One of the joys of beekeeping is tinkering in the shop to make the various gadgets that we use. Here are a series of plans which you may download and use. Enjoy!
Comments, corrections and your contributions are welcomed! (Contributed by Steve Tilmann)
Solar Wax Melter
With this gadget, you can load it up with your rinsed, raw wax, put it in the sun and then go attend to your other business. You don’t have to worry about anything catching fire and the job will be done at the end of the day. As an added benefit, your wax will come out in near pristine condition since virtually all of the bug parts and other debris will be caught in the wax melter’s wire basket.
(download plans)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Honey Bucket Heater
A fac
t of life that all beginning beekeepers learn is that honey will sooner or later crystallize. Because honey is a supersaturated sugar solution, crystallization is, after all, a natural process. Some honeys will crystallize a lot faster than others. We find, for example, that our fall honey crystallizes much faster than our summer honeys; sometimes within a few weeks after extraction. Whether you store honey in buckets, jars or squeeze bears, you will need some means to reliquify your honey. The heater presented in these plans may be just what you need.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Extractor Stand
Sooner or later even a hobbyist beekeeper will consider the purchase of a honey extractor. These gadgets are well worth the investment. All extractors have a stand which can be purchased separately. However, an excellent honey extractor stand can be inexpensively built in your work shop in just a few hours and it will give good service.
(download plans)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Styrofoam® Nuc
This design for a Styrofoam® nuc box is easy to build, light weight, inexpensive and surprisingly durable. We run medium depth supers in our operation, so the plans presented are for a medium depth box. However, you can easily modify this plan for a full depth box – or even a shallow.
(download plans)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Hive Stand
This design is one in a series for building a complete hive. The hive stand is the bottom-most component of your bee hive. Two versions are described: a standard hive stand and a hive stand when using a screened bottom board.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Screened Bottom Board
As the name implies, a bottom board sits at the bottom of the hive; it is the “floor” of the hive. Times were when the platform was solid, but since the arrival of the varroa mite and the concept of “integrated pest management” (IPM) the “screened” bottom board has become more popular. Here is a plan on how to build one.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Hive Bodies
The hive body is the heart of a managed bee hive colony. It is where the queen lays her eggs, the house bees raise the brood and the workers store the pollen and nectar (converted to honey). This plan shows you how to build a strong, durable hive body, including a “professional” looking scalloped hand hold.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Inner Cover
The inner cover sits on top of the topmost hive body (super) and underneath the telescoping top cover. The purpose of an inner cover is to provide the correct bee space on the top hive body and provide good air ventilation within the hive.
(download plans)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Telescoping Top Cover
The telescoping hive cover is what keeps the weather and elements out of your bee hive; it is like the roof of your house. This plan shows you how to make an aluminum metal cladding that adds durability and rain-proofing. The metal cover greatly extends the life of the hive cover.
(download plans)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Hive Body Hand Holds (Video Only)
This video describes how to make the “commercial style” scalloped hand holds in the hive bodies. Hive bodies are the wooden boxes used for both the brood chamber and the honey supers. Run time approximately 15 minutes.
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Sugar Dusting/Feeding Frame
When winter feeding your bees sugar candy, spring or fall feeding sugar syrup using the baggie method or summer sugar dusting for mite control, you will need a frame to do the job. This video describes how to make a “3-in-1″ frame that can do all three jobs. Run time is approximatley 15 minute 40 seconds.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Queen Cell Protector Cage
The queen cell protector cage is a simple tubular gadget made out of #8 hardware cloth. The cage is about the size and shape of a hair curler. The cage is used on a grafting bar to protect the developing cells after the nurse bees have fully capped the queen cells. This cage can also be used to protect queen cells naturally drawn out by the bees. The cage lets you easily find the new queen and protects her from marauding from other queens.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Pocket Queen Cage
When working with bees, you never know when you will need to cage a queen and move her to a new hive. Here is a simple cage that you can use whenever the need arises to capture or move a queen. The pocket queen cage, also called a Butler cage, is a handy gadget that every beekeeper should have.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Queen Introduction Cage
The queen introduction cage, sometimes called a push in cage, is a simple, small rectangular wire mesh box that is pushed into the comb in order to confine or protect the queen. Some beekeepers think that using a push in cage is the best way to introduce a new queen into a colony. If you only were to make one type of queen cage, then the queen introduction cage is clearly the one.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
How to Make a Queen Marking Cup
A queen marking cup is a simple gadget that you use to mark a queen. The marking cup makes an otherwise “delicate” operation a simple and quick job. Even if you don’t raise your own queens, you never know when the need will arise when you need to mark a queen. The marking cup described in these plans (and the companion video) uses recycled material and will probably take less than 10 minutes to make.
(download plans)
(run video)
Submitted by: Steve Tilmann
Mr Tilmann, I want to thank you for your video on making hand holds with a radial arm saw, I made the jig and it makes the best hand holds for supers. Everyone who picks up my supers really like the undercut the saw makes, this is a great site that I frequent quite a bit. Again thank you for sharing your knowledge and happy beekeeping.
William,
I am happy to share and pleased that you found the video helpful. Check back as more videos are coming!
Steve Tilmann, Treasurer
Michigan Beekeepers’ Association
Hello,
Does anyone know of any beekeeping classes in the detroit area? I would like to buy a set of classes as a Christmas gift.
Thank you
Hi Sarah,
What a great idea! I would contact Clay Ottoni of the Southeast Michigan Beekeeping Association (SEMBA) at ceottoni@gmail.com. SEMBA has spring classes that are top notch. We have not received their spring schedule yet, but we think they usually have the classes in March. Another option is to contact Mike Risk (of the Center of Michigan Beekeepers – COMB). COMB just announced their class for January 12. Registration is initially reserved for COMB members, but will be opening up after December 10 to whom ever. The COMB classes are really good and are jammed packed with practical information.
You might also want to visit the MBA’s web site page of local clubs and contact others in your area. Almost all local bee clubs hold classes.
Planning for next year’s bee hive is a fun and important part of the process. We would suggest that classes held earlier in the year are better than those held in the late winter or early spring. Newbees need time to get their equipment together and order bees.
Steve Tilmann, Treasurer
Michigan Beekeepers’ Association
Why is there no plans for frames?
Simple. I don’t use wood frames so I never had the need to learn how to build them. Try http://www.beesource.com.
Steve
Hello,
I am curious as to why Steve does not use wodden frames. What does he use and why does he prefer them to wood. Thank you very much.
Jim Rayner
Hi Jim,
Good question. I started out with wood frames and wax foundation, then tried the plastic Pierco frames. I liked that they are much easier to clean than the wooden frames, are convenient and seem to last a lot longer. The down side of plastic frames that I hear is that the bees don’t like them and won’t draw them out. This has not been my experience. The bees seem to draw them out just fine.
Also, the plastic seems to be much more durable when extracting. I had some wood frames with wax foundation blow out when spinning and this has never happened with the plastic.
I’m sure other beekeepers would argue the other side, but the plastic works for me. I presume it works for a lot of other beekeepers too since they are still on the market.
By the way, I have used both Pierco frames and the “easy frames” from Dadant. Overall, I think the Pierco are a bit more durable. However, the Pierco customer service is not impressive (I once asked them a question and never got a response). Currently, I buy the plastic frames from Dadant, mainly because I can run down to Albion and pick them up at their shipping center.
Steve
Hi Jim,
Thanks so much for the effort you put into creating these plans. I appreciate the detailed plans, notes and photo’s. Do you have any plans for the Narrow Shims? Mainly the dimension of the hole?
John
John,
Thanks for the feedback. I actually have a set of plans in the works for shims, rims and spacers. I also intend to do an accompanying video on the same topic. I’ll post an announcement when these are done. Probably will be a month or so.
I use a narrow shim (called an Imirie shim) on all my hives year-round. The foot print is the same size as the hive body. In fact, to make these I usually make a box like a hive body (no handholds or frame rest) and just slice off 3/4-inch rims for how many I need. On the front end of the space, I cut a notch 3/8-inches deep and 1-1/4 inch wide or so. There is a plan on the web site for this project.
Does that answer your question?
Steve Tilmann
Mr. Tilmann,
I have used all of your worksheets to build my bee equipment. I have been keeping bees for about 3 years now but have never built my own equipment. The only problem I have is the hive stand is not the same width as the IPM bottom board. I have a picture showing it. And the only real concern I have is if this will be sturdy during strong winds. I have a a picture showing this and I measure everything twice before I even started to make the first cut. Do you have any advice on this or can I post a picture showing the problem I am having? Thank you again for all your instructions and videos, I have save a lot of money making my own in my spare time.
Hi Henry,
I’ve sent you a separate email asking you to send me a picture. Maybe we can figure it out.
We all make mistakes. This spring I was making a bunch of the 3-in-1 feeding frames that I needed in the bee yard. I did this by making several boxes out of 1x8s and then trimming to width. The corners were made with a spline joint, which requires one side board to be 3/4-inch short of the footprint length (a video will soon be out explaining this). My head was in the ozone and a made all of the boxes with the wrong side being short. This resulted in the other side being long. Bottom line, when I got out to the beeyard the feeding frames simply didn’t fit. So not only did I not check my measurements during the process, I didn’t check the final measurements during assembly. So it goes. I had to build a new set.
Steve Tilmann
Mr Tillman…
I appreciate your videos and plans. I am newbie this year in the Grand Rapids, MI area. I have built all of my wooden ware using your plans and videos. Thank you for providing this great service.
I’ll be doing my first package install in a couple weeks and need some sort of top feeder for syrup. I was thinking of building a Miller style top feeder but I see your plans for the Feeding Frame for use with baggie feeding. How do you feel the two systems compare… baggie vs. Miller style? Are there enough advantages to a Miller style to justify the extra work?
Thank you!
Gather ten beekeepers in a room and start discussing bee feeders and you will get twenty different opinions. The advantage of a Miller style feeder is volume; you can put a lot of syrup on at one time. A disadvantage is drowning of the bees. Another disadvantage is that the Miller style feeder requires a dedicated piece of equipment, though to some this is no big deal.
The baggie system is simple and quick. I use the feeding frame to provide a bit of space for the baggie (or sugar block), though many beekeepers simply put the baggie right on top of the frames. You will still need some sort of narrow rim to provide space for the baggie.
I don’t use Miller style feeders so any opinions I have start from there. In comparing the two I would probably say that one is not “better” than the other… just different. I would probably say start with the baggie method as it is simpler and will certainly get the job done. I assume you don’t have that many hives, so keeping an eye on them to replace the baggie when it empties is probably no big deal. Keep the feed on the bees until they quit taking it.
Giveng the way that this spring (2013) is developing, I suspect that the bees will go from the dearth of late winter into lots of pollen because it looks like we will not have a spring season. If this happens, then your bees may very well start to forage sooner and begin to ignore the sugar syrup.
Lots of luck!
Steve -
Really appreciate your videos and the work you put into the plans and explanations. You remind me of my high school woodshop teacher
When making the hand holds on the radial arm saw, do you have a blade recommendation?
I have a ’62 Dewalt radial arm saw and have a nice Ridge Carbide blade that works awesome. It is possibly my favorite tool.
Are the “sideways” cuts used to make the handholds particularly hard on the blades? Just wondering if there’s any reason to use a different blade for these “sideways” cuts, than for normal cross cutting or ripping?
Thanks again,
Jeremy
Jeremy,
Thanks for contacting us. My radial arm is a Craftsman is over 30 years old and is the first power tool I bought for the shop. It is still going strong and does the job. The detents on the arm are getting a bit sloppy, so I check for square whenever I move the blade if what I am doing demands an accurate cut. Other than that, I have no complaints.
When making the hand holds, I use a carbide tipped blade. The wider kerfs and deeper teeth do a much better job than other blades. Narrow teeth (trim cut blades) will bind and burn. As long as you don’t remove too much material on each pass – and take it easy when making the cuts – I don’t think the sideways cuts are hard on the blade. I’ve done a lot of them and the blade shows no ill effects. I usually complete the hand hold in three or four cuts.
Steve Tilmann
Thanks a lot Steve. I’m going to dive into making a bunch of handholds this week.
Steve – I just want to clarify something on your extractor stand plans. In the write-up you say it was designed for an 18″ diameter extractor. But on the List of Materials the note says those sizes are for an 16″ diameter extractor. You also give different dimensions on the material list page at the bottom for the shelf (18-3/4×19) than elsewhere in the document where it seems to be noted as 15′x18-3/4. Just want to make sure I am cutting the right stuff since my extractor is 18″ diameter. Thanks!!
Shirley,
Thanks for the feedback. I must have read that plan well over a dozen times and it is still sooooo easy to miss editorial mistakes like you found. The Little Range extractor from Dadant is 18 inches in diameter. The quarter-inch hardboard for the extractor stand shelf is 15 inches by 18-3/4 inches.
Steve Tilmann
Steve, I have downloaded the plan for building a styrofoam Nuc Box and after reviewing the plan pictures and text there is no reference to hand holds. Before proceeding with the material purchase and build phase I need to understand why there aren’t any hand holds. Without hand holds how do you lift, move or carry the Nuc box when it contains frames and bees? Painting the inside of the box, doesn’t the paint have a negative impact on the honey bees? Thanks
Hi Glen,
I don’t use any hand holds on the styrofoam nuc boxes. I suppose you could add some if you want, but I found I don’t really need them. Most of the time, I use the styrofoam boxes in the bee yard to hold frames as I am sorting through supers. On those occasions when I use the styrofoam boxes like a traditional nuc, there is not really enough weight in them to warrant a hand hold, in my opinion.
Painting the inside of a hive body, whether it be wood or styrofoam, can certainly be an issue with beekeepers. I know that most beekeepers – and even the catalogs – do not recommend painting the inside of a bee hive. But I have never heard a convincing argument as to why. For every argument I have heard as to why you should not paint the inside of a hive, I can think of two that would argue the opposite. As a woodworker, I know that moisture is the enemy of wood and the inside of a beehive is a high moisture environment. So I paint the bee hives, both inside and out, with three coats of the best latex paint I can find. I put too much time and money into the wooden ware to have it rot prematurely. A good, quality paint job will greatly extend the life of the hives.
For styrofoam, I have noticed that the bees will chew bare foam. While this is not a major issue, I paint the inside of the styrofoam nucs as well. Foam will outgas when new (though the newer, “greener” foams are not as bad as the older types); perhaps the paint keeps some of this from inside the hive. Even if it does, which I would not argue too strongly that this is the case, I have never noticed an impact on the bees from painting the inside of the hive – be it foam or wood.
An option would be go dip the hive in wax, which probably works very well. Most of us don’t have this amount of bees wax laying around nor the containers to dip. Another option is to paint the inside of the hive with a tincture of propolis. This is probably the closest you can get as to what happens in the wild. One of these days I would like to collect enough propolis to try it.
Steve Tilmann
Steve,
Great job on covering the beekeeper’s gadgets. I enjoyed your video’s also. They were a great help. All the plans downloaded with the exception of the styrofoam nuc. Would you email that one to me. Thank’s so much.
Randy,
I did not have a problem downloading the plans for the styrofoam nucs. But I will send a set to you directly.
Steve Tilmann