What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[peteinwilts]

Similar to my land rover then, I think it is a beekeeper thing, carry as much kit as possible around with you only to find the kit you need is at base when you are on site.

I have a small 4x4 for doing basic stuff around the fields. limited to a couple of hives a few spares.... as you rightly say.. you cannot carry enough spares (or the right ones!)

I bought our old work van for a song... a LWB Sprinter type van (VW... made in the same factory). Great for moving hives around out apiarys and use it in the fields when it is not raining and the ground is not sodden (which has been rare in the last year or so!)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Moved a load of beekeeping stuff from the covered dog run (My usual storage space as I don't have outdoor dogs any more) into temporay storage in the greenhouse (going away next weekend so spaniel has to go in the run when not with the next door neighbours - Dachshund going to stay with the outlaws) - so ideal opportunity to do a stocktake of plywood bits i have stored away. Finished buliding four new roofs - sealed up ready for a few coats of ronseal (two more and a bait hive or two planned for the next few days) Then three hive stands to build.

 

[Pete D]

With this enforced lay off I have like many of us I guess had plenty of chance to get things in order for the warm weather onslaught
Having said that I still have plenty to do as I ususally leave stuff till last minute, quite enjoy rushing to collect a swarm, then dashing home to make some frames

Brought 'another' shed and spent some time yesterday moving stuff from shed to shed to garage and back, almost organised now, bit more cleaning to do this weekend and a bit of painting. Out with the strimmer whilst the bees wont come out and have a tidy up.

Pete D

 

[Little John]

Just been using a handheld circular saw to cut some handholds into the reclaimed timber I'm using to make a Russian Alpine Hive.

Bit of a challenge, with such small pieces of wood.

LJ

 

[Hivemaker.]

Just been using a handheld circular saw to cut some handholds into the reclaimed timber I'm using to make a Russian Alpine Hive.
Bit of a challenge, with such small pieces of wood.

There are various jigs you can make for cutting handholds, if you don't already have one, or a spindle moulder, quite a few on you tube, here are a couple below.
With hand held saw.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaWRjpJ5f0w[/ame]

With table saw.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5yWQCARkUw[/ame]

 

[Little John]

Thanks for those - I hadn't seen that second video: a neat technique.

The jig I made is based on Cleo Hogan's (the first video), but I had to make it from a single sheet of plywood in order to keep it rigid, as the jig is so much larger than the wood I'm carving into. Couldn't reduce the size of the jig, as that's determined by the size of the saw. Still, got there in the end.

LJ

 

[Luminos]

Just been using a handheld circular saw to cut some handholds into the reclaimed timber I'm using to make a Russian Alpine Hive.

Bit of a challenge, with such small pieces of wood.

LJ

They look like smiles

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

With this enforced lay off I have like many of us I guess had plenty of chance to get things in order for the warm weather onslaught

Ithought you'd have been quite busy in work at the moment with an increased demand in winter warming soups?

 

[Pete D]

Ithought you'd have been quite busy in work at the moment with an increased demand in winter warming soups?

Hi Emyr,
yes very busy at work, made over 800 ton of soup last week and we are running stocks low for year end ! Baked beans even busier.
Total factory output last week topped 20 million cans of food which is good for the spring. Winter is normally busy, then a lull before seasonal fruit and veg kicks in starting with Rhubarb in late April (ha ha not this year) through garden peas, Jersey spuds and broad beans June, July and August and then into carrots till Christmas, bit of beetroot October / November.
But I am sheltered from production now I am in engineering projects, got a couple of new cookers to procurr and install this year though at over £4.m each and the only way to get them in the factory will be through the roof !
My time plan for these is installation well after swarm season though
Hoping to call in and see Chris in a couple of weeks time on my way to the convention (on the Friday), staying over nearby for a full day on the Saturday. My wife is in charge of the credit card ! but I havent told her about pre ordering

Are you going ? Eh just realised this should of been a pm as of no interest to anybody else !

Pete D

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Are you going ? Eh just realised this should of been a pm as of no interest to anybody else !

Pete D

Never mind! - toying with the idea of going, see what's to do when I get home - if i do, might have to see if Chris has some beer he wants to get rid of

 

[fiftyjon]

Modified some deep frames for queen cell raising.

Put together a number of clearer boards with rhombus bee escapes cut in half and fitted in the corners and also made some split floorboards.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Cut some timber up in readiness to put together a couple of three hive stands (to put two hives on) just in case I end up with more colonies this year.
There's a person set up a new business in the valley - he used to have a stall in a few markets/car boot sales in the area and has decided it's time to settle down - he calls it 'cheap salvage. Just the place for cheap nails, screws bolts bits of timber and polycarbonate (next workshop project!)
Three lengths of 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" tanalised timber, eight coach bolts and washers -enough for two stands and a bit of timber over - £15.00 bargain I think .Sheets of polycarbonate (may be the odd scratch) cut to size for a few quid each, so maybe a few more crown boards to make in future.

 

[REDWOOD]

That's exactly what I done today

 

[Tom Bick]

Altered a few of my home made foundationless frames so they can accept foundation and gave them to a friend. Then sat and talked bees and bee stuff most of the afternoon with two beekeeping buddies.

 

[Pete D]

Changed 4 brood boxes on Saturday, so had a couple of hours Sunday cleaning the 4 that had been removed, scrape, scorch and paint.
Pete D

 

[Pete D]

Changed another 13 broods and floors on Thursday and on Sunday cleaned and painted the ones I had removed.
Always smells so whilst good scraping, cleaning and flaming.

 

[madasafish]

Made up 15 new top bars and wax runners to replace ones sold/destroyed/for bait hive.

 

[barratt_sab]

Made an "observation top" for a 14x12 brood box. It sits on on the bb and I can put a frame up with the q on it in the observation chamber. QE between the observation chamber and bb, two lots of bee proof mesh in the vent holes in the top (with 1/4" gap between them) and lots of locks to stop some ***** opening something they shouldn't!

and before you ask...

1. no, they're not my slippers; and
2. yes, I will try to remember to block the entrance before I take it to the village school!

 

[beebreeder]

My Biggest worry would be lack of ventilation for the bees in the broodbox, if you move full colonies they need travelling screens to ventilate and you can give them a mist of water, in that box they will just get cook, a lot of observation hives have the ability for the bees to fly as well, very stable though.

 

[barratt_sab]

I wondered about that - they'll be on a mesh floor, and under a shade but maybe I should put some mesh in the lid, so they get a through-draft. I sense a jig-saw coming on.