# bottom board 'rim' question



## Treehopper (Dec 9, 2012)

No tablesaw?


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

I don't think it would hurt anything, but its a huge waste of material you can rip a 1x4 and get several


----------



## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

IMO they work fine


----------



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>
Can I use the larger or will that extra 3/4" sticking under the hive body mess up anything?

Mice and yellow jackets can just waltz right into a 3/4" high entrance.


----------



## StingerMcStung (Apr 27, 2015)

odfrank said:


> >
> Can I use the larger or will that extra 3/4" sticking under the hive body mess up anything?
> 
> Mice and yellow jackets can just waltz right into a 3/4" high entrance.


I was hoping to thwart that waltz by dialing in the FM to either square-dance or mosh-pit music so they square/circle back out. 

Mice/meeses/mooses: I was planning on the v-shaped hardware cloth wedged in the entrance for mice season ala Mr. Vanderpool

Yellow jackets, ah -- well they suck around here. I scratched out weapon's grade Plutonium <j> as I have a 4 year old. Fake paper nests, Traps, screen, kill-da-queen? Plastic sun screen rolled up and stuffed as a reducer worked for another I saw.

1. What size entrance do you run Oliver and why? Additionally, what's the cheapest way to do it?

2. Others: yes I have table saws, but I'd rather chop-saw and skip the ripping step. I won't run less then 1.5 next to a fence so, I guess I could build a sled with wider stock, but the material is still cheaper not counting time. .89/8 foot 1x2 My finger is worth at least a buck. 

When does a "hobby" become "work"? I'm becoming interested in selling something to pay for it. D

Thank you for replies/wisdom/experience


----------



## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

If you want to try 3/4" high by 1-1/2" wide on your bottom board go ahead. Would have to use a non-standard entrance reducer though. You could figure out how to rip your 3/4" by 1-1/2" after you cut them to length with a push stick or a featherboard without sacrificing a finger. Home Depot sells 3/4" by 3/4" wood pretty cheap too.


----------



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>1. What size entrance do you run Oliver and why? Additionally, what's the cheapest way to do it?

3/8", cut on my table saw with push sticks. I do it because that's how bottom boards were made 45 years ago when I started. And it seems more comfy to me for the bees than a 3/4" entrance. I was watching two side by side hives a few years ago and the yellow jackets were making them selves at home flying inside the hive with the 3/4" entrance but not messing with the one next to it with a 3/8" entrance.


----------



## StingerMcStung (Apr 27, 2015)

Dyne: That's what's odd is the 1.5x3/4 is cheaper than 3/4x3/4 at my local orange box. Wasn't always that way either.

Interesting observation about the yellow jackets. I've heard they're a pain where I'm at also. I didn't realize bottom boards were only 3/8" originally.

My original concern was the 1.5" width impeding bee space in some way.


----------



## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

StingerMcStung said:


> I won't run less then 1.5 next to a fence so,


If your wood piece is long enough, (cut the wood full length first) run it through part way till the end is almost at the saw table, lift it up and end for end the piece to finish the cut.


----------



## StingerMcStung (Apr 27, 2015)

DanielD said:


> If your wood piece is long enough, (cut the wood full length first) run it through part way till the end is almost at the saw table, lift it up and end for end the piece to finish the cut.


Thanks Dan. I should have been more clear regarding my own personal rule of 1.5" (maybe 1.25) and no narrower. I've been around tools since I was old enough to carry them to a job-site and most nasty kick-backs and finger-shortenings I saw happened with skinny strips (or too thin of a splitter), even with push-sticks and feather-boards.

I'll cut skinnier with either a sled or wider stock on the non-fence side of the blade.

In this particular case I could get the same stock I'm using for hand-cleats for much cheaper than 3/4"x3/4" stock and the time to rip it wasn't worth it when I could just run it through the miter-saw.

Again, I know plenty of guys who have run slivers through all their lives and are fine; it's just a personal choice not to for me.

I appreciate folks' tips, and I didn't explain why.


----------



## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

StingerMcStung said:


> Thanks Dan. I should have been more clear regarding my own personal rule of 1.5" (maybe 1.25) and no narrower. I've been around tools since I was old enough to carry them to a job-site and most nasty kick-backs and finger-shortenings I saw happened with skinny strips (or too thin of a splitter), even with push-sticks and feather-boards.
> 
> I'll cut skinnier with either a sled or wider stock on the non-fence side of the blade.
> 
> ...


I appreciate your finger concerns and board width limit. I have been using saws, etc., for a long time too, 40 years of making a living with them. I still have all my fingers, by the way. You can use them so much that you get too confident and end up a digit or two short, so I like to keep a healthy fear of that blade. With a table saw that runs smooth and cuts well, the risks are reduced. If you use a saw that rattles around and feels like you're using a mad dog to chew your wood in two, you'll have many more mishaps, especially with kickback, etc.


----------



## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

All mine are 3/8" openings. Quite a few boxes have chew marks on the entrances where the mice tried to get in and failed. My opinion is that 3/4" is too much unless there's a good reason for it such as you need to fit an OA vaporizer into the entrance.


----------



## StingerMcStung (Apr 27, 2015)

DanielD said:


> I appreciate your finger concerns and board width limit. I have been using saws, etc., for a long time too, 40 years of making a living with them. I still have all my fingers, by the way. You can use them so much that you get too confident and end up a digit or two short, so I like to keep a healthy fear of that blade. With a table saw that runs smooth and cuts well, the risks are reduced. If you use a saw that rattles around and feels like you're using a mad dog to chew your wood in two, you'll have many more mishaps, especially with kickback, etc.


lol. I'm glad for your fingers, and you've owned them longer than I. The wood floor guys always amaze me free-handing slivers, off the table<yikes>. Doesn't seem to rattle much, it's an old '80's era delta contractor's saw with a biesmyer fence, and wings; 2hp if I recall. It seems to have gotten heavier though.  

I'll admit, it's my least favorite tool and I'd take a chainsaw any day. Early in my career, a guy got gut-punched ripping a 2x4 kick-back and died of internal bleeding, haven't liked table-saws since. <stands up> I'm StingerMcStung and I'm a tablesaw sissy. I confess. 

Now, hopefully I can keep these future bees alive . . .


----------



## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

I caught a swarm my first year, got caught without enough equipment. I made a bottom board out of 1x3 furring and 7/16 OSB. No issues with the 3" wide rim here.


----------



## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

rwurster said:


> All mine are 3/8" openings. Quite a few boxes have chew marks on the entrances where the mice tried to get in and failed. My opinion is that 3/4" is too much unless there's a good reason for it such as you need to fit an OA vaporizer into the entrance.


 If you use a 3/8" opening how do you use the OA vaporizer?


----------



## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Mine are 1/4" which work great for me and there only flaw is that an OA vaporizer won't fit thru them. I think I could make a wooden adapter or rubber for that matter that would fit over the exaust of the vaporizer and channel the vapor thru the entrance.


Bees of SC said:


> If you use a 3/8" opening how do you use the OA vaporizer?


----------



## ralittlefield (Apr 25, 2011)

StingerMcStung said:


> 2. Others: yes I have table saws, but I'd rather chop-saw and skip the ripping step. I won't run less then 1.5 next to a fence so, I guess I could build a sled with wider stock, but the material is still cheaper not counting time. .89/8 foot 1x2 My finger is worth at least a buck.


Use push sticks (which you should be doing any way!) and you will be fine.


----------



## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

StingerMcStung said:


> lol. I'm glad for your fingers, and you've owned them longer than I. The wood floor guys always amaze me free-handing slivers, off the table<yikes>. Doesn't seem to rattle much, it's an old '80's era delta contractor's saw with a biesmyer fence, and wings; 2hp if I recall. It seems to have gotten heavier though.
> 
> I'll admit, it's my least favorite tool and I'd take a chainsaw any day. Early in my career, a guy got gut-punched ripping a 2x4 kick-back and died of internal bleeding, haven't liked table-saws since. <stands up> I'm StingerMcStung and I'm a tablesaw sissy. I confess.
> 
> Now, hopefully I can keep these future bees alive . . .


That's funny, I am more afraid of a chainsaw than any other saw I've used. Worse than cutting a finger off, the wood can fall on you and smash you. I know of a couple men who have done that to themselves. I am probably a little more comfortable with a table saw than I'd like to be. Saw kickbacks can be as dangerous as the blade. I've shot a couple boards across the room before and generally stand aside, specially with a cheap imported one I had to use in the past.


----------

