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Author Topic: Building My Own  (Read 7187 times)

Offline TwT

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Building My Own
« on: February 18, 2005, 11:06:58 pm »
well this weekend I'm building 5 of each of these!

Bottom Board's
Screened Bottom Board's
see you can use the SBB or BB seperate or together for monitoring mite counts or just open ventalation, see the BB is turned backwards and the SBB is placed on top, leaving you a place to slide a tray in from the back of the hive




Slatted Racks ----->  these will be like Betterbee's new one's





Hive stands
I'm just going to play with the stands , not sure what im going to make yet.

I'll try to take some pic's when finish.
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

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Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline Beth Kirkley

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Building My Own
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2005, 11:25:26 pm »
Have questions - (easily confused :) )

You listed: screened bottom boards, slatted bottom boards, and bottom boards.

Was wondering why all the variety? Is it just to try each and see which you like best on the hives? Which work best or what ever? And by "bottom boards" (last one), do you mean solid bottom boards?

When I built my stuff (even with the first solid bottom boards) I just did the bottom board and stand all in one. The second stand/screened bottom boards actually have legs.

I'm very interested in seeing what you build! But I guess I was just wondering about the "reasoning" behind your ideas. Get chatty TwT - unload those thoughts - inquiring minds want to know. :)

Beth

Offline golfpsycho

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« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2005, 12:04:43 am »
maybe I fouled up, but in all the years I have had bees, I've never had the hive stands with the landing boards.  The three I got last year, I just put on some cinder blocks with no stands.  The 10 I have set up for my packages.. no landing boards or stands.. they just sit on some 4x4's, which are eleveated about 18 inches above the ground.  Cinder blocks have always been my perfereed method of getting them off the ground.   Why add landing boards?  They don't have them in the trees, rock crevices, or barns I have found them in.

Offline Beth Kirkley

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« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2005, 12:27:54 am »
Well golf, as you know, I do have the landing boards. :)

But........ I'm not sure how helpful they are without that control tower you keep reminding me I need to build.  :wink:

Beth

Offline Horns Pure Honey

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« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2005, 12:39:22 am »
those look good, bye :D
Ryan Horn

Offline golfpsycho

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« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2005, 01:15:52 am »
bahahahaa.. yeah... I know Beth.... with a control tower.. you need landing boards and takeoff strips... that whole runway thing.. and patterns.. gotta keep em in the pattern.. sheeeeeeeeeeesh... I'm outta control... someone stop me

Offline Horns Pure Honey

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« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2005, 02:33:26 am »
You cant forget the runway lights, and the luggage cars.
Ryan Horn

Offline Robo

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« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2005, 09:02:09 am »
TwT,

Consider building the SBB from the plans at BeeSource, a much better design in my opinion.   It can do all the same things as the one you show,  but uses less wood, AND does not need all the manipulations to change as the one you show. I don't think you want to lug all the supers on and off just to take a mite count or convert to a SBB or .....  etc.

I use a modified version (only because I run my hives at 90 degrees) of the Beesource plan and only have to lift my supers once a year to clean off the screen.  With the slide in tray,  you can easily do mite drop counts or close off the screen for winter.

Just my 2 cents.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Yarra_Valley

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« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2005, 09:15:32 am »
Mod Note:  When using the quote command, the person's name needs to be in quotes.  I fixed it for you below. :wink: - Robo
Code: [Select]
[quote="golfpsycho"] not [quote=golfpsycho][/color]



Quote from: golfpsycho
bahahahaa.. yeah... I know Beth.... with a control tower.. you need landing boards and takeoff strips... that whole runway thing.. and patterns.. gotta keep em in the pattern.. sheeeeeeeeeeesh... I'm outta control... someone stop me


That's what happens when you play golf  :lol:  :lol:.
Careful, my pets can smell your hives. 8)

Offline Lesli

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« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2005, 09:29:21 am »
I caught a glimpse of the tiny luggage trucks taking pollen from incoming bees last summer.

Frankly, I think my mite counts were so low because the in-flight food was lousy.
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Lesli

Offline Beth Kirkley

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« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2005, 05:43:15 pm »
LOL

Silly Silly stuff! :) See what you started Golf? Your goofiness is contagious.

Beth

Offline asleitch

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« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2005, 05:54:55 pm »
Quote from: golfpsycho
Why add landing boards?  They don't have them in the trees, rock crevices, or barns I have found them in.


Most holes in trees do in fact form a type of landing pad - if nothing else becuase they fly into a what is effectively a tube - and then land part way along it - it's just we don't "see" that bit. Adding a landing board definately makes it easier for them.

I ran without landing boards until the farmer at my outapiary commented on how much he'd noticed they had trouble landing when they had to hit the entarance block perfectly - compared to my hives which had a slightly oversize stand- which provided a 1/2 inch of landing "strip".

I hadn't even noticed myself  :oops:

Anyway, the benefits are:

You can see whats going on inside the colony - by watching what they are bringing in. This can save on manipulations if you learn to read the signs properly = e.g. pollen = brood etc.

It's fun to watch - lets be honest - most of us to this for fun - why not have the fun of watching what pollen colours etc they are bringing in.

You ever watched a heavily laden bee trying to land? It's hard work - give them a hand - let them belly flop onto a landing board and run inside - it's a lot easier.

WHen it's cold, especially when they need to collect water in wintertime- losses are high - they get cold very quickly - providing a landing board lets them run inside - rather than having to keep flying to get the perfect approach - so you reduce losses.

All in all - I reckon it's well worthwhile. I made some landing boards you simply screw on to the hive stand.

You can see them here:

http://www.beemaster.com/beebbs/viewtopic.php?t=957

Adam

Offline TwT

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« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2005, 07:47:00 pm »
Well I got 3 slatted racks built, 3 reversible BB and have the wood cut out for the 3 SBB, but haven't got the hardware cloth yet. Ill try to post some pic's soon. cost of wood plus coated screws for all nine Idems was $56.00, not to bad.
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new.
Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline lively Bee's

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« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2005, 12:49:44 pm »
I have found that I can build the SBB, Top Covers and Inner Cover for 1/4 - 1/3 price compared to buying them I All ways look at the damaged wood at the hard ware store U can pick up it for a little of nothing. Another tip is if they building any homes around were u live they always trash some nice useable wood.  Ck with them I have been able to pick up 2 x 4, 2 x 6, and old size's of plywood for free.