My home-made contact feeder!!!

[Toffeesmum]

Hi guys, Being a newbie beek, initial outlays of money for equipment can be never-ending, so being creative (as well as mean (according to husband)), I'm always looking at ways of saving money as well as upcycling items!!!

Anyway, after acquiring some food grade plastic containers which have superb tight lids, I set about making some contact feeders ready for the autumn time. They took about 3 minutes and literally pence to make (took longer waiting for the glue gun to warm up!!) and once cured, filled, sealed and turn upside down.... they're PERFECT.

Hope my little girls appreciate how practical their Mum is!!

Hope you like my pictures. Sorry to seem boasting, but I am rather chuffed and planning to make hive parts too, although I have already made an eke!!!

 

[Finman]

.
I wonder if that mesh works.

Usually guys drill small holes to the bucket cover.

 

[pargyle]

It's a good effort ... you might find that the mesh is a bit on the large side for a contact feeder and gravity exerts more pull than the vacuumn ! Not at first but when the level goes down a bit - then your bees get soaked !! You might consider reducing the size of the hole and using some of that really fine plastic mesh you find on 99p plastic tea strainers from Asda if that happens ... I should try it out with some water for a start and not above your bees ! Fill it full, turn it over and see what happens ...

The more general method is to drill a few < 1mm holes in the lid - less surface area and less chance of a dowsing for your bees.

Personally, I would save up for a TH..s rapid feeder which is, I reckon, better for the bees and less risk of an accident. They're about £9 but one of the best things I'v bought.

If you are going to make your own frames I suggest you buy the top bars from Th's ... they sell them separately for £6 for 10 and then make the side and bottom bars. Takes a bit less time and gives you an accurate starting point to work from. I made my first 10 frames from scratch ... second 10 ... started with Th's top bars - much less hassle.

 

[busybee53]

OP says they are perfect. Perhaps that means they were tested?

 

[Toffeesmum]

Hi there, we tried that before (on the advise of someone else) and it was pants, basically 2 pints of 1:1 syrup leaked out over 3 hours and was not only a waste, but awful mess. I made 4 of these and we've been testing for (a) leaks = NONE, and (b) the mesh is usable = perfect... small enough not to drip/leak but large enough for the bees to feed from. Apart from the usual quick dribble when up-turning them, they're sat on the draining board without incident. Bearing in mind I tested with water, whereas syrup is thicker, hence more stable. These are pretty much identical to ones bought from bee-keeping suppliers.

 

[Toffeesmum]

Size of mesh

Maybe my photo gave the wrong impression of gauge size of mesh... it's tiny, same as from suppliers!!

 

[pargyle]

Hi there, we tried that before (on the advise of someone else) and it was pants, basically 2 pints of 1:1 syrup leaked out over 3 hours and was not only a waste, but awful mess. I made 4 of these and we've been testing for (a) leaks = NONE, and (b) the mesh is usable = perfect... small enough not to drip/leak but large enough for the bees to feed from. Apart from the usual quick dribble when up-turning them, they're sat on the draining board without incident. Bearing in mind I tested with water, whereas syrup is thicker, hence more stable. These are pretty much identical to ones bought from bee-keeping suppliers.

Fabulous ... if they work then you've got a winner. What size are the tubs you are using ?? Looking again at the photo they may be smaller than I imagined and the mesh much finer than it looks. I tried with a 2.5 litre tub with a 1" hole covered with mesh and it just dribbled out - fortunately over the top of another container so I salvaged the syrup (being a bloke I haven't learnt the art of testing !). That's when I bought the Tho's rapid feeder. Good on you though - anything that saves money and works is good in my book. Well done.

 

[enrico]

Hope they are not too tall for a super to go round them!
E

 

[Toffeesmum]

Size matters - Lol

Hi guys, okay okay, next time I post a photo I'll put a tape measure along side!!!

The tubs measure... 130mm tall (with lid on) and lid top measures 130mm across. Have just measured liquid volume... 1 litre full to top.

It was only an experiment and after much vigorous testing (including using my own tongue (don't ask!!)) they seem as good as they sell in the shops!!

Oh and the mesh gauge (reading glasses at the ready)... 1mm

Well, I'm happy with them and have far more confidence in them than the disaster last time ;-)

 

[BeeJayBee]

They look good.

The tubs measure... 130mm tall (with lid on) and lid top measures 130mm across. Have just measured liquid volume... 1 litre full to top.

Seem to be about the same size as the Lidl greek yogurt tubs I've used, but I just made a few holes in the lids with a hot skewer.

 

[Bates]

We do exactly the same but do not use mesh, just stab some nail holes in and jobs a good'un. Use for hundreds of nucs with very few problems and buckets cost only 50p a time instead of the overpriced bee keeping ones you see.

 

[BeeBus]

If they work they work, good on yer for saving some dosh. If a supers not deep enough make a deeper eke out of ply, job done

 

[Little John]

I didn't realise glue gun 'stuff' would stick to plastic - learn somat every day Nice job - good on yer ...

LJ