What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[Millet]

Rhombus Escapes

Put three of these together today to sit on top of a empty super.

 

[Eyeman]

Thought I would annoy the neighbours and scare off the local pigeons with a bit of frame making using the nail gun.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Put three of these together today to sit on top of a empty super.

Why on top of an empty super?
Mine are made with a 5cm eke

 

[Millet]

Why on top of an empty super?
Mine are made with a 5cm eke

I have a good stack of supers so rather than make eke's i would just use them, i will get around to making a few eke's later in the year though incase i need to feed fondant on the top bars in winter.

 

[nantmoel]

Put three of these together today to sit on top of a empty super.

I make mine so the bees are not crushed when in place, a bee space underneath the escape.

 

[user 6228]

5& 6 painted one metal undercoat two top coats dark brown.(they are supposed to be trees )

 

[user 6228]

Since ATs 1-6 are deployed and occupied . I have started construction on next batch of 3. This batch will have fully recessed screws, covings screwed to the side panels, pop riveted rather than glued ally protection on the insulated cover.
ATs 7,8,9 top sections of wooden liners completed, including roof & covings Beeswax rubbed on all internal surfaces.
Ally prices have jumped up so the cost per AT is getting close to £80 of which the ally is £33

During the construction we a couple of bees inspect the work.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Rain prevented beekeeping, so built myself a bee barrow.

 

[Brian Bush]

I spent 5 hours planing all my WRC purchased over the last couple of years. I calculated that I have enough stock to build 7 14X12 brood boxes, 4 WBC lifts for my friend, several NUC boxes and 3 deep roofs. I will probably complete them this week. Then will be ordering more from USK. I see on another post the cost of WRC has gone through the roof. That will set my business plan back a little.

 

[Eyeman]

I spent 5 hours planing all my WRC purchased over the last couple of years. I calculated that I have enough stock to build 7 14X12 brood boxes, 4 WBC lifts for my friend, several NUC boxes and 3 deep roofs. I will probably complete them this week. Then will be ordering more from USK. I see on another post the cost of WRC has gone through the roof. That will set my business plan back a little.

Wish I has time to knock a few nails in!
Woodworking jobs get done over winter- much too busy during the season.

 

[Brian Bush]

Wish I has time to knock a few nails in!
Woodworking jobs get done over winter- much too busy during the season.

Needs must I am afraid. I will need the boxes in about 6 weeks and I have a free day tomorrow so I am just calculating my cutting plans.
I estimate an hour with the power saws, an hour cutting grooves in the planks with the router and a couple of gluing and screwing should break the back of this little project. The one unknown is how many swarms calls I will have to deal with! ( I am the association swarm officer and help is a little thin on the ground until evening.)

 

[user 6228]

Pop riveting insulated covers, 92 pop rivets each. 2 covers done one to go

 

[Beefriendly]

Pop riveting insulated covers, 92 pop rivets each. 2 covers done one to go

These artificial trees cavities seem a bit manufactured to your prescribed specifications...pop rivets indeed.
Tree cavities come in varying shapes and sizes....wouldn't your future research be better attuned to studying bees in natural cavities?

 

[user 6228]

These artificial trees cavities seem a bit manufactured to your prescribed specifications...pop rivets indeed.
Tree cavities come in varying shapes and sizes....wouldn't your future research be better attuned to studying bees in natural cavities?

They are completely manufactured to my specifications that's the whole point. They have the same volume, aspect ratio, and thermal conductance of Seeley's 1976 survey. The entrance size and location as per the swarm preferences from his other research.
I need to be able to take them apart afterwards to inspect the comb and I need at least 8 of them. The pop rivets are on the aluminium skins to keep Bluetits and woodpeckers off them.
I dont want to ruin perfectly good natural cavities in real trees.

 

[Beefriendly]

Derek, it's never a good idea to produce research data from a "universal" size. Whilst you have to start somewhere...I'd throw a few curved balls and look at a few other sizes. Seeley's research was conducted in the states in a different climate and in an area dominated by Italian bees, as was his volume/height preferences on an Island. Are you using similar Italian bees so as to make a reasonable comparison? or local mongrels...there may be differences.

 

[Millet]

Made a few crown boards and recycled some cardboard courtesy of Paynes .

 

[Beefriendly]

Made a few crown boards and recycled some cardboard courtesy of Paynes .

Give you a small tip Millet, run the first turns around a round rod so you have a hole in the middle. They are easier to start smoking and boy do they smoke....
They work okay without...but better with hole in middle..gives more airflow through the cardboard. Usually last for a couple of hours..

 

[Millet]

Give you a small tip Millet, run the first turns around a round rod so you have a hole in the middle. They are easier to start smoking and boy do they smoke....
They work okay without...but better with hole in middle..gives more airflow through the cardboard. Usually last for a couple of hours..

Good tip and it sounds reasonable .. .. i will stick a 10mm bit in the drill and screw a hole in the middle of each one, i made a load last year and they work a treat and like you say last for hours.

 

[Olivia9801]

Homemade frame runners

I know they don’t cost much at about £1.55 a pair, but today I made a simple and effective jig to make my own. I use off cuts from the metal sheeting I use for my hive roofs (the metal sheet printers use to use)and they come out spot on and uniform each time!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Knocked up 6 crown boards ready for putting wet supers back on for cleaning.