# 5 gal bucket bee vac plans



## darrellva

I have seen them somewhere before on how to make the cuts on the buckets but I can't find it now. Anyone know where I can find them? Thanks


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## NasalSponge

https://plus.google.com/photos/1118...863660513010434468/albums/5617092227698654225


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## Undertaker

I have made that vac from his directions on the site. Easy to make, works very well. I have used it on a swarm I could not reach in a tree and on a cutout and will use it again on Friday for a cutout. Very little damage to the bees, twist the buckets to vary the suction.


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## Tom Davidson

NasalSponge said:


> https://plus.google.com/photos/1118...863660513010434468/albums/5617092227698654225


I'm definitely going to build one of these, it seems to simple and efficient, for my first bee vac which I will put to use in a couple of weeks. 

Two questions: How do you know if you need to rotate the buckets to reduce (or enlarge) suction (just peek inside as you're going along)? How is suction regulated on the large model?


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## odfrank

I have a bucket vac and much prefer my BushKill vac. The bees are vac'ed right onto combs in one step and you don't end up dumping vac'ed up debris into the box when you dump the bees out of the bucket. A friend just brought me bees vac'ed from under a shed and about two cups of leaves and other debris were mixed with the bees. On a Bushkill the garbage stays on the bottom board and the bees walk away from it up onto the combs.
My bucket vac is all plumbed to the lid which can then fit other matching buckets. The ball valve regulates the flow. Motor is old electric mini vac. Pool cleaning hose works well.


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## Rancho Simi

Looks cool. I've heard the biggest problem with bee vacs is keeping the sucked up bees alive and preventing them from being slammed into the bucket to their death. Suction power seems to be determined on the length of the hose. The longer the hose the less suction. I think suction can be adjusted easily by trying different hoses and lengths. But how do you give them a nice soft landing once they enter the bucket ? The screening keeps them in the bucket and provides great ventilation but it doesn't seem to do anything to lessen their impact into the bucket when being sucked up. Hopefully the bees don't end up piled against the screens and forced through as a puree of bees. I wonder if some foam padding, Tempurpedic, etc. might help with the bee bucket landing.


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## Intheswamp

The hose length is probably the biggest limiting factor of the vacuum's max suction...air leaks account for other losses. The size of the actual openings in the screened holes are adjusted by spinning one bucket inside of the other one...this is what is used to vary the power of the vacuum in a controlled way. Carpeting, foam, bubble-wrap, etc., could be used on the bottom of the bucket to soften the bees' landings...bubble-wrap would probably be better so that the bees legs and feet don't get hung up in it (as could happen with carpet or whatever). When the bees enter the bucket/box the vacuum pressure drops greatly and the arrival isn't as violent as you might imagine...if you have the vacuum adjusted correctly. Basically you want the vacuum to just barely pull a bee off the comb with the end of the hose all but touching the bee (maybe even touching it if you have a good gentle hand).

Ed


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## Tom Davidson

Intheswamp said:


> Basically you want the vacuum to just barely pull a bee off the comb with the end of the hose all but touching the bee (maybe even touching it if you have a good gentle hand).
> 
> Ed


Thanks, Ed. Sounds like good observation on how gentle or not the vac is suctioning off the bees is what you need to see. I'll definitely use the bubble wrap (have tons of it at work). I still don't get the suction control on the large two-bucket design, though (pardon for not getting that). :scratch:


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## Intheswamp

Tom, if your talking about the two buckets stacked end-on-end to each other that is just a holding cage....when the vacuum bucket starts filling up simply pour the bees over into the holding cage and put the lid on it. The double-stacked assembly is not used for actual vacuuming. Is that what you were wondering about?

Ed


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## Tom Davidson

Intheswamp said:


> Tom, if your talking about the two buckets stacked end-on-end to each other that is just a holding cage....when the vacuum bucket starts filling up simply pour the bees over into the holding cage and put the lid on it. The double-stacked assembly is not used for actual vacuuming. Is that what you were wondering about?
> 
> Ed


Thanks, Ed. That's exactly what I was referring to. I should've read the caption more closely. Thanks! :doh:


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## MES613

Anybody have step-by-step plans for building the bee vac out of 5-gallon buckets? The pictures at https://plus.google.com/photos/11186...92227698654225 are helpful, but instructions would enhance my likelihood of success.

Thanks.


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## tommyt

MES613 said:


> Anybody have step-by-step plans for building the bee vac out of 5-gallon buckets? The pictures at https://plus.google.com/photos/11186...92227698654225 are helpful, but instructions would enhance my likelihood of success.
> 
> Thanks.


Link Don't work


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## MES613

Not certain why the link isn't working, but I will try again. If you scroll up to the #2 message in this thread posted by NasalSponge, the link is there and it works for me.

https://plus.google.com/photos/11186...92227698654225


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## MES613

Try this one:

https://plus.google.com/photos/111863660513010434468/albums/5617092227698654225?banner=pwa


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## Fl_Beak

invest in a smooth hose. I made one and used the ribbed hose and it seemed to kill a lot of bees. I have several wine corks in my buckets to regulate flow, but I built mine like an inline fuel filter. Same concept though.


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## Hambone

MES613 said:


> Anybody have step-by-step plans for building the bee vac out of 5-gallon buckets? The pictures at https://plus.google.com/photos/11186...92227698654225 are helpful, but instructions would enhance my likelihood of success.
> 
> Thanks.


^ this

Good pics, need more detail. asap please.


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## Mrobisr

Fl_Beak said:


> invest in a smooth hose. I made one and used the ribbed hose and it seemed to kill a lot of bees. I have several wine corks in my buckets to regulate flow, but I built mine like an inline fuel filter. Same concept though.


Sump pump hose is ribbed and along with my vac doesn't kill any bees. The reason ribbed hose kills bees is the suction is too strong lower that and it will do fine. If you want to spend the money for smooth bore then by all means do it, but it isn't necessary.


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## BattenkillJB

I am always concerned when I see bee vac plans or suggestions that the vacuum motor is in the same bucket as the bucket to collect the bees. I have been using a shop vac with a collecting bucket with a perforated and capped strainer pipe on the shop vac side. The bees drop into the collecting bucket from hose to the cutout. The idea is to keep the motor noise from killing the bees no matter what the design is. The only dead bees that I have had are a few caught in the strainer. The additional advantage to a separate collecting bucket is that it can be used to store the bees until the hive with brood comb is finished. Getting the elusive queen to cooperate is another story.


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## Huntingstoneboy

Home Depot has bucket vacs that mount directly on top of any 5 gallon bucket for $22. Plan on buying one this week and adjusting suction as needed. For 22 bucks how can u go wrong? Been using an old metal canister vac made by montgomery wards....last cutout we only had 5 dead bees!


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## Huntingstoneboy

Used The 5 Gallon home Depot bucket vac today on a cut-out in an old barn. Worked Fantastic. I drilled 4 1" holes in the bucket mid-way down...then covered them with screen from the inside. I ended up covering 2 of the holes to get enough suction. Ended up with about 7-9lbs of bees in total. Filled 1 bucket 1/2 full...slapped a lid on it and then put on 2nd bucket....right back to work. Found about 5 dead bees in total....And even vaccumed up the queen unknowingly. Released her later on top of the hive UNHARMED!!!! Love this vac!


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## MIEagleScout88

Have any of you tried using a 5 gal bucket head shop vac ($29 at HD)? You do cut outs and place screen over the holes, snap the vac on top, plug into a motor speed regulator (Amazon $20). You turn the speed all the way down as low as it’ll go and start vacuuming up.


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