Repurposing the Trash

[shinjak]

So I like to take things that would otherwise be trash and repurpose them into useful objects (guys: the storage of said objects is a sure fire way to drive your wives crazy). One example is plastic coffee containers. I have used them for everything from feed scoops to a cricket cage to this bee feeding contraption:
I cut a hole in the lid to fit a mason jar, filled the bottom with rocks, and voila! Cheap outside the hive bee feeder. The plastic lid actually supports the weight of the jar very well. The wooden block on the front is a perch for the bees? I haven't actually tested this with bees, but the ants sure did like it and I'm sure yellow jackets would too. Do you have any neat bee related gadgets you have made?

[blueblood]

That's pretty nifty!  I will have to revisit this thread when I do create something and post it.  You will have to show us what it looks like with bees on it soon.

[riverbee]

those plastic folger's coffee containers get quite a bit of recycled use in my bee shed (old milkhouse).......
have mice problems, so anything and everything is stored in them, markers, tape, etc...... use two of them, cut the bottom out of one, duct tape them together, stores a roll of paper towel, or a 2nd one to store paper for the smoker

[Perry]

Waste not, want not!  I'm a Nescafe guy though. 

[LazyBkpr]

Wait..  What is in the jar??  Is that...  re purposed sugar??   
   Great idea!! Keep them coming!

[shinjak]

Thanks guys. These actually come from my parents, I don't even drunk coffee! Lazy, that was actually my first (failed) attempt at 2:1. Funny enough I did repurpose it afterwards.

[LazyBkpr]

Aha...  well, I guess I am required to say that it looks VERY much like my first two to one attempt.. Mine was less slushy though.. almost enough to be called a candy jar...   You figure out what you did wrong?

[shinjak]

Here is a follow up video showing my feeder in action:



I added a layer of marbles to the bottom of the coffee container. The marbles are apparently super slick when coated with sugar water, so I have had some bee drownings. Maybe rocks would work better? Getting the jar level tends to help with the sugar water showers.

The entrance has the tendency to get clogged with bees and I have been tempted to enlarge it. But I'm thinking the small entrance size may be a good thing? I may experiment with the entrance size in future versions.

My first sugar water attempt was 2:1 and I apparently got the water too hot and caused it to eventually crystallize. Thanks for watching.

[LazyBkpr]

Shinjak;
   My first sugar water attempt was 2:1 and I apparently got the water too hot and caused it to eventually crystallize.

   Yep..   I added my sugar while the water was still boiling on my very first attempt, and it turned into the aforementioned candy jars...   Now I make sure to remove the JUST boiling water from the heat source before adding the sugar. Havent had any more problems..
   Feeder looks like its working good! I haven't tried marbles, River rock and pea gravel both seem to work pretty good.

[CpnObvious]

interesting you've had the crystallization occurring.  I don't even use the stove to make my 2:1.  I just use hot water straight from the sink... roughly 150-degrees.  I only make it 2 quarts at a time and shake the just... but if you don't need mass-quantities, this seems to work just fine for me.

[riverbee]

capn, that works, and if you let it set a bit, no problems with crystalization or burning.

i don't use the stove either for sugar syrup, i would probably crystallize or burn the beejeebers out of it.  usually too many hives and too much messing around for me.  i use one gallon pails.  for 2:1 syrup, i put a big kettle on the stove and bring water to a boil, then turn it down. i line the pails up, and fill them half full of sugar. i run hot tap water to the half filled buckets just above the sugar and stir it. i add a little more sugar, and the rest of the sugar and more hot tap water til about 3/4 full then  i add  2 or 3 cups of hot water from the stove. stir it, set aside.  all crystals are melted.  i work from pail to pail so by the time i get back to the first pail, all sugar crystals are gone, one last stir, and the lid goes on.  good to go and ready to feed.....oh and some HBH added to it.