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Author Topic: Easy Screened Bottom Board  (Read 8827 times)

Offline NotactJack

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Easy Screened Bottom Board
« on: June 18, 2014, 02:03:11 am »
Well I know that some people are moving away from the screened bottom board but here in the desert I think its a must. But at the the cost of nearly 30 dollars a piece it was getting kind of spendy. So I did some searching and found a relatively easy and cheap screened bottom board that should hold up. For two SBB it takes 30 Inches of 1x4 and 1 2x4 cedar and some #8 hardware cloth. I can make board boards for about $5 in materials. I use my chop saw to cut pieces to length and the Table saw to cut the rabbets no dado blades needed.  



Its easy cut 2x4 to 23" then cut a 1x4 to 14-3/4". Use table saw to cut a rabbet 1-1/2 inch deep and a 3/4" shoulder. Cut a slot so that a political sign could easily fit. I just cut a grove about 3/4 deep then moved the fence over to cut it out about 1/4" wide. Now cut the piece that came from the rabbet to 14-3/4". Use 1x4 as a landing board then the 3/4 x 1-1/2 piece as the rear rim of the BB. Square Glue and staple. Put #8 hardware cloth for floor. You might want to use a 3/4 x 3/4 piece of scrape to use a stapling ledge in the rabbet or just bend the hardware cloth up the sides.

Not my design I got these plans from: http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/bottomboard/bottomboard.htm
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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2014, 11:26:59 am »
Nice application of the design.  With some modifications an easy move to a oil tray trap.

Good job!
Ed
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American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

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Offline NotactJack

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2014, 11:17:06 pm »
Thank you but I didn't come up with it.
I just copied it from http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/bottomboard/bottomboard.htm
I just couldn't spend $30 on SBB anymore. I've gotten pretty good with my shop tools which I've collected for a project here and there but now I'm getting to do a lot more with woodworking. Granted if time isn't an issue I can make Deeps for like 12 bucks a piece but time is always an issue and Id rather spend the 3 bucks rather then spend the hours more in the shop and lumber yard. I'm just going to buy premade deeps in the winter for what I plan to expand to and if I need more or if I'm in a emergency I'll just make them. SSB on the other hand don't take nearly as much time and I can save 20-25 per unit.  I can't see spending 25-30 on bottom boards or 12 on tops. Plus at my level its challenging enough to keep me entertained to build my equipment.

But the SSB is something that looks pretty daunting to make and needed some fancy jigs or expensive tools to make with more plans available. I don't have a lot of problems with SHB I tried to use the beetle blaster traps but I never see any in there. Now I want to take a chance at adapting a trap.
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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2014, 09:38:39 am »
Yes, I understood it wasn't your design, as I mentioned.  Actually, I don't think it's myoldtools design, either, but rather his application of it that he shows. ;)

Yes, oil trays can be complex...if you make them that way.
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American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline minz

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2014, 02:39:48 am »
I love ross and his site! I would recommend making the slot on the bottom wider so that it takes the coreply that the election signs are made of. The other mistake that I have made is making all my slots different  (Hard to remember year to year). I made each custom based on the material I scrounged. 
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Offline NotactJack

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2014, 09:55:17 am »
Yeah I just  didn't want to come across as taking credit. I think I'm going to make a cloake board from the design.

I've found out that the waste piece from the rabbet makes a great perpendicular brace across 3 fence boards for a economical migratory cover.
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Offline alfred

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2014, 09:10:41 pm »
Here is how I've been doing mine:



Very simple design.



Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2014, 10:34:00 am »
I like the straight sides with no ledges.  Do you add a rim around the top for bee space or a bottom entrance?  Stable with a tall stack of boxes on it?

Looks pretty good!
Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline alfred

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2014, 05:04:46 pm »
Quote
Do you add a rim around the top for bee space or a bottom entrance?
No rim or anything just as is. I use top entrances. You could easily staple down some shims to make an entrance though.

Quote
Stable with a tall stack of boxes on it?


Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2014, 06:49:42 pm »
While there's a 1/4" space between the top bars of my frames and the top edges of the boxes, the bottom bars of my frames hang flush with the bottom edges of my boxes...there is no space there.  If I was to use a bottom board like yours without rails on the sides and back then the bottom bars of my frames in the bottom box would be flush against the screen.  I would think that the bees would most likely glue things together....???  You don't have any problem with that?  I'm most likely missing something...I tend to be a slow learner.  :-D

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline SCPossum

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2014, 11:00:45 pm »
NotactJack, appreciate the post. Made 5 tonight.

Offline marktrl

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2014, 08:02:46 pm »
Quote
While there's a 1/4" space between the top bars of my frames and the top edges of the boxes, the bottom bars of my frames hang flush with the bottom edges of my boxes...there is no space there.  If I was to use a bottom board like yours without rails on the sides and back then the bottom bars of my frames in the bottom box would be flush against the screen.  I would think that the bees would most likely glue things together....Huh  You don't have any problem with that?  I'm most likely missing something...I tend to be a slow learner.  grin

The space above frames should be 3/16" and space under frames should also be 3/16". That's what makes the 3/8" bee space.

Offline alfred

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #12 on: August 01, 2014, 12:23:08 am »
In mine the bottom box just sits on the screen. It doesn't get stuck any more than the boxes get stuck together. Hive tool separates them easily.

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2014, 10:17:15 am »
Quote
While there's a 1/4" space between the top bars of my frames and the top edges of the boxes, the bottom bars of my frames hang flush with the bottom edges of my boxes...there is no space there.  If I was to use a bottom board like yours without rails on the sides and back then the bottom bars of my frames in the bottom box would be flush against the screen.  I would think that the bees would most likely glue things together....Huh  You don't have any problem with that?  I'm most likely missing something...I tend to be a slow learner.  grin

The space above frames should be 3/16" and space under frames should also be 3/16". That's what makes the 3/8" bee space.
Hmm, well if those spaces are correct then you will be violating beespace in two places.  3/16" is less than the minimal 1/4" beespace.  If you use the spaces that you mentioned then bees may glue the bottom rails of the frames in the bottom box to the bottom board and the top bars in the top box to the cover.  If nothing else, it will most likely create a space that bees cannot enter or pass through and which wax moth and hive beetles will enjoy living.  :-\

In mine the bottom box just sits on the screen. It doesn't get stuck any more than the boxes get stuck together. Hive tool separates them easily.
...and you have 1/4" or more of space below your bottom bars?  It is interesting about the clearance below the bottom bars.  I will have to go back and recheck the clearance on my boxes and frames.  All that I have used since I started keeping bees four years ago are Kelley frames and Rossman boxes.  I probably just didn't measure correctly when I measured...it's been several years.

Ed 
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline alfred

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2014, 01:26:56 pm »
They are easy to make. Why don't you just make one and try it out.

Offline GDRankin

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Re: Easy Screened Bottom Board
« Reply #15 on: August 31, 2014, 06:21:48 pm »
Good stuff NotactJack,

I've been making my own SBBs as well and spend about the same, but didn't have the same design. Mine lack the grove to slide in a piece of Cor-Plast. But that's not something I've been to concerned with, since there are mixed reviews about their effectiveness.

I had trouble finding the #8 hardware cloth for a while, but was able to get my local McCoys to special order it for me. After buying several rolls, now they are keeping a few extra in stock.

Thanks for sharing the info!
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