The Honey Factory

[Sally PB]

I bought our woodware used. It's in good shape, but I still painted it with 3 coats of exterior grade paint. Then it dried for about 2 months before we got the bees. I did look at the corners to see if there was any softening or the wood at the joints. Nope.

 

[R2elk]

Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention! - I could use my power-tool circular saw to cut the hive walls to size after i have cut them to the correct length and angle. However a hand tool is never as precise as a fix-mounted one.
Maybe buy both saws at once HBF instead of Dewalt…
Guess i need to buy a 2x12 and do a dry run with the hand saw.

You can do a pretty good job with a circular saw as long as you get or make a straight edge and clamp it in place as a guide.

As far as brands go, I have been very happy with my Hitachi miter saw.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

You can do a pretty good job with a circular saw as long as you get or make a straight edge and clamp it in place as a guide.

As far as brands go, I have been very happy with my Hitachi miter saw.

I usually don't care about brands, i buy my stuff at Harbor Freight Tools, knowing it is not professional grade. I am not a contractor or Handy-Man, i use most of the power tools 3-4 times per year and HBF has been sufficient. But for the saws i thought about buying a brand. First a saw is a potentially danger if a vital part breaks during operation (i imagine the circular blade flying off…) and second i will use these tools a lot more than i.e. the sander, the hand-saw, …

I thought about using the hand-saw in the same way you described it: Clamp everything in place, including a guide-rail and then just perform the cut. That's what i learned from my dad. Measure, clamp down everything measure again and then cut.

 

[Sally PB]

But for the saws i thought about buying a brand.

Not to mention it is a bigger investment and you want it to last a long time. Hubby bought a chop saw. I was wondering why, when he had other tools that would do the same thing.

I freakin' love that thing. It's one of the most used tools he has.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

well my bees are done and wrapped for the year, had a pretty good season i think.

started last year with 5 hives and all 5 made it through winter with one being in bad shape, then was able to get 4 splits, then was lucky enough to have a swarm on one of our apple trees, so ended up with 9 hives going into the cold winter.

honey production was not as good as last year, but don't really mind as the goal is to get more hives at the moment. talked to my bee guy and is hoping we can push to around 18 hives next year.

still have yet to get one of the legendary Saskatchewan honey flows or even the provincial average of 190 lbs per hive.

Chicken math, bee math, same math: ought, ought carry the ought...............where'd all these hives come from.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I did the last year in spring. It was a sticky and stingy situation…
Make sure you're wearing protective clothing, the bees will be p¡ssed!

I have decided to Nix after some reading. Powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar) contains as much as 3% cornstarch which is not good for bees. I'm thinking your bees were PO 'cause they were constipated. I also don't use Apple Cider Vinegar. Too much ruffage. It is ok to use if in areas with mild winters where the bees are able to do cleansing flights. I use distilled white vinegar in sugar syrup and blocks, if the bees are taking the syrup fast I don't use it.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I have decided to Nix after some reading. Powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar) contains as much as 3% cornstarch which is not good for bees. I'm thinking your bees were PO 'cause they were constipated. I also don't use Apple Cider Vinegar. Too much ruffage. It is ok to use if in areas with mild winters where the bees are able to do cleansing flights. I use distilled white vinegar in sugar syrup and blocks, if the bees are taking the syrup fast I don't use it.

Studies show the small amount of cornstarch in powdered sugar doesnt have any negative effects on the bees. Unfortunately the powdered sugar has hardly any negative effects on the mites as well. It may knock a few off but not enough to make a difference since most mites are under cappings and are not phoretic. White and apple cider vinegar have acetic acid in them to lower the PH in sugar syrup so you dont get the fuzz growing in your hive top feeders. I dont know that it has any health benefits for the bees (probably not). Sugar blocks only need water to harden. My go to emergency feed for late winter is Golden Barrel Creme fondant 90/10. Cut a 5lb slab of it on a piece of wax or parchment paper and put on the top bars. Bees do really well on it. Get it at your local bakery or restaurant supply warehouse.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Studies show the small amount of cornstarch in powdered sugar doesnt have any negative effects on the bees. Unfortunately the powdered sugar has hardly any negative effects on the mites as well. It may knock a few off but not enough to make a difference since most mites are under cappings and are not phoretic. White and apple cider vinegar have acetic acid in them to lower the PH in sugar syrup so you dont get the fuzz growing in your hive top feeders. I dont know that it has any health benefits for the bees (probably not). Sugar blocks only need water to harden. My go to emergency feed for late winter is Golden Barrel Creme fondant 90/10. Cut a 5lb slab of it on a piece of wax or parchment paper and put on the top bars. Bees do really well on it. Get it at your local bakery or restaurant supply warehouse.

A lot of the powdered sugar just didn't make good sense. My biggest doubt was as you said the powdered sugar can't get into a capped sell. Don't see myself standing over a stove to make Fondant or buying it. In today's world it seems everything is made so complicated and micro managed we end up twisting ourselves up in knots. Just take a look at New Jersey's bee laws and regs. I like things simple Going to go with the white vinegar (mold/mildew) and water. Simple and quick mix and let it air dry. I may not need it. Back in the 80s, 90s the most we did was maybe wrap in felt paper. Any losses were made up with splits.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Just take a look at New Jersey's bee laws and regs.

I took a quick look and if Im missing something let me know but I didnt see anything to crazy. Im in the communist state of NY and none of the rules and regs are enforced, they just cant possibly do it with very limited resources. They're nothing to worry about here. The only regulation that was a bit off to me is requiring new beekeepers in NJ to take a class. Its okay and probably not a bad thing but I didnt like the price of the classes, a kid that wants to start beekeeping shouldn't have to pay $100 or more to take a class! NJBA should do something about the price, its too high. You have a very good state apiarist with great credentials. NY doesnt. I really like what I found on the state site below. Great for NJ beekeepers!

NJ Municipalities not allowed to ban, restrict beekeeping activities

It has recently come to the attention of NJDA that some New Jersey municipalities have local ordinances that restrict or prohibit beekeeping activities throughout their town or in certain parts of their town (such as residential areas). Such local beekeeping ordinances have not been allowed in New Jersey since 2015. They are preempted by N.J.S.A. 40:48-1.5, which gives exclusive authority over the regulation of beekeeping and apiary activities to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
The FAQ pretty much covers the basics;
https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/pdf/NJ Beekeeping Regulations FAQs.pdf

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Not to mention it is a bigger investment and you want it to last a long time. Hubby bought a chop saw. I was wondering why, when he had other tools that would do the same thing.

I freakin' love that thing. It's one of the most used tools he has.

Chop-Saw! - I don't have that one on my list. So far i have

• Miter Saw
• Table Saw
• Clamps, ratchets and stuff to be able to build boxy-things
• Drill Press
• Band Saw - maybe in form of a small mill
• Lathe

… but that's only the list for the wood-shop. There is always so much list left over at the end of the money!