# The bee vac is ready for action!



## Cub (Feb 14, 2013)

All, 

If anyone wants close-up photos of this or some construction detail, just let me know. I'll send an email with better quality photos and some explanation of the setup. I am dying to get started on the bee tree, but the weather here is still at least a month from being warm enough to move any bees.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Looks pretty durable.


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## Eric Walls (Feb 8, 2013)

Would you be willing to show and explain how you built it? How does it work? I'd like to make something similar but my construction skills are somewhat limited. You can PM me if you want.


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## jamneff (Mar 5, 2012)

I would love the close-up photos and construcion details. This is something I was looking to build this spring. [email protected]


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

I built one this past weekend that is a bottom and top for a 10 frame hive body. I plan on using it in my honey house vaccuming bee's off the windows. I can then place the whole hive body on a week colony


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

Cub 
The only thing is see you might want to think about is the hose going in to the box looks ribbed that will kill allot of bees it would be better if it was smooth in side. Looks great
Jim


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

I haven't had any problems with my rib hoses
David


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## Cub (Feb 14, 2013)

Hoot Owl Lane Bees said:


> Cub
> The only thing is see you might want to think about is the hose going in to the box looks ribbed that will kill allot of bees it would be better if it was smooth in side. Looks great
> Jim


The hose that's on it in the photo is off an old shop-vac, and I stuck it on there because the adapter happened to fit. Any suggestions on a smoother or softer hose that will somewhat fit the ~2" tube?


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## Cub (Feb 14, 2013)

I'll post a link to photobucket with up close photos and detailed information on construction. This thing can be built for $30 if you have some tools.


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## Bobcat (Jul 16, 2012)

Hoot Owl Lane Bees said:


> Cub
> The only thing is see you might want to think about is the hose going in to the box looks ribbed that will kill allot of bees it would be better if it was smooth in side. Looks great
> Jim


Most of the hoses have a smooth inner core and are only ribbed on the outside for rigidity. You may check inside a few inches. I think he is good. 

Nate


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## Cub (Feb 14, 2013)

Basically, this setup is just a box within a box. The small box that goes on the inside is a plywood and 2x2 frame, with screen on both of the large faces. This allows a large amount of bees to be picked up without weakening the suction and holding them in a certain spot. It might have been better to have the opening the bees come through closer to the bottom. The outer box is a "leak proof" plywood setup with 2x2 framing. For this one I ripped out each corner post, so the inner box could slide down and fit snugly. The front of this box is plexiglass, just to be able to see how many bees are in there during the operation. If the suction seems too strong, the lid can be wedged open to make a larger leak, or, I could install a hole with a small moveable door to accomplish the same thing. There is a 5 gallon bucket design that is linked up in another forum on this site that is a much better design in my opinion, and easier to build. Mine is not a light, nor easier to manhandle when there is a shop-vac hooked onto it. Hope this gives someone an idea or two.

J


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

I take it that the suction hose will fit into the inner box through the outer box?


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## Cub (Feb 14, 2013)

Mr.Beeman said:


> I take it that the suction hose will fit into the inner box through the outer box?




Yes, and it didnt occur to me until afterwards that it will be a hassle to lift out the inner box. The hose will have to be plugged, then it will take some jimmying to get a rag stuffed in there before it can be picked up. I am leaning towards building the 5 gallon bucket version that is pictured on this site by another beek. Seems extremely lightweight, and my first cutout is 20' or so high.


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## DrDoorlock (Mar 5, 2013)

Such a great forum. I'm starting beekeeping, but I'm on a fixed income and the money just isn't available. I built a very nice top-bar hive and wound up being called out to get my first swarm. It wound up being a hive inside the eave of a house and all I could do was a cut-out. This morning I wired the best of the brood comb to three bars and left some comb in the bottom, but the whole thing is iffy. While I went through all this I wondered about using my shop vac for future swarms. Your example helps a great deal. All I would need to buy is some hardware cloth. I don't want to over simplify, but why can't you just put hardware cloth over the exhaust and collect them in the shop vac?


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## debtfreedave (Apr 1, 2012)

DrDoorlock, i did my first cutout with a shop vac and the result was lots of dead bees. The suction is so powerful it slams the bees into the filter and canister walls with deadly results. A bee vac will have a second opening that can be opened incrementally to reduce the suction through the hose to an acceptable level. When it is set correctly you can barely feel the air flow with your hand. I still lose a few bees but a lot less than with the regular shop vac. This is really important when you don't find the queen and she gets sucked up with the rest of the bees.

My bee vac is made from an old leaf blower that I found in the neighbor's trash, scrap lumber and some old window screen I had squirreled away. (I may be a hoarder).


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