What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[Swinton apiaries]

Been making Manley frames for the last 2 days
For the supers i bought Auctions
Good to get a few good days in the workshop over Christmas mind

 

[Swinton apiaries]

Started on nuc hive roofs as my old ones have broken up after 10 years
Boil proof and frost Proof is not as good as Marine ply but did last a good amount of time for the price I payed for it

 

[madasafish]

OSB3 for the roofs of 6 frame Lang jumbo nucs.
Pallet wood for the bodies.
Compatible footprints and roofs with my 5 frame home built poly nucs

Heater full on in garage # ( freezing with concrete floor.)

#not to forget thermal vest and long johns!

 

[amandaj57]

Unpacked all the new goodies Santa brought me to play with and prepped for my construction project.
Not sure this counts but they do live in the corner of the workshop - fed my worms! I can open them up in the middle of winter and was pleased to see lots of red wrigglies rather than more pot worms - obviously too acidic before.

 

[pargyle]

Unpacked all the new goodies Santa brought me to play with and prepped for my construction project.
Not sure this counts but they do live in the corner of the workshop - fed my worms! I can open them up in the middle of winter and was pleased to see lots of red wrigglies rather than more pot worms - obviously too acidic before.

I have a colleague at work who provides me with worm pee ... first class plant food.... not been allowed to increase my livestock to include worms ... yet ... do you keep them in the garage all year or do you put them out when it's a bit warmer? What type of wormery do you have?

 

[amandaj57]

I have a colleague at work who provides me with worm pee ... first class plant food.... not been allowed to increase my livestock to include worms ... yet ... do you keep them in the garage all year or do you put them out when it's a bit warmer? What type of wormery do you have?

It's fab stuff, and the compost is to die for.
I have a wormcity wormery because it is manufactured in the UK and I always try to get stuff that is if I can. There are cheaper Chinese imports.
Mine live inside all year because the barn has 2 foot thick walls and the temperature is pretty constant in there all year round. Some people keep them out all year but they could do with some shelter in Winter and some people move them back and forth, it is whatever suits. There is no 3 feet, 3 mile rule with them, although the first generation worms can be a bit flighty and try to escape (I am being serious here - honestly).
They are great for using up kitchen waste and are far more effective at disposing of mail than a shredder.
Some people go really over the top with mincers and shredders but mine have never been 'spoilt' like that. I generally have about 4 boxes on mine and take one off the bottom about every 3 to 4 weeks and add it back to the top.

 

[pargyle]

It's fab stuff, and the compost is to die for.
I have a wormcity wormery because it is manufactured in the UK and I always try to get stuff that is if I can. There are cheaper Chinese imports.
Mine live inside all year because the barn has 2 foot thick walls and the temperature is pretty constant in there all year round. Some people keep them out all year but they could do with some shelter in Winter and some people move them back and forth, it is whatever suits. There is no 3 feet, 3 mile rule with them, although the first generation worms can be a bit flighty and try to escape (I am being serious here - honestly).
They are great for using up kitchen waste and are far more effective at disposing of mail than a shredder.
Some people go really over the top with mincers and shredders but mine have never been 'spoilt' like that. I generally have about 4 boxes on mine and take one off the bottom about every 3 to 4 weeks and add it back to the top.

Yes I know the unit you have ...I did all the research and then mrs A stamped her foot and said I had enough pets for the time being and despite my entreaties that worm compost was the best seed compost there is I got the access denied look ! Will have to revisit from a different angle I think ... we compost our kitchen waste in the compost bin but it would be nice to feed worms instead...

 

[amandaj57]

Yes I know the unit you have ...I did all the research and then mrs A stamped her foot and said I had enough pets for the time being and despite my entreaties that worm compost was the best seed compost there is I got the access denied look ! Will have to revisit from a different angle I think ... we compost our kitchen waste in the compost bin but it would be nice to feed worms instead...

They are really quiet pets. I had had them for two months before hubby realised. He did question why I kept leaving the barn lights on for a week (it's to discourage them from running away in the first week) but I just had to mutter something sleepily about forgetting and it being too cold and dark to go out and turn them off.
He only found out when I got excited about taking my first batch of compost off. I reckon mine have paid for themselves by not having to get seed compost (well almost, sort of, if I use the boy maths my husband is so good at)

 

[Apple]

It's fab stuff, and the compost is to die for.
I have a wormcity wormery because it is manufactured in the UK and I always try to get stuff that is if I can. There are cheaper Chinese imports.
Mine live inside all year because the barn has 2 foot thick walls and the temperature is pretty constant in there all year round. Some people keep them out all year but they could do with some shelter in Winter and some people move them back and forth, it is whatever suits. There is no 3 feet, 3 mile rule with them, although the first generation worms can be a bit flighty and try to escape (I am being serious here - honestly).
They are great for using up kitchen waste and are far more effective at disposing of mail than a shredder.
Some people go really over the top with mincers and shredders but mine have never been 'spoilt' like that. I generally have about 4 boxes on mine and take one off the bottom about every 3 to 4 weeks and add it back to the top.

Must make one... more info please!!

I breed axolotls.... been keeping them for 60 years on and off ( a bit like my beekeeping!)
They eat a lot of worms... usually dug up from one of the compost bins.

10 or so years ago I bought a "breeding pair" of golden axolotls from a pet shop in Cromer ( no longer in business).. seems he had imported these from Holland... and they were carrying a virus which wiped out all of my breeding stock.
After completed steralisation of all of the tanks and equipment I restarted with some from a reliable source ( a reptile forum dedicated to salamanders).... and the topic on there.... DO NOT IMPORT !!!

Happy new year
Chons da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I used to breed my own dendrobaena for fishing, had a 4'x8'x2' box of them in an outhouse, keeping a light on in there stopped them escaping and I fed them on chicken food mixed with calcified seaweed to keep the PH level neat neutral, eventually used to sell them to other club members

 

[amandaj57]

A lot of people keep them for fishing purposes so I suppose it is the same idea. The worms are quite good at adapting to the space and the food they are supplied with.
I went with the bought in stacking system because I was more interested in the compost. You start feeding in the bottom box and as that gets full, you add another box and feed in that and the worms move up through the holes in the base while some stay down and 'finish off' the compost at the bottom, I keep four boxes on so that I can be fairly sure the bottom box will have very few worms in by the time I take it off and have the option of putting more on if I want to.
If you are more interested in the worm breeding aspect, you can use something as simple as a plastic storage box with some drainage holes in the bottom so any excess water can drain out and stand it on a couple of bricks.
My worms came with a coir bedding pack, a bit of worm food to get them settled and started and I shredded some confidential waste, give them a couple of weeks and then you can start adding in the kitchen scraps. Moisture is supplied by the kitchen scraps and its a bit like mixing compost in that you add a bit of browns in with it, old egg boxes and torn up paper from me usually.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I know the unit you have ...I did all the research and then mrs A stamped her foot and said I had enough pets for the time being and despite my entreaties that worm compost was the best seed compost there is I got the access denied look ! Will have to revisit from a different angle I think ... we compost our kitchen waste in the compost bin but it would be nice to feed worms instead...

More pets I like the sound of that. I might have a mooch round the internet later

 

[madasafish]

I bought some stuff in the sale, enough to make up two nationals with supers, for my first hives, and I was wondering if small splits and cracks should be filled, and if so what with? Is normal wood filler ok for bees?

They are cedar, should I be sanding and coating them? I was under the impression that cedar can be used as-is.

I wont be constructing mine for a few months yet, too much else to do, but now seems a good time to ask as everyone else is doing theirs!

Wickes own brand Multi Purpose Wood Filler works well and is flexible so moves with wood.
Easy to use. In tubs or tubes.
https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Multi-Purpose-Wood-Filler---330g/p/170695

 

[Fritillary]

Must make one... more info please!!

I breed axolotls.... been keeping them for 60 years on and off ( a bit like my beekeeping!)
They eat a lot of worms... usually dug up from one of the compost bins.

10 or so years ago I bought a "breeding pair" of golden axolotls from a pet shop in Cromer ( no longer in business).. seems he had imported these from Holland... and they were carrying a virus which wiped out all of my breeding stock.
After completed steralisation of all of the tanks and equipment I restarted with some from a reliable source ( a reptile forum dedicated to salamanders).... and the topic on there.... DO NOT IMPORT !!!

Happy new year
Chons da

Have you got a picture of your axolotls? ??

 

[Apple]

Have you got a picture of your axolotls? ??

They look like axolotls!... not exactly individually photogenic!
One pair albino, and pair natural/black.... and their tanks need a good clean.. they seem to like it "muddy"!

 

[Fritillary]

They look like axolotls!... not exactly individually photogenic!
One pair albino, and pair natural/black.... and their tanks need a good clean.. they seem to like it "muddy"!

Well they're not going to be pleased they're not "individually photogenic" now are they...
- They are extraordinary looking beasties though!

 

[Apple]

Well they're not going to be pleased they're not "individually photogenic" now are they...
- They are extraordinary looking beasties though!

Another species at the top of the Red list in the wild... my original pair came from the MRC laboratories in Carshalton Beeches where my friends father was a research scientist!
Never fail to entertain.... and eat worms with a strange sort of satisfied look!

 

[user 20277]

Not so much what I did in the workshop as what I did for the workshop. Made and fitted these cool doors.

 

[Newbeeneil]

That's quite a workshop, SWMBO would have kittens if I tried to get that in the garden!

Made a couple of roofs and a couple of floors yesterday and a new nuc today...... bloody winter, can't wait to get back to getting the odd sting or two.

 

[Swarm]

Loving that workshop.