Making an entrance block

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wilderness

House Bee
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Messages
413
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1
Location
South Oxfordshire
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
4 + 1 nucs
I seem to have lost a couple of entrance blocks from my Nationals so I popped to the shed and found some wood of the right size.

How do I make the entrance slot with my new router? A plunge router not a router table.

Remember I failed O level woodwork so words of one syllable please !!
 
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theres a link in my thread,, bee entrance and mouse g
suplied by Muswellmetro
on the sizes but not details on how to use that power tool ..lol

Infact i don't think i would use a router for that job, saw and chisel maybe
 
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Visions of entrance-block sized bits of timber flying through the air like Exocets .... make sure there isn't anyone in the line of fire!
 
For most of the season - use a saw! With OMFs it makes not a lot of difference, so I often just reduce the width of the opening with shorter pieces.

Another alternative is to clamp two together and drill a series of holes along the join; tidy up after taking apart.

IF I were using a router, I would favour routing a plank and cutting off a strip afterwards. Making an entrance slot on a piece of thin section is not a job for a beginner! Do as wightbees suggests.

Regards, RAB
 
How do I make the entrance slot with my new router? A plunge router not a router table.

Remember I failed O level woodwork so words of one syllable please !!

In one syllable, no!!, more than one , don't do it!!! please....

In the same way as you would hope a new bee keeper would find a mentor to show them the basics, please find an experienced diy/carpenter to show you how to get the best out of you router. All power tools are designed to cut/shape harder things than flesh and bone and most routers you have to latching switch, unlike most jigsaws, which is not easy to switch off when covered with blood!!:willy_nilly: Don't get me wrong these are great tools and used for the right job work well but there is a reason they have two handles in plain view on the top, so you can see your hands are no where near the cutting blade. Small bits of work are notorious for being throw out at great speed and any angle, hence the Exocet reference.

Clamping two together and then clamping them to a bench/work mate so you can drill hole in them sounds the best option to me.

Be safe out there...

Mike.
 
Or make a series of cuts to the depth you want ( say 18mm ) then get a chiesel and line that along the cuts and with a hammer give a slight tap and it will fall out ,real easy.
then tidy it up with the chiesel all ways working away from your body.
It helps if you can clamp the wood you have chosen down.
 
chisels, saws, hammers ... aren't they dangerous too?

OK, I take all your safety points on board and I'll leave the router in it's box .... for now :D

wightbees - your method sounds just fine, I'll give it a go.

Now, where did I leave that circular saw :reddevil:
 
Blimey wightbees,

Not much left at 'say 18mm'. I presume that would be a slip of the chisel? 8mm perhaps?

Regards, RAB
 
ahh i just picked a number , not cut it in half lol
 
Pencil, square, metal rule, tenon saw, chisel, mallet, round file, sandpaper.

No need for any power tools although a belt sander clamped inverted in a vice makes the job much quicker.
 
Don't forget the wood, you'll need some of that as well...
 
Finished !!

OK, all done and no visit to the hospital was necessary. Not very pretty but I guess the bees aren't too worried about that. I did as wightbees suggested then cut the piece to length with the chain saw :biggrinjester:

Notice that I wore gloves and safety shoes so H&S at the forefront.
 
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could of just drill some holes in the wood nailed it on the front of the hive with some 6 inch nails and job done lol
joke :)
 
STOP did you not do a risk assesment first lol
 

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