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Author Topic: The Beevac: A close-up  (Read 3791 times)

Offline Jerrymac

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The Beevac: A close-up
« on: June 24, 2005, 09:11:44 pm »
You've all seen it;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/DSC02213.jpg

Here is a closer view. We'll start with the outter box.
 
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac001.jpg

The top bottom and sides were made with 1/2 inch plywood. Then the windows were cut out and plexiglass was siliconed in. The frame work inside is basically to hold the inner box in place. The board you see at the back to disperse the suction to avoid pulling the bees right straight into the back screen of the inner box.

Here you see I added handles for easy carrying.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac002.jpg

This next one shows the studs in each corner of the back for holding the panel the vac motor is mounted to.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac003.jpg

Here is the motor
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac005.jpg
And the other side
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac004.jpg

This is also made out of 1/2 inch plywood with two hole cut into it. One for the vac motor and the other is the regulator to keep from pulling the bees to hard. On this one it usually remains closed. The motor came from a canister type vacume cleaner. It is mounted inside the bottom portion of a paint can. The can is then secured to a piece of 3/4 inch plywood which is then screwed to the back panel. I had to do it this way because of the way the motor was made. Different motors might mount differently. The little screen over the regulator hole is to keep flying bees from getting in and pulled through the motor.
The size can be made to ones own liking. I went 20" long, 18" tall, and  14" wide. It just felt right OK?

The front of the inner box
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac007.jpg

The front is made out of 1/2" plywood and is designed to fit snuggly just inside the outer wall of the outer box. Notice the handle on the front. Makes it easy to pull out of the outer box, and with another handle on the back it is easy to carry.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac006.jpg

There is a little slide lock on the bottom to hold the sliding panel in place.The top, back, and sides are 3/4" plywood with the openings cut out. Screen is then held into place with other strips of wood nailed on. This is so they can be removed if the screen ever needs to be replaced. The sides also has grooves cut into them for the sliding panel. The sliding panel is a piece of pine 1"x 12" cut down to fit. Then a small piece of 1/2 plywood is attached to the front to complete the seal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac011.jpg

The opening for the hose is closed off using a modified mouse trap.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac009.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac010.jpg
When you slide in the hose it opens it up. And then it closes when you pull the hose out. Darn it. I forgot to get pictures of the hose. Will add later.

Now if you are wondering why the front is configured the way it is, here it comes.

This piece.... let's call it the unloading shute
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac012.jpg
Sits on top of the hive body. It has a sliding door also.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac013.jpg

You sit the inner box of the vac on one side of it, unlock the sliding panel and push
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac014.jpg
The vac opens the sliding door  on the unloading shute, and it in return slides open the sliding panel on the beevac. This maintains a seal so bees can't get out. Mostly in case you capture some of those africans. But also if you just want to let the bees wander into the hive at their leasure. I had the door pulled away from the vac to show how it fits in there.

Here is the vac when sitting fully on the unloading shute.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac016.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/Bvac015.jpg
Yeah that shot through the screen didn't turn out so well.

I'm sure I left something out, other than the hose assembly.

Any guestions
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

 :jerry:

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     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/

 

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