What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[JamezF]

I've been repairing/reassembling old super frames to go into supers under the clearer boards when I take off the supers shortly. It's been a slower process than I wished, mostly thanks to undergoing some fairly abusive dental surgery this morning. An hour and a half in the chair and it took about eight hours to get the feeling back in my jaw (at which point I wished I hadn't). It didn't put me in the best frame (ahem) of mind.

We've just opened a second bottle of anaesthetic though, so I've decided that perhaps it's time to call a halt to precision work (hitting the end of a nail with a hammer, for example) for today.

Come to think of it, going into the surgery was a bit like entering a workshop. I walked through the door and the dentist had all the tools he needed to use laid out across about three feet of worktop. I nearly lost my bottle at that point

James

 

[JamezF]

Come the time to put honey in jars I always end up balancing the bucket on bits of scrap timber and suchlike to get the last of the honey out of the gate. It's really not satisfactory and there's always the risk of things tipping over and honey going all over the place. But no longer!

I dug out some scrap bits of timber (including some quite nasty 18mm ply) and a pair of hinges that have been sitting about since forever and inspired by the Apiarist built myself a honey bucket tipper. The major differences with mine are that it has a fixed base giving space underneath for scales and a 1lb honey jar and that I've used toggle latches to stop the platform opening up when it's stored that also keep the "wedge" in place.

It still needs a coat or two of varnish, but I think this year I can look forward to more reliable jar filling.

James

 

[madasafish]

Come the time to put honey in jars I always end up balancing the bucket on bits of scrap timber and suchlike to get the last of the honey out of the gate. It's really not satisfactory and there's always the risk of things tipping over and honey going all over the place. But no longer!

I dug out some scrap bits of timber (including some quite nasty 18mm ply) and a pair of hinges that have been sitting about since forever and inspired by the Apiarist built myself a honey bucket tipper. The major differences with mine are that it has a fixed base giving space underneath for scales and a 1lb honey jar and that I've used toggle latches to stop the platform opening up when it's stored that also keep the "wedge" in place.

It still needs a coat or two of varnish, but I think this year I can look forward to more reliable jar filling.

James

 

[madasafish]

My tipper tray from scrap contiboard (recycled TV stand ) and removable (weight) legs (pine church seats)

 

[Curly green finger's]

Making frames

 

[JamezF]

A few years back advancing years meant that my mother-in-law was having problems balancing a wheelbarrow, so my father-in-law bought a new one with two wheels at the front. She couldn't get on with that either and he didn't like it because it doesn't steer the same as a normal wheelbarrow, so he used the metal "tub" to replace the plastic one on another barrow that had broken. I put the remainder to one side to turn into a hive barrow one day. I reckon having two wheels might actually be a benefit for a hive barrow as there's less temptation to tip it to the side when turning.

"One day" turned out to be today, mostly because I was looking for something simple to do whilst all my sash clamps were in use for gluing some other woodwork together (the top of a table for our pizza oven, as it happens). All the timber came out of the scrap wood pile including the 18mm ply for the bed, but as it happened I only had a long piece about 15mm wide, so had to glue several sections edge to edge to make the size I wanted and therefore needed the sash clamps

I've not taken it for a test drive yet -- it was dark by the time I finished and it only has a daytime MOT, but I'm happy enough with it considering it has cost me nothing but a few hours in the workshop. No photos either for the time being, also because it was dark, and persisting with rain.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

@JamezF I think there should be a Forum prize for ingenuity. You would give @pargyle some competition

 

[pargyle]

@JamezF I think there should be a Forum prize for ingenuity. You would give @pargyle some competition

He's a man of many talents and I like to see repurposing and innovation - there are some very creative people on here and some like James with the ability to make the things they imagine as well.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I reckon having two wheels might actually be a benefit for a hive barrow as there's less temptation to tip it to the side when turning.

I've found that one wheeled hive barrows are much better if there's even a hint at rough or uneven ground - was moving supers on a sack truck the other day (it was at hand so 'convenient') one wheel hit a slight dip, barrow tilted and over they went - luckily they were well propolised so I didn't have the nightmare of full frames of honey scattered everywhere. always found that if you are using two wheels it is much safer to pull it backwards rather than push.

 

[JamezF]

@JamezF I think there should be a Forum prize for ingenuity. You would give @pargyle some competition

He's a man of many talents and I like to see repurposing and innovation - there are some very creative people on here and some like James with the ability to make the things they imagine as well.

Flattery will get you everywhere

James

 

[JamezF]

I've found that one wheeled hive barrows are much better if there's even a hint at rough or uneven ground - was moving supers on a sack truck the other day (it was at hand so 'convenient') one wheel hit a slight dip, barrow tilted and over they went - luckily they were well propolised so I didn't have the nightmare of full frames of honey scattered everywhere. always found that if you are using two wheels it is much safer to pull it backwards rather than push.

I shall take note of your experience when I try it out properly for the first time.

James

 

[Garry R]

Come the time to put honey in jars I always end up balancing the bucket on bits of scrap timber and suchlike to get the last of the honey out of the gate. It's really not satisfactory and there's always the risk of things tipping over and honey going all over the place. But no longer!

I dug out some scrap bits of timber (including some quite nasty 18mm ply) and a pair of hinges that have been sitting about since forever and inspired by the Apiarist built myself a honey bucket tipper. The major differences with mine are that it has a fixed base giving space underneath for scales and a 1lb honey jar and that I've used toggle latches to stop the platform opening up when it's stored that also keep the "wedge" in place.

It still needs a coat or two of varnish, but I think this year I can look forward to more reliable jar filling.

James

I made my tipper with a gas strut which opens it up when the weight allows it. The final stages use the wedges. The trick is to allow the honey to flow above the tap before the level gets too low and this prevents scum going into the jars when using the tipper for bottling. Once it gets near the bottom tip further with the wedges but don't let it over balance. I have thought of using a bungee just in tension and no more from the back of the stand to the top back of the bucket to prevent overbalancing - will try it this year

 

[JamezF]

I made my tipper with a gas strut which opens it up when the weight allows it.

I seriously did consider that as I have an old gas strut for a car boot left over from when I replaced ours recently. I decided that just this once I could do without complicating things, though it certainly would be quite a neat thing to build.

James

 

[blackcloud]

A tipper is on the list (right at the top at this moment) that I didn't get round to making back in the winter.
Coffee as I contemplate desticky-ising after a jar filling session.
I've got buckets teetering at jaunty angles on piles of books and screwdrivers while trying to stop scum being sucked in from the top and sediment from the bottom.
I've got some M10 x 200mm screws with big plastic handwheels on the tops that I'm thinking as adjusters.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

After using my mum's pyrex mixing bowls to do uncapping for my first 5 years I've put together a plastic tray, some stainless steel mesh and a plastic valve. Not sure about the mesh size. Might be too big. Have to get it clean and try it out.

Tray - BiGDUG Euro Stacking Box with Hinged Lid | 125h x 400w x 600d mm | 20 Litre Capacity | Grey
Mesh - Heavy Duty Stainless Steel 304 Grade Woven Wire Mesh Sheet (Mesh Spec: 5 x 1mm = 4mm, Mesh Sheet Size: 420 x 594mm Sheet (A2))- ebay
Honey gate - Thornes Honey valve

 

[Garry R]

View attachment 33466

After using my mum's pyrex mixing bowls to do uncapping for my first 5 years I've put together a plastic tray, some stainless steel mesh and a plastic valve. Not sure about the mesh size. Might be too big. Have to get it clean and try it out.

Thats really neat. I wouldn't worry about the mesh size as you do not want the mesh at that stage too small or it will just clog up. The smaller filtration can happen at the next stage. Get the cappings wax as dry and as simply as possible at this stage. I find it is helpful if you let it filter overnight and then give it a light turn over the next morning - two trays help to speed things up.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Thats really neat. I wouldn't worry about the mesh size as you do not want the mesh at that stage too small or it will just clog up. The smaller filtration can happen at the next stage. Get the cappings wax as dry and as simply as possible at this stage. I find it is helpful if you let it filter overnight and then give it a light turn over the next morning - two trays help to speed things up.

Currently I only filter for an hour or so in a coarse sieve from Lidl over a bucket. Bought the box with a lid so take the wooden rest off and the cappings can stay covered.

 

[Garry R]

View attachment 33466

After using my mum's pyrex mixing bowls to do uncapping for my first 5 years I've put together a plastic tray, some stainless steel mesh and a plastic valve. Not sure about the mesh size. Might be too big. Have to get it clean and try it out.

Where did you get the tray or was it just something you had in the workshop?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Where did you get the tray or was it just something you had in the workshop?

Solent plastics are good for food safe plastic boxes

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Where did you get the tray or was it just something you had in the workshop?

Will edit post with links.