# Veil with clear panel available anywhere?



## davemal (Mar 6, 2015)

As my eyes age, I find I am more and more often removing my traditional veil to be better able to see eggs, especially when standing in shade. Doing so is not a problem most of the time. But at times, I would rather not remove my veil. 

I have thought of cutting out some of the mesh material at eye-level and hot gluing in a panel of flexible, clear cellophane-like material in its place. Might be hard to keep clean. Maybe easily damaged. Any experience with such a veil? Anything out there for sale?


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## Akademee (Apr 5, 2020)

I have never seen anything like that, I think there would be problems with the plastic fogging up and making visibility worse! However, I have seen researchers use jeweler magnification headsets to increase their ability to see things. They can wear them under their veils, especially if its the fencing hood style.


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## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

One pair of aged eyes to another, wearing a good, bright headlamp helps, too.


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## Tigger19687 (Dec 27, 2014)

I wear a baseball hat under my veil and then taped my Readers to the bill up high under the brim. This way I tilt my head down and look through the glasses. Worked ok. I also have a light that is made fit your BB hat brim, but forgit to turn it on the other day.
I know what you are thinking of though and wonder if it would be too heavy for that veil


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Acetate sheet is available at hobby stores. I have used it for RC model plane windshields. I see it being touted now for Covid virus face shields. 

https://canada.michaels.com/en/diy-face-masks-and-shields/acetate-face-shield/acetate-face-shield

You should be able to fashion something combined with a bee veil and an old straw hat for a trial. I find peering through the screen veils makes my eyes hunt for focus like trying to read a newspaper that has been blurred in printing.. To see eggs the depth of focus is critical and easily messed with by the screen. 

Worth a try.


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

davemal, I am with you on some type of a clear panel to see through on a veil. Sometimes I have to just about have my nose on the comb to see eggs.


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## mrbeer (Apr 4, 2017)

66 years young and had the same problem. Tried using my cheaters to no avail. Earlier this year I got my first prescription glasses and without even thinking about the glasses I did a hive inspection. Wow, I was able to see everything on the frames for the first time. Sorry I waited so long.


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## davemal (Mar 6, 2015)

Great tips. Thanks, all. Will give them a try. I buy 4.5 readers 
https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Glas...=1&keywords=4.5+readers&qid=1592991228&sr=8-9

They work well to see eggs, though I need to look above them when I walk around the yard so as not to stumble. Even with them, the screen veil is still problematic, particularly when trying to see eggs while in the shade or on a cloudy day. In such cases, I throw off the veil. Then I can see eggs very well with my 4.5 readers. Hoping the bees remain calm.


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## Wolftrainer (May 24, 2009)

Before I had my cataracts removed I put a 4"X6" ridged plastic in my veil. Reading glasses kind of worked but walking was not safe. I just replaced the plastic after 4 years, it only fogged up when I walked up the hill to my hives never while working my hives. I tried flexible plastic and the glare was very bad.


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## Honeyeater (Jun 21, 2020)

Hops Brewster said:


> wearing a good, bright headlamp helps, too.


Have you tried this? I think that if you have the light inside the veil, you will get a lot of reflection back off the veil, which makes it worse. Needs to be outside the veil to work I think.

My eyes are not even 50yrs old, and I never see eggs. I usually take a photo, which I enlarge on the computer, and then I see eggs.

I do have a magnifying glass in my bee toolbox, which I often forget in the shed.


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## Sean Govan (Jul 9, 2018)

Wolftrainer said:


> Before I had my cataracts removed I put a 4"X6" ridged plastic in my veil. Reading glasses kind of worked but walking was not safe. I just replaced the plastic after 4 years, it only fogged up when I walked up the hill to my hives never while working my hives. I tried flexible plastic and the glare was very bad.


Where can I get the rigid plastic that worked for you?


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## Newbeek2021 (May 13, 2021)

Theres eggs on a frame?? 
I was laying in bed last night wondering about this very same question. But like others have said i think fogging & glare issues would make it hard.


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

Sean Govan said:


> Where can I get the rigid plastic that worked for you?


We were talking about using a clear cover shield that goes into a welding helmet. There is even what is called "cheaters" which is magnifiers, like reading glasses.
Try you local welding shop, or even a home depo, sLOWES, CO-OP, rural king, etc.


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## ursa_minor (Feb 13, 2020)

Try getting one of the Covid face shields, that should be rigid enough and fairly light. How to attach it to a veil is something I am not sure of.


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## Tumbleweed (Mar 17, 2021)

You could try cutting out the mid section of a 3 liter clear soda pop bottle


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

I am with G3farms;

The clear polycarbonate clear lenzes from the large format welding helmet. Flat is much more glare and distortion free than curved sections.


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## ursa_minor (Feb 13, 2020)

I was thinking about how nice it would be to see clearly while working the bees. I thought of this type of veil, it would certainly be easier to insert a flat piece of plastic. You could probably even rig up a velcro attachment so it could be replaced if it got damaged or create a 1/2 plastic, 1/2 veil to mitigate fogging.


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## Sean Govan (Jul 9, 2018)

Thanks, will check out those cheaters. My wife absolutely hates mesh.


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

As I said above also, the different types of mesh will make a big difference also.
I find that the plastic types of mesh are very difficult to see through, but the wire mesh on the folding veil ursa- minor shows above is much more clear, at least to me.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

too the OP do you wear glasses?
if yes, would gluing the veil to the glasses then post the glue drying cut the veil with a razor blade, so you just have your glasses to look thru, or prescription goggles.

GG


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## broncorm (Mar 9, 2018)

I came across this vail the other day while goofing around online.









BeeGuardian® Veil


"Beekeeping just got a whole lot clearer" After years of using beekeeping veils with basic functionality and poor visibility we realized we needed to re-imagine how this 100 year old technology of the traditional beekeeping veils could be modernized and improve the beekeeper's experience...




backyardhive.com





View attachment 65301
View attachment 65301


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## ursa_minor (Feb 13, 2020)

There are some pretty cool Covid masks that strap to your head. I would imagine, like GG suggested, you could cut out the veil and glue it to the mask. The weight of the plastic would then be on your head, not dragging the veil and hat down. I would be as inexpensive as the cost of a mask.


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## rdimanin (Jan 17, 2020)

Bought the Backyard Hive veil with a clear plastic panel. It;s definitely an improvement over traditional veils & allows me to actually see eggs without reading glasses. The veil was expensive but I got it as a present. It's held up so far this season & we'll see how it wears next year.


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## Swell (10 mo ago)

davemal said:


> As my eyes age, I find I am more and more often removing my traditional veil to be better able to see eggs, especially when standing in shade. Doing so is not a problem most of the time. But at times, I would rather not remove my veil.
> 
> I have thought of cutting out some of the mesh material at eye-level and hot gluing in a panel of flexible, clear cellophane-like material in its place. Might be hard to keep clean. Maybe easily damaged. Any experience with such a veil? Anything out there for sale?


This thread a few years old. There is a clear perspex insert available in the U.S.A. that I have seen I was trying to find a source when I stumbled upon this thread.
The product is called EZC "easy see" I recall seeing the lady describe it I think on youtube.
A! ha! I just found the link , Beekeeping Equipment | The Easy See


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## ZooBee (Dec 11, 2020)

Old thread for sure but still I found it looking for that EZC link LOL.
Of course, being the cheapskate tinkerer I am, trying to come up with something that doesn't look as bad as David Burns frankenveil . Looking through thingmaker to see if I could just print something and make it work. We'll see how lazy I bee
Z


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

The David Burns one on Youtube is an absolute hack and I doubt it was very durable. It very likely came apart first time it was washed, if not before. But if you really need it then go find his video on YouTube, you might come up with better ideas. One thought I had when I saw David's video is that beekeeping PPE could certainly use a 21st century update. We have technologies now that can improve vision and keep us cool while we work.


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## jm5255038 (8 mo ago)

crofter said:


> Acetate sheet is available at hobby stores. I have used it for RC model plane windshields. I see it being touted now for Covid virus face shields.
> 
> Acetate Face Shield
> 
> ...


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## jm5255038 (8 mo ago)

I'm going to try it! I've been straining to see for years! Thanks for the info.


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## Farmgirl971 (9 mo ago)

davemal said:


> As my eyes age, I find I am more and more often removing my traditional veil to be better able to see eggs, especially when standing in shade. Doing so is not a problem most of the time. But at times, I would rather not remove my veil.
> 
> I have thought of cutting out some of the mesh material at eye-level and hot gluing in a panel of flexible, clear cellophane-like material in its place. Might be hard to keep clean. Maybe easily damaged. Any experience with such a veil? Anything out there for sale?


I just ordered this - looks awesome. 








BeeGuardian® Veil


"Beekeeping just got a whole lot clearer" After years of using beekeeping veils with basic functionality and poor visibility we realized we needed to re-imagine how this 100 year old technology of the traditional beekeeping veils could be modernized and improve the beekeeper's experience...




backyardhive.com


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## Beeves4u (Dec 4, 2021)

The first time I put on a veil I said to myself this isn't going to work...too much glare off of the netting. I finally gave up and installed a piece of plastic in my veil and what a difference it makes.
I took a couple of old face shields I had and cut them to size and attached them to my veil with screws. After I cut out the wire mesh on the veil I epoxied the rim to the inside of the veil, after drying I installed the lense then another rim on the outside and drilled holes and attached with screws and nuts. If the lense part gets scratched or damaged I can unscrew and install another.


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## jm5255038 (8 mo ago)

Here is my version I just made a few weeks ago.














Works great!


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## jm5255038 (8 mo ago)

Beeves4u said:


> The first time I put on a veil I said to myself this isn't going to work...too much glare off of the netting. I finally gave up and installed a piece of plastic in my veil and what a difference it makes.
> I took a couple of old face shields I had and cut them to size and attached them to my veil with screws. After I cut out the wire mesh on the veil I epoxied the rim to the inside of the veil, after drying I installed the lense then another rim on the outside and drilled holes and attached with screws and nuts. If the lense part gets scratched or damaged I can unscrew and install another.
> View attachment 70067


Very nice!


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