# Sticky  Today in the Workshop.



## little_john

One of the most successful threads on BeeSource is "Today in the Apiary" - so I figured: why not start a thread along similar lines: "Today in the *Workshop*" ?

I'll kick-off by reporting that I've just completed the routine maintenance of eight six-frame nucleus boxes, which is not a size I'm wild about, but despite them having been made from poor quality plywood they still have a couple of season's life left in 'em, so I just patched-up those areas which have begun to delaminate with waterproof glue, followed by a lick of paint. And while that glue and paint was drying, I've been breaking apart a few dozen pallets which I've now begun to use for building some 18-inch Gallup Hives and a few Warre-style boxes.

Pallets come in many forms - my preferred configuration is single-sided, as they're usually the easiest to dismantle. 









The examples shown above have 30mm thick 'stringers' (supporting timbers) with pine 'deck-boards' (or planks) which I've been able to break apart with next to zero damage. But then, I have other pallets of a similar construction with 35mm stringers, the deck-boards of which are made of some kind of white-wood which has a tendency to split when dismantling if not treated with kid gloves - so those planks are being graded as firewood - not everything is worth salvaging ... 

But - it sure is a nice feeling to be recycling so much free timber (lumber )... 
LJ


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## William Bagwell

Nice idea for a thread! Sadly did not build anything today:shhhh: Did visit a Rockler store for the very first time so that should count for something

Agree with you about the single sided pallets being easiest to disassemble. Not having the side slots in the stringers is a plus as well. Normally am not allowed to bring home pallets from work as they are sold back for recycle. Got lucky for awhile last year when no one was buying them and we were briefly allowed to take them. So snagged about 50. Some single sided but unfortunately hard rough sawn. Machinery crates are often dressed lumber so I keep my eye out for them.


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## crofter

I worked at converting a table from an old band saw to make a router table. Was given a router that had crashed the spindle lock mechanism and now sports a hole in the end cap to slip in a separate tool to grab the shaft. Next is to make a fence. It is handy to have two routers set up for making frames so you dont have to swap and re adjust bits for making the 3/4 and 5/8 cutouts for top and bottom bars.


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## GregB

Great idea, LJ!

Too bad, I still did not have time to cut and staple a batch of my new experimental frames.
Next weekend now - fingers crossed.

ONLY if I can tolerate working outside - my shop is completely outside, under a tree.
The next weekend shows to only be up to 45F (but sunny).

Cold weather is coming and my backyard shop is soon to close for the season.
I should post a pic of my migratory, seasonal workshop!


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## little_john

Just to keep the pot boiling ...

There are several methods for installing 'smaller frames' (meaning shorter top-bars) inside full-sized boxes, ranging from strapping them to plain top bars with cable-ties;, using individual 'adapter frames'; or fitting boxes with rebates (rabbets) on all four sides so that full-length frames can be fitted length-wise with shorter frames cross-wise - but here's another method I came up with:










All that's required is to make a pair of full-sized dummies, each with an appropriate rebate (rabbet)-sized shoulder - I think this is an original idea - "Patent Pending". Ha Ha. 

... and showing how even more dummies can be used to fill up any voids.










When not required for this purpose, the box can then still be used for it's original purpose, and the dummies can still be used as ordinary dummies.

Dummies and even more dummies - I'm sure there's a joke there somewhere.
LJ


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## Robert Holcombe

GregV " my shop is completely outside, under a tree."

Around here, especially for working on boats and things all winter, I have discovered the benefits of making metal tubular hoops to repalce temproary wooden frames. I also use the approach for solving several gardening issues. Look up "High Tunnels" which are basically plastic film covered hoops. You can find lots of information at Johnnys Seeds ( Maine) for smaller applications and tools for bending tubes and installation methods. It is portable and simple and cheap; uses 10 foot EMT tubing or top rails for fences ( all at Home Depot - EMT is good galvanized stuff for electrical applications . I am planning on covering an old farm tractor this way so I can slowly rebuild it.

I also thinking of a space for hive boxes and frames in the sun, all winter as a storage method.


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## Michael Palmer

little_john said:


> One of the most successful threads on BeeSource is "Today in the Apiary" - so I figured: why not start a thread along similar lines: "Today in the *Workshop*" ? LJ


Similar to the UK Bee Forum. Actually, Today in the apiary is an idea from the UK Forum...What did you do in the apiary today. I suggested to Barry we add Today in the apiary. Its become quite popular


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## GregB

GregV said:


> .........
> Cold weather is coming and my backyard shop is soon to close for the season.
> I should post a pic of my migratory, seasonal workshop!


Saturday was warm but insanely windy to work the wood.
Instead, I harvested some veg.
Yesterday, I almost opened up my shop for few hours - and still did not (too cold for my chronic bronchitis to be standing around the tools).
Instead, spent the time processing my garden harvest.

Still hoping for a tolerable weekend to cut some wood to get ahead for the spring.
When the weather is right, I much prefer to be working in the fresh air (or not be working at all).
Of course, the real issue is the lack of space!


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## GregB

Robert Holcombe said:


> GregV " my shop is completely outside, under a tree."
> ...... Look up "High Tunnels" which are basically plastic film covered hoops. ........


Hey Robert,
My real issue is *space*.

What you are saying is indeed a no-brainer solution.
But for my 0.25 acre suburban property, the space is the most limiting factor.
Of course, I did this to myself, but it was an OK compromise and I don't regret.

Those hoops needs some space to stand them up.
Of course, I have this veg garden which is empty off-season I could setup some hoops and the shop in them, but...
I don't care to compact the soil too much - it will be just another self-inflicted headache to deal with later.


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## LAlldredge

Rudimentary carpentry skills here- Getting my feeding shims ready to go over inner cover (that has hole in center). Need to build another one with wood from our local builders supply and #8 hardware cloth stapled over the top. If I can do it you can do it. Scooping out winter pattie feed from MannLake (on top of wax paper). Will also be putting sponge on the inside to spritz water on during winter. You know how I feel about water in winter... Also inserting a picture of my messy work bench. Built from scratch with my boyfriend. Rolling locking casters on the bottom of the legs to make it easy to roll around. I don't have an enclosed garage. Just a carport and overhang so I make due.


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## LarryBud

little_john said:


> One of the most successful threads on BeeSource is "Today in the Apiary" - so I figured: why not start a thread along similar lines: "Today in the *Workshop*" ?
> 
> I'll kick-off by reporting that I've just completed the routine maintenance of eight six-frame nucleus boxes, which is not a size I'm wild about, but despite them having been made from poor quality plywood they still have a couple of season's life left in 'em, so I just patched-up those areas which have begun to delaminate with waterproof glue, followed by a lick of paint. And while that glue and paint was drying, I've been breaking apart a few dozen pallets which I've now begun to use for building some 18-inch Gallup Hives and a few Warre-style boxes.
> 
> Pallets come in many forms - my preferred configuration is single-sided, as they're usually the easiest to dismantle.
> 
> View attachment 58703
> 
> 
> The examples shown above have 30mm thick 'stringers' (supporting timbers) with pine 'deck-boards' (or planks) which I've been able to break apart with next to zero damage. But then, I have other pallets of a similar construction with 35mm stringers, the deck-boards of which are made of some kind of white-wood which has a tendency to split when dismantling if not treated with kid gloves - so those planks are being graded as firewood - not everything is worth salvaging ...
> 
> But - it sure is a nice feeling to be recycling so much free timber (lumber )...
> LJ





little_john said:


> One of the most successful threads on BeeSource is "Today in the Apiary" - so I figured: why not start a thread along similar lines: "Today in the *Workshop*" ?
> 
> I'll kick-off by reporting that I've just completed the routine maintenance of eight six-frame nucleus boxes, which is not a size I'm wild about, but despite them having been made from poor quality plywood they still have a couple of season's life left in 'em, so I just patched-up those areas which have begun to delaminate with waterproof glue, followed by a lick of paint. And while that glue and paint was drying, I've been breaking apart a few dozen pallets which I've now begun to use for building some 18-inch Gallup Hives and a few Warre-style boxes.
> 
> Pallets come in many forms - my preferred configuration is single-sided, as they're usually the easiest to dismantle.
> 
> View attachment 58703
> 
> 
> The examples shown above have 30mm thick 'stringers' (supporting timbers) with pine 'deck-boards' (or planks) which I've been able to break apart with next to zero damage. But then, I have other pallets of a similar construction with 35mm stringers, the deck-boards of which are made of some kind of white-wood which has a tendency to split when dismantling if not treated with kid gloves - so those planks are being graded as firewood - not everything is worth salvaging ...
> 
> But - it sure is a nice feeling to be recycling so much free timber (lumber )...
> LJ


One word of caution with using random wood pallets. Here in the Northeast, specifically NYC, NY and Philly, we have been getting a blight of invasive insect species, the Asian Longhorn Beetle, Spotted Lantern Fly and others. They have been entering borrowed in pallet lumber from Asia and are extremely dangerous to our native hardwoods. Personally, I think a requirement should be put in place to contain and burn all of the foreign pallets. The States and Ports are now spending a lot of money trying to eradicate them but the horse is out of the barn and we're pretty much screwed. They are a threat to our environment and millions of trees-they will eventual spread west and southward. Cheap or free wood may not be the best deal. Keep in mind that when these ships dock here, many are put on trains for delivery where you live.


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## jkellum

Well i took inventory of all the misc equipment i have so i can make a list of what to build this winter and built a frame assembly jig. Does that count?


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## JWPalmer

Taking inventory is good. Nothing like going into spring and discovering you are short a few telescoping tops. I would swear I had 20 of them, honest!


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## jkellum

JWPalmer said:


> Taking inventory is good. Nothing like going into spring and discovering you are short a few telescoping tops. I would swear I had 20 of them, honest!


Yep thats what i am doing now... Im using palmer style divided boxes for nucs and i need to build some more 4 frame supers. Im also gonna build some bottoms and tops for those same 4 framers so i can use them separately as well... 2 uses for the same boxes. I am gonna try some 10 frame double screen boards for early splits as well. Im always game to try something new and learn.


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## William Bagwell

Made progress on seven insulated telescoping covers I started months ago. In the south so do not really _need _insulation but had a bunch of scrap foam and did need covers. Foam (pink & blue stuff) is trapped between lauan and 23/32 moisture-resistant premium sub-flooring (they were out of Advantech that day) so the bees can not get to it. Actually started 10 but ran out of scrap 3/4 board I have scrounged through the years. One board I have had since the 80s! The seven that are almost done only need a second coat of linseed oil and the metal flashing bent and stapled on.

Had enough rippings from wider boards to make three feeder shims which will free up medium suppers which I _hope_ to need next year. Chemical free aspiring TF so who knows Plan to start feeding again and pulled feeders today to clean them. Oh, think these shims will eliminate the need for an inner cover which is something else I'm short on.

Not workshop related but discovered today my Lyson jacket has black mildew stains. Funny how back in the spring I would carefully dry it after each use then fold it and store it in a plastic tote. Now I just throw the sweaty thing in the storage building when I'm done.


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## kilocharlie

Joined a lawsuit regarding the fire that burned down my apiary, workshop, and home. Laid out a plan for financial recovery for my crowdfunding effort, and applying for housing. Later tonight I'll assemble a "super horse" (a folding, portable, rectangular sawhorse to hold honey supers at a convenient height and save my back) for which I have already cut all the members, just need to drill, glue, and bolt. Oh, yes - it is 3 supers wide, the inside has two rails for holding up to 30 frames, a tool rack, and an umbrella stand on the outside corner. It makes working a drop of beehives a pleasure.

Tomorrow will make a "nucleus seat" - a short stool with a storage drawer and room for the smoker bucket - for queen rearing season. It saves the knees a lot of wear and tear. 

Hopefully tomorrow will also see my the first part of my beehive identification branding iron welded. It's made of old railroad spikes and forms a large "KC" with a CNC machined piece that reads, "kilocharlie's honeybees and orchard management" underneath it, plus one that has my county beekeeper identification number sized for the frames. Next week's plan is a 5-frame solar wax melter.

Please excuse me, I have to get back to the mathematics of adding up the fire damage bill and filling out my application. Cheers to all, and keep those saws buzzing like a rosemary patch in full bloom!


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## kilocharlie

BTW, does anyone have a blueprint for a really good large radial extractor? I'm thinking 60 frames to maybe 144 frames, and will eventually build a second one when the apiary comes up to needing the speed. I'm in the planning and gathering stage for a year or three down the road.

I can draft up something on my own, but I well know the advantages of a well-thought-out existing design that has already gone through some excellent revisions to the finer details by guys who use them a lot.

Thank you and cheers!


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## William Bagwell

kilocharlie said:


> Hopefully tomorrow will also see my the first part of my beehive identification branding iron welded. It's made of old railroad spikes and forms a large "KC" with a CNC machined piece that reads, "kilocharlie's honeybees and orchard management" underneath it, plus one that has my county beekeeper identification number sized for the frames.


If you don't mind me asking, how much did that set you back? Too small to afford any of the custom brands I have run across at bee vendors. Not really done any thorough searching yet. 

Related, working on an idea for uniquely identifing each hive. Have seen others buy cattle 'ear tags' for this. Since I work in shipping & receiving have been saving used truck seals for the past week. Suprising how often you will find one or more broken seals just inside the back door where the driver threw them. Random names of companies and a 7 or 8 digit number. Plan to rout a shallow groove with a dove-tail bit and epoxy them in.


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## kilocharlie

Set me back a whole lot...I had to walk almost 250 yards along the tracks to find the spikes, had to put them into a vise, had to hacksaw them, had to grind them shiny so the welds would not be polluted with rust, had to bend a couple of them into the letter "C". I had to make a few more to weld sideways over the letters so they would be connected together, and had to belt sand a large, extra-long hex nut to weld to the sideways pieces for attaching the handle, a round construction rod with a thread already cut into it. So maybe a whole dollar.

If you really want to save some more money, skip the CNC machining (I work in a shop), and get some smaller steel stock, maybe 3/4" x 1/8" x 4 feet long (heavier material is recommended if you are going to do a lot of hives - try and see what you can work with your tools, and try to make one made small enough to brand a frame), sand or grind it all shiny, cut and hammer and bend you letters and numbers - I use a vise, several kinds of pliers, cheater pipes, pry bars, hammers, punches, even drills to form the letters. Then, line them up and make a connector bar to weld across them. Weld them all together - a TIG setup will leave really clean welds, a MIG setup is perhaps easiest, even oxy-acetylene will suffice, and practice on some scrap until your welder is all adjusted and your weld puddles are looking good - and you have a branding iron. The last step is to file the business end flat.

Remember to place the letters right-side-up on the welding table, arranged as you want them to read, then weld the connecting bar over them, then weld the handle on top of it. The business end is facing down as when you are branding, leaving the print so it isn't backwards.

A 6-inch long, 1/2 inch diameter round handle can be set into a drill press and heated with a torch and a whole bunch of boards can be branded in sequence rather quickly, either before or after assembly. I like to do it before assembly and brand both inside and outside of my hives on all 4 sides.

BTW, it is not a bad idea to add your PERMANENT phone number to your brand. Don't use your cell number - the doggarned phone companies will sometimes change your cell phone number without your permission. That was an expensive lawsuit for me, and if I ever find the jerk who did it to me he'll start having rotten luck for the rest of his life.


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## William Bagwell

kilocharlie said:


> So maybe a whole dollar.


LOL! I'm sure I could muddle my way through making a few large letters from 1/8" stock as you describe. Not 'artsy craftsy' enough to do a couple of sentences of smaller letters to go with it. 

Know what you mean about the backwards forwards issue. Used to work in a plastics factory and we had to use (less common) non-reversed letter stamps to stamp molds. Takes a bit of 'thought' to stamp backwards so it will read correct in the finished part.


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## kilocharlie

Oh, yeah, another way is to make a wax mold of your branding iron, and take it to a foundry for casting. 

I've made one myself out of bronze at a local college machine shop that had a forge furnace. The crucible was for brass, bronze, and other copper alloys, I broke up a Coca Cola bottle to melt over the metal so the tin would not fly out as white smoke. 

The mold model pattern was made of wood, sanded, polished, and lacquered. The mold was made of red oil sand, and I dusted talcum powder over the model for releasing agent, riddled sand over the pattern, packed it in with a wedge-like wooden mallet, skimmed the top flat, cut a pouring hole, carefully removed the pattern, troweled out some runner sprues, and cut out a liquid metal riser. 

A piece of thin welding rod made gas escape holes in the highest areas of the mold cavity out the top of the sand mold. The bottom half of the cope-and-drag mold was made and the two indexed and bolted together. When the forge was fired up, I used a pyrometer to check that the bronze was indeed 2,000 degrees F so that the tin AND the copper were melted - it looks like liquid at 1500 degrees F, but the copper isn't really liquid yet, which is why I put glass over the bronze chunks - the tin will "boil" - oxides smoking out really - you DON'T want to breathe it!

A short sand-and-cinder brick wall is built around the pouring area in case of a spill. I spread an inch of sand over the concrete floor to prevent damage in case of a spill in the pouring area. Extra people can be at the ready with a hoe to push molten metal back toward the center in case of a spill. One or 2 "fire men" should be ready with extinguishers, and a medical kit on hand. The most experienced hand should be appointed as director of the casting operation.

Casted and machined bronze scrap metal is made into chunks small enough to fit into the crucible, as the forge heats up, a powdered "flux" is added. This combines chemically with impurities in the liquid metal and usually falls to the bottom or floats to the top as slag, which is skimmed off before pouring.

A large, special tongs was used to grab the hot crucible out of the forge furnace and place it into the pouring ring. The pouring ring has two long T-handles for two people to pour it into the red oil sand mold while standing 6 feet away for safety. Wear safety face shields, welding jackets, leather boots, welding gloves, and chaps for this, and the college had arm-length asbestos / canvas gloves for using the tongs. Everyone involved should be suited up, no one else should be near. Make sure the pouring ring fits the crucible before starting - too large or too small a ring and you cannot pour the metal!

Let such a casting cool still in the sand mold over night before attempting to remove it, place the un-burned red sand back into the box, clean the cope and drag, then cut the excess metal off your casting. I hope it goes well - sometimes the metal cools before the entire mold cavity is filled (that's a start-over!). Keep pouring until the metal comes most of the way up the return riser hole. You should see smoke coming out of the gas escape holes. 

Lots of planning, setting up, and effort, but a fun project, and you can make several castings at one time if your crucible is large enough and you have several cope-and-drag sets. A high school or a college with a bee program and a forge setup could get together with a local beekeeping club and knock out several dozen bronze branding iron heads in whatever time it takes to make the patterns, cope-and-drags, and sand molds, then pour them all in one afternoon when the forge is hot.

A single casting with a dozen brands could be cast as one, then band-sawn apart, so a whole bee club could save a lot of bucks getting it done in one batch. A pine board can have ready-make 3-D letters attached, filled, sanded, and lacquered over, then attached to a piece of high-grade plywood for the model. A whole club could get their county numbers molded in one swoop for very cheap this way.

If you prefer CNC, private message me - I'll give it to my boss to quote you. A local shop may work out better, so ask around.


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## kilocharlie

Re-bar and scrap metal yards are other options. Dumpster diving in industrial areas might not be too good an idea - you could end up finding out in person just how mean a "junk yard dog" can be. Better to go during business hours with a jar of honey and ask favors. But use your creativity and keep the idea on back-burner until you have enough scraps, hacksaw and / or sawzall blades, tools, and such for your project. 

Branding should be a good deterrent to beehive theft. I cringe when I hear of beehive theft. Bee thieves should be stripped naked, rubbed with bananas, and dragged by a rope behind a truck through a drop of p!$$ed-off Africanized honey bees in a cactus patch while the NRA takes shooting practice. Survivors should be lit on fire.


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## kilocharlie

Oh, yes, about molding and "thinking forwards and backwards" regarding lettering. A male "plug" or "pattern" usually has regular letters that read from right to left, same as the finished casting. A female mold cavity usually has reversed letters that read in a backwards direction. Check them with a mirror!


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## William Bagwell

Interesting, had toyed with the idea of casting. Either attempting aluminum myself or paying to have it cast in iron. Bronze never occurred to me. Still probably more than I would tackle myself but it could be pretty enough to hang on the wall when not in use. Getting late so will get back to this in a day or two.


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## Gray Goose

William Bagwell said:


> Related, working on an idea for uniquely identifing each hive. Have seen others buy cattle 'ear tags' for this. Since I work in shipping & receiving have been saving used truck seals for the past week. Suprising how often you will find one or more broken seals just inside the back door where the driver threw them. Random names of companies and a 7 or 8 digit number. Plan to rout a shallow groove with a dove-tail bit and epoxy them in.


A quick and mostly working method for me is to staple playing cards to the front of the hive with a T50
I used Suits for races and numbers for the hives, prime numbers for breeder queens and face cards for test queens.
I used a deck that was missing a couple cards so free. Only issue is the rain, perhaps to the inside of the lid would help with that issue. then in my book I use top of page headings "7 of spades" can also use the hive position, which was my last method, just mark the base with something.
good luck with the idea work

GG


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## Robert Holcombe

kilocharlie said:


> Joined a lawsuit regarding the fire that burned down my apiary, workshop, and home. Laid out a plan for financial recovery for my crowdfunding effort, and applying for housing. Later tonight I'll assemble a "super horse" (a folding, portable, rectangular sawhorse to hold honey supers at a convenient height and save my back) for which I have already cut all the members, just need to drill, glue, and bolt. Oh, yes - it is 3 supers wide, the inside has two rails for holding up to 30 frames, a tool rack, and an umbrella stand on the outside corner. It makes working a drop of beehives a pleasure.
> 
> Tomorrow will make a "nucleus seat" - a short stool with a storage drawer and room for the smoker bucket - for queen rearing season. It saves the knees a lot of wear and tear.
> 
> Hopefully tomorrow will also see my the first part of my beehive identification branding iron welded. It's made of old railroad spikes and forms a large "KC" with a CNC machined piece that reads, "kilocharlie's honeybees and orchard management" underneath it, plus one that has my county beekeeper identification number sized for the frames. Next week's plan is a 5-frame solar wax melter.
> 
> Please excuse me, I have to get back to the mathematics of adding up the fire damage bill and filling out my application. Cheers to all, and keep those saws buzzing like a rosemary patch in full bloom!


Sorry to hear you were burned out - visited Ojai a while back. Will the "burn" provide an y benefits to your soil? Did any trees survive? I am working on a creamed honey procedure - adapting my old wood lathe to provide a power take-off for the a heating and cooling container's stirrer - small scale. I expect high torque requirements.


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## William Bagwell

Just for the record, our power has been off since 5:03 AM Thursday. On a borrowed generator so little time to post.


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## kilocharlie

Seems that the coastal live oaks that had little fuel near them survived, but there are a LOT fewer trees than before the drought. 20 to 25 % had died before the fire. Our soil in Ojai needs little nutrient enrichment through fire - it is fairly fertile and we had a fairly strong agricultural element in the area. It will be at least 60 years, very likely much longer before our local environment to recover anywhere near where it was before the drought started about the end of the 2005 rainy season. There have only been 3 substantial rainy years in the last 15 years. Most of the orchards survived.

5 days after the Thomas fire was contained, five inches of rain fell. That didn't exactly help the bees a lot. I should have taken Funeral Science or Toilet Paper Production Engineering back in college - something that pays a consistent buck. But, as Theodoric of York, the medieval bloodletting barber of Saturday Night Live said, "Nah!"


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## kilocharlie

Oh, do check out wikihow.com/Make-Creamed-Honey


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## Robert Holcombe

kilocharlie said:


> Oh, do check out wikihow.com/Make-Creamed-Honey


Checked it out - a couple of mistakes but helpful.. I have to rad Dyce's report again now htat I am ready to understand all the issues he was working on. Dyce bought his initial seed honey - no description. 

BTW, I have been doing various ways to produce seed honey - all none pasturized. One mehhod produced fermentation in top liquid volume - increase in % water for non-crystalized honey by nose detection method.


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees

Let's get back to In the work shop
Today my 2 son's came over and helped me move our stack of rough cut lumber from behind my wood shop to a storage shed in preparation for concrete. I have been using the area for storing lumber and extra hive equipment.
After the concrete is set this spring I will be building a honey house.
The pad is 17' x 42' and the honey house will be 17' x 20'.


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## kilocharlie

I almost completed a small saw horse. Building a longer one (so one can stack on top) and a 3-hive super horse to save my back when moving honey supers on and off the hives.

I had a few corrections to the cut angles on the legs. I make them 10 degrees kicked out the ends and 15 degrees to each side, and cut an angle at the top of the legs so they fit tight under the top of the main I-beam, with the bottom cap of the I-beam trimmed to 15 degrees for the splay of the legs.

I used an old gear drill to counter bore for washers, to match the pilot holes from one leg through to the other, and to enlarge the holes out to the diameter to allow the all-thread to pass through. I hack sawed the all thread rod into 5-1/4 inch and 7-1/4 inch lengths for top and bottom bolts, respectively.

I'll probably have the all-thread ground clean at the ends and nuts and washers for them tomorrow. 

A neat trick when chamfering threaded bolts is to grind it with the bolt pointing along the long axis of the bolt at the face of the grinding wheel, except angled down to make the chamfer. I try to get 2 threads at a 60 degree angle, but 45 degrees and 1 thread works for some applications. The grind stone leaves tiny burr chips 90 degrees (minus the helix angle) into the trough of the thread form, which cleans out easily with the nut, or with a wire brush.

Trying to chamfer a thread with the bolt pointing sideways to the grinding wheel can leave a gnarled, mushed surface that the nut often has a difficult time getting past.


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## William Bagwell

Would love to see a picture of the hive horse Sounds like a cross between a saw horse and a table?

Two things that will help with burs on threaded rod are a finer stone on your grinder. And whenever possible put a nut on the rod before you cut it. Removing it will help with those last tiny burs left by the grinder.


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## kilocharlie

The superhorse is, as you guess, a cross between a sawhorse and a table. There is a photo of an excellent, simple one in Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding by Dr. Harry H. Laidlaw, Jr. & Dr. Robert E. Page.

I go to a bit more bother to make mine folding & expandable, with a tool rack built in. It's always been better for me if beekeeping gear stays as small as possible in order to store out of the way, and is convenient for taking to bee lectures.

The superhorse is a real back saver. I am tempted to add a slot for some cookie trays to catch any honey that drips down, at which point why not just use a table? Oops! You could just add a rim for the bottoms of the supers to a table of the right size. I prefer the superhorse because the legs are splayed out for stability.

The beekeeper's wheelbarrow is another neat project - an "z"-shaped handle keeps the bed relatively flat while the handles are conveniently high enough to walk in comfort. The bed is 3 hives long with the wheels (2 of them) under the 2nd hive for balance. A 2 x 4 end stop keeps the hives from sliding forward in rough terrain. I made my last one with curved handles "Pitcairn Island Style" for going up and down hills. A bit more work than most folks would put into it, but it sure makes bee work easier!

I tend to overdo things for long-term convenience...if I'm going to do or make something, try to improve it. Just a habit of a shop guy.


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## William Bagwell

kilocharlie said:


> The superhorse is, as you guess, a cross between a sawhorse and a table. There is a photo of an excellent, simple one in Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding by Dr. Harry H. Laidlaw, Jr. & Dr. Robert E. Page.


Thanks, will add that to my list of things to build. Might be a good use for some of that used PT decking my son gave me. Be awhile my list is long!

Not much workshop time this weekend but did do a test of my used truck seals as hive identification. Small dove tail bit in the router table, two passes using a scrap of Luan to space the second one and the most common width plastic seal fits tight. Bit of epoxy or a one way screw and they will be chore to remove. Also have some stamped metal seals but most are pretty mangled. Not sure if I will be able to straighten them without damaging the letters.


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## deemann1

Prepping boxes for next season I'm expanding a bit this year will need to build another 60 boxes


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## kilocharlie

Bought a nice 200 lbs scale for bee hives, setting fishing reel drags, weighing fish, tillering bows and crossbows, precise tensioning a hotwire bow for cutting foam when winterizing hives or making RC airplanes, and a bunch of other uses. 

Now I have to build a mast with a boom lever and a lifting cable rig to lift the hives when weighing them.


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## Robert Holcombe

kilocharlie said:


> Bought a nice 200 lbs scale for bee hives, setting fishing reel drags, weighing fish, tillering bows and crossbows, precise tensioning a hotwire bow for cutting foam when winterizing hives or making RC airplanes, and a bunch of other uses.
> 
> Now I have to build a mast with a boom lever and a lifting cable rig to lift the hives when weighing them.


I used two - 2x3 pieces laying around; found a 5/8 bolt and nut with a washer in between pieces. Swivels for attaching the scale and load. I measure one side at a time, left and right, than correct for lifting point distance to fulcrum point. Pretty accurate as I checked with a full up bottom scale too. Clumsy but very flexible for various lifting conditions - need length adjust capability. CG location error corrects itself by lifting both sides and summing ( simple statics for correction factor). I am working on an improved bottom board assembly to improve attachment method as well. 

Wish I had learned and bought welding stuff. BTW, a creamer is going to be a unique building /process effort. My honey is low on glucose, very slow to crystalize.


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## elmer_fud

I started changing a 10 frame deep box into a 3 compartment box (3 frames/compartment) to try storing queens next year. I would like to keep an extra queen or 2 around, and I figured this was a good way to try and do this.


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## crmauch

Well this week I made a vertical candy board for my top bar hive.


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## Litsinger

I finally got around to building a proper frame jig- went with the 'box-in-a-box' approach and built it to handle 25 frames.

Still needs a little fine adjustment but works pretty well.


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## JWPalmer

Wow Russ, that is nice.


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## Litsinger

JWPalmer said:


> Wow Russ, that is nice.


Thanks, JW. I appreciate it!

Merry Christmas to you and your family, and I hope the bees are doing well.


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## jkellum

Assembled 10 Mann lake grow out boxes and made a plan for a dozen nucs and medium supers for them.


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## JWPalmer

I have two of the grow out boxes for the ML double mini frames that I cleaned up this weekend. Frames were nasty and got soaked in a bleach solution, rinsed, dried, and the starter strips got rewaxed. Last year they sat on a hive that did not perform well and only one of the two boxes got drawn out. I have enough drawn though to put one frame each in the minis and figure that with a week's time and plenty of sugar, the bees should get the other two drawn before I install the queen cells.


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## crofter

My accomplishment was finding a source for the 1/2" styrofoam sheet to make some of the msl $2 mini nucs. A bit over $10 for a 2' x 8' sheet - enough to make 9
We are in Covid lock down for the next couple of weeks in Northern Ontario.


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## minz

Just finished two pollen traps and treating the hives for winter (worst losses yet, I did not check the efficacy of the last fall treatment).


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## jkellum

JWPalmer said:


> I have two of the grow out boxes for the ML double mini frames that I cleaned up this weekend. Frames were nasty and got soaked in a bleach solution, rinsed, dried, and the starter strips got rewaxed. Last year they sat on a hive that did not perform well and only one of the two boxes got drawn out. I have enough drawn though to put one frame each in the minis and figure that with a week's time and plenty of sugar, the bees should get the other two drawn before I install the queen cells.


My plan is to build 5 quad boxes to mate queens in and if they get too strong pull frames and make up mini hives with the growout boxes stacked a couple high.... hopefully be able to winter a few queens in some that way. All i am doing is playing really.


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## jkellum

Today I got 26 medium supers assembled.


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## Tigger19687

Did fishing line in about 20 frames yesterday.
All the other frames are in the shed tied up in the attic area. I will do that on a Spring day when it is warmer out


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## jkellum

10 more medium supers assembled, 2 3 chamber queen castles completed, and 10 migratory lids cut out.


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## oldsap

If you want a good extractor just keep your eyes open. We found a 33 frame Kelly that sat in a barn for a few years. I dismantled the drive assembly, sandblasted and repainted. Cleaned the stainless. Good to go. Time you would spend making one, you could fix a better one. Best bee investment yet. I make almost all the wooden ware, nucs, mini nucs etc. but there is a limit to time available.


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## Amibusiness

Snowed in can't climb trees last week so we built 100 8 frame deep and mediums and filled with frames instead. Later on we'll get the tops and bottoms. Then we will be ready for whatever increase comes our way  But tomorrow looks good for climbing so the day job calls....


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## Jack Grimshaw

Amibusiness said:


> Snowed in can't climb trees last week so we built 100 8 frame deep and mediums and filled with frames instead. Later on we'll get the tops and bottoms. Then we will be ready for whatever increase comes our way  But tomorrow looks good for climbing so the day job calls....


Arborist?
Retired after 43 yrs and still climbed but mostly ran a 75 ft Altec towards the end.
Stay warm and stay safe!


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees

Yesterday I finished cutting the top bars for 400+ frames. All the other parts were completed in the last 2 weeks.
Les than $75 in wood and my free time in the shop. Before starting the frames I cut out and assembled 40 deep boxes. Now to start assembling frames. After they are finished it's time to start getting swarm trapes prepped.


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## gww

Hoot owl
Hope you keep posting your swarms in the Missouri thread. You always seem to be a couple weeks ahead of me and it gets me ready and excited.
Cheers
gww


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## oldsap

Cut enough for 40 5 frame nucs. Assembled 18. Finish the rest after work this week. Just about ready for the snow to quit and get back to beekeeping.


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## crofter

Today I roughed out a Layens hive I want to try out for a no lifting boxes beekeeping method. That is in another thread. I took a pic of the pieces knocked down to be reassembled inside. Here is a pic of the pile and in the background my shop power supply. An early 1930 era Lister diesel single cylinder 10 hp.diesel. Actually a made in India knockoff. The generator is similar time frame Chinese copy. 5KW. Had been planning to put a exhaust heat recovery unit on to heat water and burn used fryer oil. Seemed like a good idea at the time but it is a bit of a problem in cold weather. People get a charge out of hearing it plug away. You can hand crank it if you are up to it but I made up an electric pony to spin her up. I have a long cable that will reach the house for emergency power if we are off grid for a long time but have not had to in the last 8 years or so.


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## G3farms

HA! love the starter set up!!


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## oldsap

No Layens myself but just think ahead on how your will feed them and split etc. One of our group has 2 ( a beginner) it is hard to help them when you can't transfer frames swap from colony to colony. I would think maybe a horizontal Langstroth might be easier to manipulate. But good luck with the Layens anyhow.


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## crofter

oldsap said:


> No Layens myself but just think ahead on how your will feed them and split etc. One of our group has 2 ( a beginner) it is hard to help them when you can't transfer frames swap from colony to colony. I would think maybe a horizontal Langstroth might be easier to manipulate. But good luck with the Layens anyhow.



Plenty of room for two colonies in that box; it will have both left and right entrances. You do your splits into the same box using a divider board. They do take some different techniques from Langs. This is a new study for me! Old dogs and new tricks!


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## kilocharlie

Today I made all the pieces for a big branding iron for the hives. 4-5/8 inch tall letters that can be read from 80 feet away.

Going to my buddy's place to have him weld it. Next item up is the small, frame top bar sized one with my County beekeeper number on it.

There will be several security devices in the hives. It will be nearly pointless to steal them - non-standard sized boxes, frames, excluders, - almost everything is DIY built, and a PITA to lift 120 lbs hive boxes.

I'll make a stencil that says, "Smile! You're on camera." to spray paint on them.

The idiot who just doesn't get the hint has to guess where the punji sticks and bear traps will be.


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## Gray Goose

Made a couple more side by side 5 frame bases MP style.
my NUC boxes are 9.25 so these are 18.5
have 4 out now so this is a 50% increase over last year.
first pic Bottom boards
second pic boxes
third pic, the red neck dust collector, and the scrap deposit device in the background.
fourth pic paint drying.



























took a couple days, did get rid of 20 or so pieces of wood.

GG


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## Litsinger

Gray Goose said:


> ... the scrap deposit device in the background.


That is a nice one- wish I had one out in the garage. What do you call the butt joint detail you are using? I assume it is for added strength and/or to minimize end-grain cracking?


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## Gray Goose

Litsinger said:


> That is a nice one- wish I had one out in the garage. What do you call the butt joint detail you are using? I assume it is for added strength and/or to minimize end-grain cracking?


?? did you mean the side is 1/4 longer than it needs to be?
the shop was filling up with wood scraps.
have a few blow downs in the yard as well.
And a few extra boxes from frames wax, etc. so the little stove helps warm the place a bit in the winter for my bee work.
















when the end starts to rot, the box only has a 1/2 inch or so before the nails and such let go.
As well if I need to bend a board a little cupping etc. the hole and screw close to the edge splits easier.
also noted a feature, the spin once placed, is easier with a little hold there. I cannot drop every box 100%
however a negative feature is wrapping has a 1/4 to 5/16 gap behind the foam. at timesmice make a nest up there.

GG


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## Litsinger

Gray Goose said:


> when the end starts to rot, the box only has a 1/2 inch or so before the nails and such let go.
> As well if I need to bend a board a little cupping etc. the hole and screw close to the edge splits easier.


Makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks for the reply.


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees

I finely finished cleaning the woodshop, should have been done in Jan.
I prepped 22 of 29 swarm traps. Now I have to back track and locate #24 as it was not with the others.
I know where it was at the beginning of last years season but my book was misplaced when my son borrowed the truck for a weekend. I had one trap that had a yellow jacket's nest in it? I saved it for showing our local club what can happen.


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## jkellum

Stacked and stickered half a trailer load of 7.5" and 10.5" boards for later use. Should build a few deeps and mediums later this year. Gonna get a couple more logs cut into 10.5" boards.


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## Gray Goose

jkellum said:


> Stacked and stickered half a trailer load of 7.5" and 10.5" boards for later use. Should build a few deeps and mediums later this year. Gonna get a couple more logs cut into 10.5" boards.
> View attachment 67895


more weight needed on top of the tin.
help hold the stack straight.

looks good, you plan to kiln dry that at some point?

GG


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## crofter

Nice job of stickering: agree with GG on the weight. About 16 cement blocks worth.


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## jkellum

The logs sat drying for about 6 months before they were milled. I haven't had any trouble air drying lumber here before, it will sit like that for another 6 months and be usable then. Power company cut almost 20 trees out of my mother in laws yard and we cherry picked the best log sections to save. My neighbor down the street has the mill so it didn't cost me anything since he is gonna keep the rest for his son.


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees

It's SHOP TIME again.
I finished 400 deep frames this morning. Started on 75 plastic foundation medium/ supper frames. Will rewax them yet today. Need to check and prep 1000+ medium/ supper frames for next year. Then finish the other 400 deep frames before prepping 30 swarm traps. Long list and a lot of fire wood ready for winter.
Starting tomorrow I am cleaning the entire wood shop so I have a clean shop starting the new year.


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## jkellum

Started cutting parts out for another 8 40L swarm traps. Not that i need them but swarms are always fun to catch. All 11 of my hives survived the stupid cold snap we had down south.


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