The Honey Factory

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Picked up the same package from the supplier 2 wks ago, case of patties and 3 packs Apivar. Now if the temperature can start cooperating................

You're waiting for the temperature, i'm waiting for my packaged bees to be delivered. - Not before March 25th… I hope the tulip-trees are late this year!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Why was that?

I know that he wouldn't use any nails, screws or staples for the hive bodies because they compromise the insulation of the wood.
For the other stuff, i think he just liked to show-off his wood-working skills.
I really like to watch videos on YT about the phenomenal skills of Japanese carpenters. They can join three pieces of wood (table and legs) without a single screw or nail. It just fits together like a jigsaw-puzzle and holds together rock-solid.
Given a second chance, i think i would become a carpenter instead of an IT-guy…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I have heard it said that black foundation for brood frames makes the eggs easier to see.

Makes absolute sense! - I remember spotting the eggs in the frames last year when i checked on the package bees after a month. Thank you very much!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I see what your saying, I get unassembled frames, use Tight Bond Green, 2 #4 penny box nails on top, also pre drilled. 2 1' staples under the rest ear into the top bar, glue and 2 1 " staples and glue through the bottom bar into the uprights. Your Uncle I think, enjoyed the work and was real old school.. Mine are done in the winter when I have all the time in the world. Set ten frames in the Jig I made with "scrap 1 by I have in the shop. Pennies for what they want from the suppliers. Oh yes, it sounds like your uncle knew the art and nuances of the verbal barrage, it's understood in any language.

Where do you get the unassembled frames? - I looked in several shops, but even on aliexpress the difference in price between unassembled and fully assembled frames is negligible and (imho) not worth the work and time.
And yes, my Uncle learned the fine art of expressing discomfort in the military.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I use black frames too, easier to see eggs and larva for grafting. Most mites are under cell caps and the underside of the workers so you wont see them running across the frames. If you do see mites running around the frames that colony isn't going to survive.

Nice comparison of foundation and brands: https://blog.foxhoundbeecompany.com/foundation-cell-size/

Good grief! - I wasn't aware that there are foundations with different cell-sizes! Very interesting!

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Where do you get the unassembled frames? - I looked in several shops, but even on aliexpress the difference in price between unassembled and fully assembled frames is negligible and (imho) not worth the work and time.
And yes, my Uncle learned the fine art of expressing discomfort in the military.

Any Major supplier such as Dadant and Son, Illinois and Mann Lake, Minnesota. I just started getting mine from Premier Bee Products, S Dakota Took a while to find a frame I thought measured up to what I felt was quality milling. Apis Mellifera mentioned Better Bee which I believe is in New York and have been looking at lately. My problem is I am a retired Finish Carpenter and I want every thing to be within razor blade tolerance. As a side note I learned the art of language from carpenters, and associate trades starting at the age of 12, and a lot more education than a 12 yr old should have. but glad I got it..

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Any Major supplier such as Dadant and Son, Illinois and Mann Lake, Minnesota. I just started getting mine from Premier Bee Products, S Dakota Took a while to find a frame I thought measured up to what I felt was quality milling. Apis Mellifera mentioned Better Bee which I believe is in New York and have been looking at lately. My problem is I am a retired Finish Carpenter and I want every thing to be within razor blade tolerance. As a side note I learned the art of language from carpenters, and associate trades starting at the age of 12, and a lot more education than a 12 yr old should have. but glad I got it..

Any Germans in your ancestry? - The penchant for perfectionism is a typical German trait...
I have adopted the typical American approach: If it works okay, its good enough. The bees won't notice the difference between economic, commercial and select wood grade, so as long as the eco-frames won't disintegrate when i pull them out, they're good enough for me. - They do disintegrate by the way...

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Any Germans in your ancestry? - The penchant for perfectionism is a typical German trait...
I have adopted the typical American approach: If it works okay, its good enough. The bees won't notice the difference between economic, commercial and select wood grade, so as long as the eco-frames won't disintegrate when i pull them out, they're good enough for me. - They do disintegrate by the wa

No German, just hard lessons learned as a kid. You mess it up you fix it and the time to fix it you get billed for. Heard the phrase " close enough for government work" and the foreman said "this ain't government work" collect your check your done. In those days you kept your mouth shut, eyes and ears open and worked. Old guys would notice and one day say "come over here and learn somethin' ". All the little phrases they had were insights. Don't hire a guy who smokes a pipi, he spends all day lighting it. never give the boss a cigar (brown nosing), man pays you do the job right or there's no time to do it right but there's time to come back and fix it Only got fired once in my life by my Dad, the next day, get your ass up time to go to work. I was discharged from the Military in March and had visions of taking the whole spring and summer off collecting unemployment. Mom picked me up at the bus depot with work clothes in the car and right to the job site. WHAT DA HELL Welcome to reality Mr Veteran, thanks Dad.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

No German, just hard lessons learned as a kid. You mess it up you fix it and the time to fix it you get billed for. Heard the phrase " close enough for government work" and the foreman said "this ain't government work" collect your check your done. In those days you kept your mouth shut, eyes and ears open and worked. Old guys would notice and one day say "come over here and learn somethin' ". All the little phrases they had were insights. Don't hire a guy who smokes a pipi, he spends all day lighting it. never give the boss a cigar (brown nosing), man pays you do the job right or there's no time to do it right but there's time to come back and fix it Only got fired once in my life by my Dad, the next day, get your ass up time to go to work. I was discharged from the Military in March and had visions of taking the whole spring and summer off collecting unemployment. Mom picked me up at the bus depot with work clothes in the car and right to the job site. WHAT DA HELL Welcome to reality Mr Veteran, thanks Dad.

Not a veteran, my eye-sight is too bad to be able to serve... but i have never collected unemployment benefits, social-care or money from the church. I ran from mailbox to mailbox and stuffed supermarket-flyers into, got 5 cents per flyer. - Others went to the gym, i went to the streets - in a good way.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Same here, no UP, welfare or other government bennies, having a trade there was always work.