# BEE BOX Machining Center



## Topkick

Hello everyone,

I would like to show off a new machine designed to manufacture Bee Boxes.

I am the manufacturer, so if the powers that be...decide that I should be in another forum or such, please redirect me.

To introduce myself, My company is Woodman Engineering in Redding Ca. My main goal in life is to design and build automated production machinery.

A local bee keeper mentioned that they wanted something better than what they had. I had been wanting to build a machine for some time, to machine the box joint, rack shelf (3/8 rabet), and Scalloped hand hold from pre sized box panels.

Our first machine has been running for just under a year. Running as needed, has produced about 30,000 Boxes.

Daily production can be as high as 1000 boxes per day. Future goals are to be at 1400 to 1500 BOXES per 8 hour shift.

I can be reached at [email protected] or 530-243-8753

I have pictures, and some video to share if requested. Can I post pictures here?

Thanks, Hank Bosman


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## AmericasBeekeeper

I would like to see that. You can post pictures here or link to where they are posted. One of my students installs signs and ATM machines. He made a set of computer controlled table saws that cut everything. Now his garage is full of hives, frames and extracting equipment. A year ago he had not seen a beehive.


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## honeyman46408

I will never buy one but I like to see machines work, you can post pics here as long as you follow the posting guidlines http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227902

and you can post links to the vedios.


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## brac

Picture and video are both ok, just upload them to any photo hosting site and place a link here. I too would like to see you machine.


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## Topkick

Ok it looks like a workable link is in order.
Stand by...
HB


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## mythomane

Prices might be nice, too.


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## Topkick

To see the BEE BOX Machining Center in action.
Please take a look at this link to PhotoBucket.

http://s929.photobucket.com/albums/...-10/?action=view&current=BBM-258-08-09030.flv

or this link to all of what is posted so far

http://s929.photobucket.com/albums/ad132/woodmaneng/BEE BOX Machining Center 4-28-10/

Thanks Hank


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## honeyman46408

NICE but I bet its cost is way outa my league


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## Ross

Here's how they did it 100 years ago...
http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/


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## Topkick

Yes I have seen that machine. I would kill to have it to restore.

The best thing about my machine is that the panels are held square and true while being cut at both ends at once. It does not rely on the precut dimension of the panels for the depth of the box joint fingers. Hence the interior dimensions are going to be true and to size.

This most defiantly is a high production machine made for the producers of bee boxes that make them 24/7.

The operator just needs to fill the hopper and the machine will continue to run. One man is being used to run the machine, at a reduced rate.

Hank


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## BEES4U

Hank, 
Thank You for the video.
Just push the red button and stand back. Using that machine can save the dado cuts to the hands.
Ernie


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## Topkick

*Email correction* for my first post:

[email protected]

Sorry for the hassle. HB


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## The Honey Householder

Hey if a guy could sale 30K boxes in a year this would be the machine to buy. What about a machine for frame pieces?
Thanks for the show and tell,:applause:
Ron Householder


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## berkshire bee

Nice video, I love seeing stuff like that. How much power does it take to cau all of those box joints at once?


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## Topkick

Hello Ron,
Well you finally get to see the machine. Glad to see you approve. How many do you want?
HB


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## Topkick

We use two 7 1/2 HP motors for the dado heads, two 3 hp motors for the rabbet and hand hold. Plus there is a small DC motor to move the rabbet cutter.

The load on the dado heads while they are cutting is so close to idle draw that we could use 5 hp motors. 

The machine is controlled by a logic computer to sequence the operations and maintain correct cycling of the componants. Hey...Its just fun to watch do its thing.

Thanks, Hank


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## Tom G. Laury

Wow that's a great looking machine. The biggest one I ever used was an old ammunition box machine, huge casting with two vertical arbors which cut the finger joints and slightly trimmed to length. The carriage would hold twenty pieces at once. Made a HECK of a lot more noise than yours. Looks like the dust collection is well set up too that's a lot of chips from the joints rabbet and handhold. I counted about 5 seconds for the piece so 1000 per day is not undoable. Thanks for showing your machine you have a lot of R & D in it I think.


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## bhfury

Great jobs guys!!!!!!!!


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## alpha6

Very cool.


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## The Honey Householder

Whats it take to set up for different size boxes.


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## honeybeekeeper

How about the tooling cost after just machining one days worth??? I been a machinist for 20 yrs and i know down time for any reason and tooling is killer when it comes to machines!...Good Luck!!


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## Topkick

Hello Tom,

The rate the machine was running at the time the video was taken was about one panel every 12 sec(cycle time). That equals 560 BOXES in 8hrs. (see description at bottom of video)
The owner has the machine tuned back so one man can run it. He stacks about 15 panels on the infeed, then restacks at the out feed. If it was running at 7 secs you would need two people, and they would have an easy day. We had this machine running at 6.5 seconds, for a short time, then the operator tuned it down. That equals about 960 boxes per day. I guaranteed my first machine to run at one panel every 15 seconds. Future machines will surpass 1200 boxes per day. Two person crew.

I spent about 9 months on the computer designing this one. I have been designing everything in Solidworks 3D cad for over 12 years.

Thanks for the interest, Hank


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## Topkick

Honeybeekeeper,
Ya. I'm a machinist too. Since 1974.

You are right. You cannot ignore tooling cost!

The dado blades are Freud. Nice blades.
The first set is still on the machine. I inspected them about 2 weeks ago. The owner has run about 30,000 Boxes and they are still in good shape. I did see one chipped tooth there may be a couple more. 

The machine required 13 sets of dados to get 10 sets at 1"(Spacers and such). I bored all of them to 1.250 inches for the larger arbor. 
I did try to talk the owner into using one piece cutters as it would make setup so much easier, and future machines will be equiped as such. Tooling cost is seperate. Better figure on about $1800 to equip this machine. I built the hand hold cutter and 2, 3/8 offset dados. The rabbet cutter is a 4" Amada. None of the cutters have been to the sharpener yet. The cutters will have a good long life.

Thanks, Hank


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## Topkick

Hi Ron,

Resetting the machine for different panels takes about 15 minutes. Move a pin for the hieght size. Move the dado cutters in or out for the width. Readjust the infeed guides.

This machine can be used to make other boxes as well. Gift boxes, Product cases. Lots of possibilities. No reason the rabbet cutter can't changed and be used to make a groove for a bottom panel. But at the risk of getting off topic, the BEE BOX was what this machine was designed to make.

How is your honey straw machine? Is that the right name?

Hank


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## Topkick

Hello everyone,
Wow! It has been over a year since I shared the Bee Box Machine. The responce has been incredible.
This is not a machine that everyone needs, or one that you make at the rate of one a week. But 5 have been sold.

I hope to display the machine at an as yet undetermined bee conference. 
Thanks so much to all for your interest.

Hank Bosman, Woodman Engineering


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## mythomane

How much do these cost???


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## Topkick

Depending on the options and if it is a 3 station or a 5 station, with tooling...
50- $80,000.
Would you like one or two?
Hank


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## mythomane

Topkick said:


> Depending on the options and if it is a 3 station or a 5 station, with tooling...
> 50- $80,000.
> Would you like one or two?
> Hank


I bought this one already:

http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/

Thanks, though.


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## Topkick

Wow!
This is the one I saw pictures of a year or more ago.
Allow me to make a standing offer to buy this from you when you are ready to part with it.
I would love to restore it. How about a little paint and pin striping. Awesome.

Thanks for sharing. Hank


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## mythomane

Ha!
I will trade you even up for one of your new ones!


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## Topkick

Hello again everyone,
I would like to share the latest Automatic bee box machine with all.

Since our first machine we have made major improvements. 

Our latest machine has full cnc control of the router head enabling the machine to make 4 different styles of box
construction. 5/8 top finger, 1 5/8 top finger, full size finger with through rabbet, and best of all
the inset frame rest. The way to go as you can see.....here on youtube http://youtu.be/NHqUg7hQG-U

Enjoy
Hank


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## Benthic

That is really cool! I deal with the design and installation of automation like that at work. It's really neat to see it applied to something like this. Nicely done! 

Brian


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## Rob73

Those machines are fantastic. The reality is that shipping the finished product is the killer.... I would say other than satisfaction of building it yourself, shipping cost is the driver for folks to build em in their garage....
I dont want to sound negative at all, they look great and I bet they can pound em out fast with the greatest precision. I am envious of the handhold cutter for sure  !

Rob


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## The Honey Householder

Well I have to say Hank, you have a nice product and I only wish I would have bought in back when you first email me about it. The bee box boom has been going on for a lot longer then I would have thought. Been in the bee business for over 30 years, and I've never seen bee box sell for the price they do. I'm sure with the improvement and increase cost, the price is up too. My wife said I've bought all the new toys for this year already.inch::thumbsup:


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## max2

The Honey Householder said:


> Well I have to say Hank, you have a nice product and I only wish I would have bought in back when you first email me about it. The bee box boom has been going on for a lot longer then I would have thought. Been in the bee business for over 30 years, and I've never seen bee box sell for the price they do. I'm sure with the improvement and increase cost, the price is up too. My wife said I've bought all the new toys for this year already.inch::thumbsup:


I second this comment. A fantastic machine!! max2 ( Mech Eng retired to beekeeping)


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## vernonpurcell

Hank
Its going to take me 2 years, to get one of these, but I will have one.


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## vernonpurcell

mythomane said:


> I bought this one already:
> 
> http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/
> 
> Thanks, though.


The link is broken


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## Ross

mythomane said:


> I bought this one already:
> 
> http://www.myoldtools.com/boxjoint/
> 
> Thanks, though.


My total investment in that machine was a quart of honey and 1/2 a tank of gas. Yep, someone gave me the **** thing.


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## vernonpurcell

Ross said:


> My total investment in that machine was a quart of honey and 1/2 a tank of gas. Yep, someone gave me the **** thing.


Hi Ross
Your link is broken cannot get to myoldtool.com


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## Ross

I had a discussion with my registrar. It's up again.


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