frames as big as yours I might get out the welder and attempt to make them out of steel.

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #27 on: January 06, 2013, 03:41:54 pm »
think the box itself will have to be of steel as I want all sides glass, also would prefer same gauge wire in 1/2" mesh, could do standard hardware cloth but it is so heavy, tried deer netting - could be done

Offline danno

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #28 on: January 06, 2013, 05:06:12 pm »
I want to come up with a plan and build beevac lid that will fit a 5 frame nuc.   Everyyear pounds of bee's die in my honey house windows during harvest.   I want to vac them into a nuc and combine them.     

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #29 on: January 06, 2013, 06:47:16 pm »
super w/mesh bottom/weatherstrip bottom edge/sealed top w/vac hole - plug sucking hose in entrance  ?

Offline my-smokepole

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #30 on: January 06, 2013, 07:17:30 pm »
I build one up around a package box and work great for that type of thing
David
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Offline danno

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #31 on: January 06, 2013, 07:35:06 pm »
The reason I am thinking Nuc is I want a few frames in it but it will still be small enough to move from window to window.  I figure at the end of the day vac them up and leave them sealed up until the next day.  Then haul the nuc to the yard of my choise and either shake them in or just drop frames in the combine colony

Offline edward

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #32 on: January 06, 2013, 10:50:20 pm »
Everyyear pounds of bee's die in my honey house windows during harvest.

you could hang a queen in a cage and the bees will seek her out, then shake into a hive.

mvh edward  :-P

Offline Nature Coast Beek

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #33 on: January 08, 2013, 07:09:07 am »
Recently secured permission to do some swarm trapping in several different areas and have also secured my first out-yard. So this week I'm securing material for swarm trap building, going to be building a dozen of them. Going with the Robo's Bushkill swarm trap plans for this.

Second building project is queen castle building. The plan is to bring in some other local queen cells for stock and mate them for re-queening and heading nuc splits that I'll be making in July. Again, going with Bushkill plans for the queen castle. Luckily I spent this past election cycle stocking up on signs the night of the vote...yes, after the polls had already closed.

BTW: thanks Robo for your files on various builds

Offline bailey

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #34 on: January 09, 2013, 11:22:47 am »
Building and painting nucs for spring production.  Next is assembling frames for nucs.   Then purple Martin gourds.  Then fine tuning my soft shell crab tank to eliminate some of the flaws that became apparent after the first years use.  After that making swarm trap lures and deploying traps. 

Lots of work with too little time.
Bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

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Offline Nature Coast Beek

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #35 on: January 11, 2013, 07:12:37 am »
10 swarm traps built. Did first hive inspections of 2013, it was 86 F yesterday and drones are already being produced in my one hive. Swarm trap deployment will be first week in February, Spring is a week away!

Queen castle is next!

Offline D Coates

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #36 on: January 11, 2013, 05:57:23 pm »
Building a self-service honey stand.
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Offline Mbeck

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #37 on: January 16, 2013, 07:57:02 pm »
Recently secured permission to do some swarm trapping in several different areas and have also secured my first out-yard.

North of you or south if you don't mind me asking.


I built 15 bottom boards, started the lids and painted a few more Nucs.

Offline VolunteerK9

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #38 on: January 16, 2013, 09:16:06 pm »
50 supers,  400 med frames,   300 brood frames, 1/2 doz  4-way pallets,  2 doz all season vent covers,  about 2 doz hive top feeders,  3 doz migratory tops, finish the plumbing and  new sinks in the honey house.   Not sure what I'll do come Feb.   

Rest before the flow hits maybe? Lol. Good lord that's a lot of nailing and gluing.

Offline Lazy W

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #39 on: January 17, 2013, 12:35:31 am »
Lets see I have built 15 Deeps. 7 Hive top feeders. 10 Screen beetle trap bottom boards. Going to build some tops and do some repair on some of my boxes showing ware.

Offline dave1958

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #40 on: January 17, 2013, 01:05:50 am »
I thought I was doing good till I read these posts. I was planing on going to 10 hives this year, but after much sawing, gluing, nailing and visiting home depot I wasnt getting the job done. I build 10 hive stands, ten telescoping lids, 8 hive bodies, and 3 bottom boards. I gave up and  ordered precut boxes, bottom boards, and inner covers( I struggled with these). I was painting, nailing and gluing and making progress, till the ice hit and its been 30 and will be in evenings for the next 10 days. I know it will April/ May when my bees are here, but its a struggle to get things done with job, family and normal honey-do issues. How do you do these things? are you buying and assembling, or starting everything from scratch?

Offline BlueBee

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #41 on: January 17, 2013, 03:06:22 am »
It is a real struggle my friend.  I'm always 2 steps behind the bees  :(

Offline tefer2

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #42 on: January 17, 2013, 11:11:38 am »
I thought I was doing good till I read these posts. I was planing on going to 10 hives this year, but after much sawing, gluing, nailing and visiting home depot I wasnt getting the job done. I build 10 hive stands, ten telescoping lids, 8 hive bodies, and 3 bottom boards. I gave up and  ordered precut boxes, bottom boards, and inner covers( I struggled with these). I was painting, nailing and gluing and making progress, till the ice hit and its been 30 and will be in evenings for the next 10 days. I know it will April/ May when my bees are here, but its a struggle to get things done with job, family and normal honey-do issues. How do you do these things? are you buying and assembling, or starting everything from scratch?

Plan to buy everything you can afford and put together yourself. It's a never ending process unless you limit yourself to what you have already.

Offline minz

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #43 on: January 17, 2013, 05:50:54 pm »
I just got my box building jig working the way I wanted.  I will need to post some pictures (like all my ideas it was somebody else’s) LOL. I figure I can knock out another half dozen boxes and then be back to running rough boards through the plainer.  Not certain what direction I am going from here, made most of my shallow stock into an apple press, now I have more deeps than supers and no nucs (I build just as large as the stock will allow and trim to size.

Poor decisions make the best stories.

Offline danno

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #44 on: January 17, 2013, 06:53:16 pm »
At the price of 1X pine I cant afford to build my own boxes anymore and frames are just to cheap.      I do build everything else

Offline minz

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Re: What are you building
« Reply #45 on: January 18, 2013, 12:38:16 am »
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n599/6minz/Jig2.jpg
I used quick grip clamps rather than the dowels shown on the other forum.  I plain my own wood so my thickness is not always as uniform (or as thin) as the store bought ones.  I usually use two clamps for my press but my fingers are a little tight so I use 3 and sometimes hit them with a hammer.  I shoot two or three screws into each corner from the top, flip it and do it again.  If I had to do it over again I would have extended the uprights and put a bar clamp across the top rather than all the 2x8’s across the bottom.
Is it just me, I  am never happy with my final product.  Wood has too many knots finger spacing off, wine whine wine.....
Poor decisions make the best stories.

 

anything