What did you do in the 'workshop' today

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Yay! UFEs seven and eight all made, and for the time being I've had enough. Not to mention having pretty much run out of wood to make the side rails and back from. It's a good start.

Next up I think I need some more rhombus escapes, but I need to order those first so I might try to get through a clear crown board or two whilst I'm waiting.

James
Which plans did you use for the UFEs?
 
Which plans did you use for the UFEs?

Well, none entirely. I've seen JBM's plans and watched one of the BMH videos, but like much of my woodwork once I have an idea in my head of what I'm going to do I just make it up as I go along :D Particularly as in this case I was just using up whatever suitable timber I could find in my pile of scrap and offcuts so of the eight no two are identical. I have some photos. I'll post them shortly.

James
 
Ok, photos...

ufh-01.jpg

ufh-02.jpg

ufh-03.jpg

ufh-04.jpg


Shall I get my excuses for the slightly iffy woodwork in early? :D

I had an idea in my head of what I wanted, but was a little restricted by the wood I had available. Literally no expense has been spent on these. It took longer to make them as a result, but because I've not decided that I want another job yet I'm time-rich and cash-poor, so that wasn't a problem. The main floors are scrap ply, some of which was being given away by a local company that makes "shepherd's huts", whilst the rest is bits of old bed frame, offcuts of fence post and construction timber and anything else that looked like it would do the job. Some is possibly antique :D The landing boards are actually two pieces glued together because my table saw won't cut something quite that big in one hit. I had an idea that I could taper the external sides of the landing board to make it easy to push that part under the rear rail of another when they were stacked up, but as all the side rails aren't the same size that probably won't work out particularly well :) Clearly they don't actually need to extend beyond the front of the side rails anyhow, but being able to stack them tight together seems like a good plan if they do.

James
 
Ok, photos...

ufh-01.jpg

ufh-02.jpg

ufh-03.jpg

ufh-04.jpg


Shall I get my excuses for the slightly iffy woodwork in early? :D

I had an idea in my head of what I wanted, but was a little restricted by the wood I had available. Literally no expense has been spent on these. It took longer to make them as a result, but because I've not decided that I want another job yet I'm time-rich and cash-poor, so that wasn't a problem. The main floors are scrap ply, some of which was being given away by a local company that makes "shepherd's huts", whilst the rest is bits of old bed frame, offcuts of fence post and construction timber and anything else that looked like it would do the job. Some is possibly antique :D The landing boards are actually two pieces glued together because my table saw won't cut something quite that big in one hit. I had an idea that I could taper the external sides of the landing board to make it easy to push that part under the rear rail of another when they were stacked up, but as all the side rails aren't the same size that probably won't work out particularly well :) Clearly they don't actually need to extend beyond the front of the side rails anyhow, but being able to stack them tight together seems like a good plan if they do.

James
They're far prettier than mine which are made from old pallet wood that doesn't mind splitting when nailed! Lovely work IMO. I wondered about a hinged landing board which could double as a door to close when moving the hive.
 
They're far prettier than mine which are made from old pallet wood that doesn't mind splitting when nailed! Lovely work IMO. I wondered about a hinged landing board which could double as a door to close when moving the hive.
Gaffer tape and mesh is easier :devilish:
 
Decided @JamezF is having all the fun so cut the floor section for a few solid UFEs and 11 CBs. Almost got all the bits for rims cut but had a phone call pushing me past the cutoff time for accepable noise.

Earlier I did a bit more tinkering on a box im making for my neighbour as thanks for lending me their mitre saw after the original cardboard box broke. Not as perfect as I'd like but it's ok.

20220703_123949.jpg
 
I was just thinking of stuffing the entrance with foam if I need to move them, to be honest.

James
years ago my mother was ditching an old foam matress from a truckle bed they had for when my sister had friends over - it was made up of loads of 3"x3" foam pieces nearly two foot long, they are perfet for blocking up hive entrances for when I'm moving bees. Still got a sackful of them in the shed for that very purpose.
 
Earlier I did a bit more tinkering on a box im making for my neighbour as thanks for lending me their mitre saw after the original cardboard box broke. Not as perfect as I'd like but it's ok.

Oddly enough I was searching through my wood pile earlier in an attempt to find enough suitable materials to build something similar to keep all my beekeeping bits and pieces in. I was really after some 12mm ply, but I'm all out. Could be that I end up planing down some of the left-overs from the bits of kit I've repaired and making a box from those, which would be quite pleasing in its own way: I could have a beekeeping toolbox made from old beehive roofs and floors.

James
 
years ago my mother was ditching an old foam matress from a truckle bed they had for when my sister had friends over - it was made up of loads of 3"x3" foam pieces nearly two foot long, they are perfet for blocking up hive entrances for when I'm moving bees. Still got a sackful of them in the shed for that very purpose.

Do you live on a property that has lots of stacks of stuff that "might come in useful one day"? A friend is hoping that he's not the only one...

James
 
Do you live on a property that has lots of stacks of stuff that "might come in useful one day"? A friend is hoping that he's not the only one...

James
I do, for years I kept all the little trimmings of mesh from making UFE's, I was tidying up the workshop at the end of last year and thought "I'm never going to use these am I?" A month or so later the new bee shed was delivered and the person putting it up remarked " the eaves of this shed are open to allow through air flow so you don't get dampness and rot, with all these hives you may find bees finding their way into the shed, I don't know the solution really as you really need to keep that air flow"
Needless to say he was very impressed when he came back to finish the job the next day to see each space between the joists with a piece of woven galvanised mesh stapled in place. They were exactly the right size for the job!!
 
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We have 20 meters of floored storage space over the garage . It's full of "just in case" wood, and wire, and carpet and boxes.....
 
Weather been pants here for last week or so, odd spells of sunshine but mainly cool, overcast, windy and bouts of light rain. Used the spare time to jar and
sell my spring honey and made wax from the cappings and comb I’ve
collected so far this season
 

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Got three UFEs, three CBs and three roofs finished. Have used flashband for the roofs (probably should tack the edges) so will be interested to see how they get on.

20220705_225435.jpg
 
I was just thinking of stuffing the entrance with foam if I need to move them, to be honest.

James

My UFEs are the same design (but with mesh floor) and I stuffed mine with foam when I moved my hive from our BKA apiary to home a couple of weeks ago - worked really well.
 
Becoming more adventurous with my DIY….. 6” roof made from spare wood and OSB. Only cost was the metal roof (not in photo). Just a big slab of celotex to add.
Quite pleased with myself 😁

Excellent :)

I have a load of galvanised steel sheet that my father-in-law bought years ago and no longer has a use for. Unfortunately it's all in strips about 8" wide. I'm still trying to work out how I can use them to make a flat roof for a hive (that is, one that can be used upside down to stand supers etc. on when opening it up).

James
 

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