# bee vac



## jsharp777

jello everyone! has anyone made the bee vac in the bee source plan area. are there better plans or do the ones you buy at dadant or brushy work better.
thanks
james


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## btedeski

I have not made one yet, but will be next week.

The thing I don't like about the plans is that they require taking apart a perfectly good shop back, and the ones you buy are costly because of the vac.

I am planing on building one but with a place to attach the hose from the vac. Also dewalt makes a 18volt battery shop vac, that would make it a truly portable unit.

Bill


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## Ardilla

When I get around to building one I am going to build this style:

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/bee-vac/

It puts the bees directly into hive bodies, and you can keep your shop vac intact.


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## btedeski

I like that design, I think that I am going to go with something along that line, but do want to put an observation window in the vac so I can see what I am collecting.

Bill


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## Hambone

I am about 1/2 though making one like Iddee's.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223929


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## mgmoore7

I just built Robo's Bush Kill Bee Vac. Very simple and ingenious design. I will be using it this weekend. 

I will be posting pictures on my site next week.


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## KQ6AR

I just built one like Iddee's. I haven't had a chance to try it yet.
Instead of the adjustable vent holes I put a screened bottom board under the lower ten frame box. The drawer can be opened a little to reduce vacuum, & you have ventilation for hauling them.
I like that the bee's go into a 10 frame box with frames.


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## jsharp777

i like both of those, i am thinking of tryiing to use the the one with a cordless vac. let me know how the others work too.
james


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## G3farms

I built one like robo's and woks great for me. Seems like the bees have a place to go and stand to clean themselves if they get into some honey, instead of the box type where they are just in a big ball.

I have made the screened shim but have not had a chance to use it yet.

Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out.

G3


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## terri lynn

Derek said:


> I am about 1/2 though making one like Iddee's.
> 
> http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223929


I looked at the photos but a couple were unclear. Are there instructions somewhere or were the photos just more clear to you? I looked at the other site as well and hope to be able to make one soon. I was wondering though at which point the power (of the vacuum motor)is too strong and damages the bees as they are being sucked through. I know some have said one damages bees less than others, but is that just because of the design and the bees not getting bounced around so much or is it because the vac has less power....or both?:scratch:


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## walking bird

Coincidentally, I just built the one in Beesource's plans, and will be using it to get a feral hive out of a garage tomorrow. I'll let you know the results.


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## Hambone

terri lynn said:


> I looked at the photos but a couple were unclear. Are there instructions somewhere or were the photos just more clear to you? I looked at the other site as well and hope to be able to make one soon. I was wondering though at which point the power (of the vacuum motor)is too strong and damages the bees as they are being sucked through. I know some have said one damages bees less than others, but is that just because of the design and the bees not getting bounced around so much or is it because the vac has less power....or both?:scratch:


The screen where they hit it angled. So they don't hit head on. There are no real instructions, but I can answer most of the questions.


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## longrangedog

I built the beesource plan vac and have been pleased with its performance. I recently used it on a colony in a blown down tree. Within 30 minutes of completing the job I dumped them in a hive body. All survived. The only negatives is the weight. This is one heavy vac. I got a pack frame to carry it on my back when using a ladder. The motor is from a 20 dollar vac from Wal Mart. It's small but has plenty of suction for bees. I'm using pool hose which is smooth inside and isn't as damaging on bees as the hose with the ribs on the inside. The inner screened box holds several pounds of bees and with two boxes you should never run out of capacity. I'm a semi-skilled woodworker and already had the equipment to build it; however, I probably would try the 5 gal bucket vac before building another beesource plan vacuum.


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## walking bird

The garage hive removal went without a hitch, and the vacuum worked great. I had a 2hp motor on it with the smaller-width hose (I believe it's 1-1/4") and the air regulator about 1/4 open. All the bees survived.

Since it's built with plywood, it's definitely heavy. I put it on top of a five-foot ladder, and that was perfect. Don't know that I'd want to have to carry it and vacuum at the same time, although a back-pack set-up as mentioned above would be cool. 

I got to the place at 5P, left at 7P with frames of comb in place and a boxful of bees. Got home just before 8P and hived them in a nuc (it was a small hive). All looks well this morning.

If I could figure out how to post pix here I would, but I seem to the only nincompoop who can't get images posted.


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## Barry

G3farms said:


> I built one like robo's and woks great for me.


I started making this one today. Having already built the top and bottom, I realized why not build them a half inch larger all the way around than the size of a hive body and provide a rabbet on the inside so the hive body would sit down in the rabbeted bottom and the top would sit down over it on top? That way the bottom, hive body, and top are all locked in together and can't accidentally slip apart. It would eliminate the metal corners on the bottom box as well.

May have some more changes as I continue construction.


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## Cox89XJ

I built one using an old Kelly's plastic bottom board. Made a riser out of 1 by 3's and fastened it from the bottom of the bottom board with screws. Drilled a 1 1/2 inch hole in that for the bee vac hose, used an old plastic inter cover and cut the hold out bigger and screwed and sealed a # 8 hardwire screen on it. Made a flat piece of fairly thin plywood with two holes in it. One for the shop vac hose to fit and and the other with a sliding adjustable vent to regulate the air flow. You want just enough flow to barely suck the bees down the hose. Used window seal foam that has the sticky strip on one side and fastened that to the rizer boad that is fastened to the plastic bottom board. Sealed all the air leak places with caulking.
All you have to do is put a hive body on top of the rizer, bottom board and put the screen on top of that, the thin plyboard on top of the screen, hook up your shop vac to the top hose. Used duct tape to get the correct hose fit for both the shop vac end and the bee vac hose. Used my gas generator for power and it works like a charm. I've done three cut out with it. The first one I did, I thought I would be real smart and leave the hive where I did the cut out and let them clean up the mess and put it in the new hive...... Well the next day they were right back in their old home. Had to do it again. This time when finished, I carried them to my land. My bee vac looks similar to red one displayed above. I just used old bee equipment I had laying around. Works good.


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## D Semple

Barry said:


> I started making this one today. Having already built the top and bottom, I realized why not build them a half inch larger all the way around than the size of a hive body and provide a rabbet on the inside so the hive body would sit down in the rabbeted bottom and the top would sit down over it on top? That way the bottom, hive body, and top are all locked in together and can't accidentally slip apart. It would eliminate the metal corners on the bottom box as well.
> 
> May have some more changes as I continue construction.


If you make your rabbits to deep it will interfere with with the screen shim and may make it tough to seal up your air gaps. Also, I like beeing able to set the vacuum bottom directly down on top of the bottom board when I bring the hive home. Makes for an easy transition for the bees when I pull it off in a couple of days.

Couple of suggestions:
- use 2" masking tape to seal the 1" screen shim down to the top box, you don't wan't is slipping or coming off when you take the lid off or your adding your other boxes from the cutout (vacuumed bees are angry). 
- Keep one extra empty box on the bottom (no frames), otherwise it gets clogged with bees. Also cuts down on dead bees. Just remove it when you remove the vac bottom in a couple of days.

I too love Robbo's design.

Don


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## boknows honey bee's

I have made two sorry no pics but made a tube vac from two sonie tubes, the outer is 12" and the inner is 8" with the outer having a sealed plywood bottom with vac addapter. The inner has a bucket cut off with cap one one end with a round piece of plywood on the top with 1 1/4'' addapter for sucking up the bees as well as two sides with reinforced metal screen. The inner goes in the outer hook up vac to outer and suck up bees in to the inner. nice for smaller removals. Once done slam inner down on to surface then remove cap and tip over in to new hive with frames, presto done beutiful thing. I made an other one from two shallow supers and one deep super. The bottom super has a solid bottom with a metal csreen on top, the center deep super has holes screened around the sides with plexy glass piecies screwed in to help gain vacumm. They can be removed or addjusted to vent the bees when needed. the top shallow supper has a plexy glass top secured. I have weather stripping on the egde to help seal. So I stack them and secure them together with a buckel strap. The bottom has an addapter to plug vac hose in to abd the top has 1 1/4''adapter for sucktion hose. Once bees are gathered I remove top two peices and place them on a deep supper with frames and bottom board for there new home. The next day remove bee vac and place a cover on them done good thing. So far I have got one swarm and four cut outs for a tolal of five free hives added to my four bought nucs gives me 9 so far. Hope you all get free bees.


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## Ravenseye

I have a question about the vac power on these. How far can you add extensions to get bees without creating so much suction that you damage them as you pick them up? I captured one swarm last weekend by shaking it off a branch. That one I could reach. The other swarm was at the top of the same apple tree. My first thought was that a bee vac with about ten feet of extensions could probably have captured them but I don't have a vac and I was wondering about the idea. Any thoughts?


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## raosmun

I built Robo's Bush Kill Bee Vac. I modified the vaccum system by using an old Hoover canister vac. that had a variable speed motor. Took the vac. apart and mounted what I needed on Robo,s design. One should be able to find an old vac at a yard sale, Goodwill or where ever for a few bucks. I also cut down and used an old window screen and frame. Getting the thing to seal good is a trick, I used some window sticky back foam, but still have to tape the box(s).


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## Beregondo

I made one based on the design of iddee's bee vac 

http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/BEE VAC/?action=view&current=BEES019.jpg

I made it so that the plexiglass can slide to regulate vacuum, and instead of #8 hardware cloth used window screening I had on hand already.

Window screen restricts airflow too much, I intend to replace it with #8 hardware cloth. The airflow I had was barely acceptable, but was very gentle on the bees. I don't think that there were many losses attributable to the vac.
I used a smooth hose.

All in all, I liked how it worked very much. Another advantage of a sliding plexiglass is that you can pull it partway out and have a lot of ventilation for the bees during transport. If you do that, I'd duct tape the plexi in place once it is adjusted to prevent inadvertent release of the bees if it slipped, though.

I'll try to take and upload some pics in the next day or two, if you'd like.


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## boknows honey bee's

I forgot to metion I also used a 1 1/2" hole saw drilled a hole and place a plexi glass on a screw to regulate the vacuum. it works well however one must put six frames in the deep super for them to hang on to or they end up on the bottom screen after fighting gravity and vacuum force. At first I had thirty percent kill after installing the frames only 5 percent if that. Works great. I will keep your email take some pictures of it and attach them so you can see it. best device I have ever built. I had a swarm 1' off ground I put the bee vac just under it and using my hands cupped as many as possible to put them in the box less top piece. The remainder could not be had using hands so put top on tightened down and started my shop vac to gently suck up remainder. I hives them and they are doing great. Any wisdom I can offer is free for me the bees are key. Honey is golden the money I am holden. ha


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## Barry

Finished making the BushKill vac.










Bottom board.










Top without sliding insert. #8 hardware cloth attached below insert.










Top.










Hose to vac gets attached to left hole, right hole is adjusted for suction.


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## boknows honey bee's

From what I have been removing you will need a compartment ten times bigger to fit them in. That thing is way to small. You better build ten of them seriously. My deep and shallow full to the brim and needed to use my tub vac as well on two becaue there were so many bees. I see you have not don any removals. please take my addvice go bigger. I wil try to take pix of mine today so you can see it. Chow


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## Barry

All I can say is, I see you do not know what the Bushkill vac is and how it works! All you see is the top and bottom parts to the vac system. One can sandwich as many brood chambers between the two for any size extraction. Come on, I'm not _that_ green!


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## boknows honey bee's

That's what I get for not searching out the entire system prior to commenting. Sorry greenie. Go luck with removals BARRY


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## D Semple

Good job Barry. Did you build the removable 1" shim with the sliding screen also?

Don


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## Mike Tuggle

I built my bee-vac based on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=van2yWX3xhs -- I used 10" and 12" tubes and trimmed a 3" thick piece of foam glued to a trimmed piece of corrugated plastic sign board with the same construction adhesive I used to glue the plumbing insulation foam to the end of the tubes. I also used hot glue and duct tape to attach the screen to the "inner tube" 

It works great with next to no mortality. The only down side is keeping it vertical. And, as others have said, the vacuum control gate needs to be set for just barely enough suction so they lose their grip on whatever they are standing on. Once it's all done, I cap the hose adapter with a vitamin bottle and take the inner out for the ride home -- there's a huge amount of ventilation so they do not overheat.


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## Barry

Don, not yet, but I plan to do so. The latest cut-out the bees had been sprayed, so I wasn't going to keep the comb. I bought enough #8 hardware cloth to make the shim.

After looking at all the various bee vac designs out there, I felt Rob's Bushkill vac was the best one. Being able to vac the bees right into the final hive is a great plus, less stress. There are other designs that will work for very high places that are small, but for most situations, he's got a great design.


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## Barry

I think it was Dixiebooks that was wanting me to give dimensions of the Bushkill vac. Here is what I did.

Bottom Board:

2) 3/4"x3"x19-7/8" (3/4x3/8" rabbet on each end)
2) 3/4"x3"x15-1/2"
1) 1/4"x15"x18-3/4" laun plywood
2) 1/4"x3" eye bolts

Before assembling, I cut a 1/4"x1/8" dado into the four bottom boards to accept the plywood on a slope. The top of the plywood bottom starts 1/4" down from the top edge in back and is the same on the front board, only reversed. The eye bolts are centered on the sides and holes drilled so I could get a 1-1/4" fender washer on both sides below the plywood bottom. The 2-1/4" hole in front is centered all directions as well. I used 1/4" luan for the movable cover as well. It measures 4-1/2"x 2-7/8".










Top:

2) 3/4"x3"x19-7/8" (3/4x3/8" rabbet on each end)
1) 3/4"x3"x15-1/2"
1) 3/4"x1-13/16"x15-1/2"
1) 3/4"x3"x14-3/4" center brace
App. 11-1/2 ft.) 3/4"x3/8" strips for attaching #8 hardware cloth
1) 3/4"x15-3/8"x20-3/4" plywood removable lid

Before assembling the 3" boards, I cut a 3/4"x3/8" dado in them, beginning 7/16" down from the top. Assemble with the 3" brace centered and right to the bottom of the dado. I stapled(cleated) the 3/4" strips all around each side of the center brace, installed the hardware cloth, stapled another set of 3/4" strips all around.

The lid has the holes centered. Starting from the front, first hole is 1" dia. centered 13/16" from front edge. Second hole is 2-1/4" dia. centered 5-3/8" from front edge. Third hole is 2-1/4" dia. centered 16-3/4" from front edge. Movable suction cap is 4-1/4" square made from 1/4" luan.

Hope this helps.


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## dixiebooks

Barry- Your vac looks great. Now, if you could build another one and, this time, take step-by-step pics. your pics are the best I've seen yet for this design that shows the detail of how the parts are cut and put together. In fact, the pic of your vac bottom is sufficient. It is the top that I am still fuzzy on. Also, what is this other "insert" that was mentioned. What is it for and where does it go? (I know...I just opened this up to some wisecracks about where to stick that insert but Barry will keep it straight...lol). Thanks. -james


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## Tom Fran

*Bushkill bee vac build*

Barry,

You did a great job of building this vac and posting the details of the build. Thank you!

Are you pleased with the performance of it? Does it improve the mortality rate of the bees you vacuum?


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## Barry

*Re: Bushkill bee vac build*

Tom -

AFAIC, it's the cat's meow. There is basically no mortality. Any mortality happens at the suction end of the hose by smashing a bee or two. I can't improve on the design.


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## Tom Fran

*Re: Bushkill bee vac build*

Barry,

That's great! I will be building mine next week. I've already ordered a more powerful (and quieter) vacuum, and am looking forward to using this design and not having a bunch of dead bees after a removal. 

Thanks a lot for your great pictures and instructions. You made a real beauty, and it's obvious that you have some woodworking skill.


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## Barry

*Re: Bushkill bee vac build*

The vac I use with mine is a 16 gallon Craftsman, very much like yours.


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## odfrank

I found this year that swarms in the afternoon that have just landed are loose and easy to vacuum, as are the bees on cutout combs, only one or two layers thick and few casualties. But swarms that have hung out over a cool night are tightly bound and it takes more poking and scraping to get them suckled up, and therefore more casualties. One of these nozzles is helpful for swarms in thickety bushes and blowing bees from honey supers:

http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Vac-9068300-2-5-Inch-Concentrator-Nozzle/dp/B001MSF19E

Also at five or more extension wands and an extra hose. Combine those with a 12" ladder and you can get swarms about 20' up. Did two 16'ers this year. 

http://www.shopvac.com/shopvac-acce...ece-2-12-extension-wands-(40)__906-84-00.aspx

Those removal vac motors also make dandy bee blowers for honey removal. I use a Ridgid brand.


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## Mr.Beeman

For vacuuming swarms, a vac that has the frames inserted is the way to go. For cutouts, a vac that holds just the bees is just the ticket. 
Typically in most cutouts, you are framing the comb and for most cutouts you will need about two to three medium supers with frames. It makes more sense to add the bees to the hive from the vac when you get to the yard.
I just remove the top of my vac exposing the screen when finished, flip upside down once the hive is in place at the yard and pull the shim. After a couple of days remove the vac system and install inner cover and top.

In a pinch, I did have roughly 20k of bees in a 5 frame medium vac from a swarm I vac'ed. The frames made it possible to keep air movement and keep the bees cool. Within a half an hour, they were in a ten frame medium with drawn comb.


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## Barry

dixiebooks said:


> Barry- Your vac looks great. Now, if you could build another one and, this time, take step-by-step pics. your pics are the best I've seen yet for this design that shows the detail of how the parts are cut and put together.


I'll do this. I plan to make another one soon for my neighbor, so I'll be sure to take lots of photos.


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## Barry

*Re: Bushkill bee vac build*



Tom Fran said:


> Are you pleased with the performance of it?


The only thing I will do differently this time is to make the bottom board a smidge bigger than normal so I don't have to shim out the metal corner brackets that hold the hive body.


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## Riverderwent

*Re: Bushkill bee vac build*



Barry said:


> The only thing I will do differently this time is to make the bottom board a smidge bigger than normal so I don't have to shim out the metal corner brackets that hold the hive body.


The metal corner brackets are genius. I need to find a lightweight dolly to carry mine.


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## crmauch

btedeski said:


> I like that design, I think that I am going to go with something along that line, but do want to put an observation window in the vac so I can see what I am collecting.


In terms of visibility and 'ease' of construction, I thought this idea was kind of neat. Don't have a bee vac and have never used one. RubberMaid BeeVac


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