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Author Topic: 3 Frame Observation Hive  (Read 5438 times)

Offline mtman1849

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3 Frame Observation Hive
« on: August 28, 2008, 11:39:15 pm »
Hey Guys and Gals

The weekend is here and time for a new project.  I am going to attempt to build the 3 frame obs hive plans on beesorce
http://www.beesource.com/plans/obsrhive.htm 
I have everything figured out except how to put the top bar in any ideas please help or I will have to build nuc
thank

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2008, 01:02:00 am »
The plan on beesource is ok, but I don't care for the glass in the groove. It's almost impossible to get out.  I'd cut the sides 1 3/4" thick and use those plastic "feet" they make for putting mirrors on walls to hold the glass on the side.

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Offline rdy-b

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2008, 01:40:49 am »
the top bar is 1 5/8 -looks like it fits between the sides where the 1 5/8 material is left for between the glass -the length of top bar is 18 1/4 the confuseing part is the bottom rails -they are 19 3/4 so -i think seeing how they are only 5/8 wide that they ride in the realef that is notched in and datoed for the glass panels-there is a detail for a notch in the bottom rail also-the 1/4 inch that you notch out on each side -makes 1/2----diferance in thickness on side goes from 1 1/2 to 1 inch so you have -1/2 on each side -know then both sides equal 1 inch -remember the 1/4 for the notch on each end of bottom rail makes 1/2 inch for both ends-so the differance is 1 1/2 inch --botom rail is 19 3/4 --and top railis 18 1/4 --the diferance is 1 1/12 inch so it all jives -will you are doing this i hear it is just as easy to make two at the same time i will pm you my address  :-D RDY-B

Offline Frantz

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2008, 02:43:56 pm »
Mtnman,
Good luck, you won't believe how much fun it is to have an OB hive around. I have been building them all summer. They are not difficult, just don't expect the first one to be perfect and you will be fine. I have been using one all summer as well and I have not had trouble with the glass in the grove. I use plexi-glass instead of real glass and I am also in mine about once every two weeks or so. Maybe they are not getting enough time to really propolis it in. I could see where it could be trouble. But I have not had significant trouble getting the glass to slide out.
Would be worth looking into the pieces that Micheal describes though, I could see that might work really well also.
F
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Offline mtman1849

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2008, 07:05:59 pm »
Ran into a small problem doing 5/8 dado for rack,  But solved by trading a lawn mowing to have my neighbor take sides home and do them at his shop far trade.  It will take him about 15 min to do and me 15 min to mow.  When I buy my new table saw going to make sure it will take a dado blade.

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2008, 05:42:47 pm »
Ran into a small problem doing 5/8 dado for rack,  But solved by trading a lawn mowing to have my neighbor take sides home and do them at his shop far trade.  It will take him about 15 min to do and me 15 min to mow.  When I buy my new table saw going to make sure it will take a dado blade.

Your current one doesn't?  If you bought one of those "adjustable" dado blades... and the spindle is too short for it... get the multiple-blade dado set... the spindle-length required for that type is a good eighth inch shorter than the adjustable types, which is just enough for me to be able to make it work... but even if I couldn't have fit the whole thing on, I could have left one of the inside blades out and it would have fit, and still done up to a 5/8" dado... just wouldn't be able to do a 3/4" dado that way.

Offline mtman1849

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2008, 05:47:16 pm »
I am using my dads, it is very old not much more than a skill saw with a table rips ok but that is about it

Offline JordanM

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2008, 10:21:55 pm »
Mtnman,
Good luck, you won't believe how much fun it is to have an OB hive around. I have been building them all summer. They are not difficult, just don't expect the first one to be perfect and you will be fine. I have been using one all summer as well and I have not had trouble with the glass in the grove. I use plexi-glass instead of real glass and I am also in mine about once every two weeks or so. Maybe they are not getting enough time to really propolis it in. I could see where it could be trouble. But I have not had significant trouble getting the glass to slide out.
Would be worth looking into the pieces that Micheal describes though, I could see that might work really well also.
F

Frantz, Are you building them to sell, i was really looking for one next year if they aare reasonibly nice., even if i had one to look at in front of me i can copy stuff down pretty good but im not muh of a screen learner What do you do in it every 2 weeks? Do you have the correct bee space that Michael Bush suggest, so they dont burr comb it up? How many frames is it?

Thanks, i might be looking to buy one it is the size i want and the right price, but i imagine once you got the template you could make them about any size.

Offline rdy-b

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2008, 10:23:07 pm »
I am using my dads, it is very old not much more than a skill saw with a table rips ok but that is about it
  YEA but did you siefur what i was pointing out about the drawings - :-D 8-) RDY-B

Offline mtman1849

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2008, 09:31:33 am »
the bottom rail are tennoned on the ends so they slide down the glass routes to the bottom

Offline rdy-b

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2008, 02:35:19 pm »
yea yea thats it -gota love that word tennoned-furniture grade no dout- :) RDY-B

Offline mtman1849

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2008, 05:34:02 pm »
I have all the parts cut out now.  Just a little more machining left to do ie routes for glass and luon.  routes and holes for entrance and feeder and then start assembly. Hopefully tomarrow.

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: 3 Frame Observation Hive
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2008, 03:14:34 pm »
I made my dados by making multiple passes on an 1/8 blade.  Not ideal but it worked.

I use the grooves for the glass (or plexi for me) except on one side i left the groove but made that whole side removable with screws so I can take the side off instead of having to slide it out.  I don't go into the hive but once a year, so that has worked well.

I do find that you will want to make sure that all the spaces in the hive are accessable to the bees or that will give the SHB places to hide, and they can be devistating in the spring.  Although I did devise an immensely satisfying solution involving some small holes in the plexi and a vacuum  :-D  Die SHB, Die!!!
Rick
Rick

 

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