Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => Do-It-Yourself Plans and Prints => Topic started by: Green bee on March 12, 2017, 05:41:29 pm

Title: Top feeder
Post by: Green bee on March 12, 2017, 05:41:29 pm

            So I decided to build a  few top feeders and thought I would post some pictures. I built them to feed pollen patties on one side and sugar syrup on the other. It will hold around a gallon of syrup. One thing I wanted to add was something I haven't seen on other feeders was the ability to see how much syrup was left without removing the top . So I added a sight glass to the feeder section. After sealing everything up I generously coated the inside with bees wax. Then I let water stand in it a good bit to check for leaks. I think it may just work I guess time will tell.
(https://s10.postimg.cc/7vkgh1jhx/IMG_1108.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/7vkgh1jhx/)

(https://s10.postimg.cc/52r8x0j5h/IMG_0499.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/52r8x0j5h/)

(https://s10.postimg.cc/rfyzjtk39/IMG_0500.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/rfyzjtk39/)

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: Wandering Man on March 12, 2017, 06:21:05 pm

Nicely done!

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: Bakersdozen on March 13, 2017, 10:44:13 am

Green bee, I like you ingenuity!  2 feeders in one.  Is the little screened angle piece designed for the bees to access the sugar syrup?  How do they get in there?

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: Green bee on March 13, 2017, 11:55:56 am

Quote from: Bakersdozen on March 13, 2017, 10:44:13 am

Green bee, I like you ingenuity!  2 feeders in one.  Is the little screened angle piece designed for the bees to access the sugar syrup?  How do they get in there?

there is an opening they crawl through and walk down the screen to get to the syrup. The angled pc you see keeps the bees from drowning in the syrup, it's basically a ladder. One thing I'd like to do is screen over the syrup section so when you pull the top they can't land in the syrup. I'll post some better pictures so you can see it better.

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: Green bee on March 13, 2017, 12:05:33 pm

(https://s18.postimg.cc/7win3k8dh/IMG_0501.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/7win3k8dh/)
 If you notice there is a notch in the center board, at the bottom of the notch is the screen wire. The wire runs along the bottom of the angled pc and wraps back around the top creating a sealed cavity for the bees to feed no matter what level the syrup is.

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: Green bee on March 13, 2017, 04:55:23 pm

(https://s29.postimg.cc/96kekmkkz/IMG_0502.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/96kekmkkz/)

(https://s29.postimg.cc/73ekqpa5v/IMG_0504.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/73ekqpa5v/)

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: Barbarian on March 14, 2017, 02:13:58 am

Thoughts

1. When feeding syrup will the bees get into the pollen section and start comb building.
2. The bees could propolise the inner cover to the rim and centre bar ----- petroleum jelly might help.

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: Green bee on March 14, 2017, 07:22:15 am

(https://s8.postimg.cc/eolgd7ljl/IMG_0508.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/eolgd7ljl/)

(https://s8.postimg.cc/67ly2agup/IMG_1123.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/67ly2agup/)
  So the finished product,  I screened over the syrup feeding end of the feeder and made it so I can block off the pollen feeding section when not in use.

Title: Re: Top feeder
Post by: afgeubanks on March 14, 2017, 10:59:23 pm

Smart!

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