question about feeder jar lids.

[Alleyyooper]

I gave the girls a 1/16 drill bit, they still don't seem to under stand what it is for . Kare how ever does use a tooth pick after they have soaked a bit, and it she has to much trouble she gives them to me to put under the 1/16 drill bit I install in the little drill press I have on the bench in the shop.

   Al

 

[Gypsi]

I am starting to feel like a lazy person, not researching ways to pinch pennies.  Time is precious to me. sticking with my dadant lids,when they get old they go in the recycling bin. MUCH cheaper than an ER treatment if the drill slips and nails my hand since I am not spending the money to buy or build a drill press.

[LazyBkpr]

The drill slips Gypsi?  Youd have to stick your hand UNDER the bit in a drill press and then raise your hand up against the bit..   40 years of using a drill press I have never had one bite me like that...  I have had them grab my work and try to spin it around... which, at times was messy..      drilling tin lids shouldnt be an issue, bit is too small...  Put a bandaid on it you'll be fine      Thinking about it.. it might be a bit better than using the little brad nails.. I manage to hit my thumb rather often that way....

[ledifni]

Lol Lazy I think she meant the danger of doing it *without* a drill press   Personally I just use brads, hammered into the lid slightly in a grid pattern.  Seems to work well, but it's kind of time-consuming.  I wouldn't want to have to do it for more than a few hives

[Gypsi]

If someone would like to play Santa and put a drill press under my tree this year I will try that out. I am using drills with or without cords in odd places, no proper work bench, not perfectly level. I can pay about 50 cents a pre drilled lid from Dadant and save myself from potential injury or buying a tool I don't really need otherwise.  In my chaotic garage / house under reconstruction finding a brad to use with my half dozen hammers is a challenge. I just don't have time to be properly cheap.

[Jen]

With all do respect    This isn't rocket science

[LazyBkpr]

Hey!!!  Maybe not for YOU Mrs rocket scientist!!!   
   OK, I thought you were talking about the drill press.. I can see a loose drill getting out of control while juggling lids and trying to put lots of holes in them.. Still.. a bandaid works for most things.. In a pinch, duct tape OR electrical tape (the black stuff) and a paper towel, napkin, or even a piece of shop towel cut off and wadded up under the tape..   Once had a friend shoot me in the foot trying to shoot a coon I was attempting to stomp on...  Was afraid to tell mom and dad so That one took two bandaids.....

[Jen]

I AM talking about the drill press... so lost on why a drill press is needed. Not clear why a bandaid, duct tape, black wiring tape is needed, even with a drill press...

Oops I forgot one essential part to the rocket scientist puzzle



ps. jens feeling spunky today    this is how I keep Riverbee busy   

[Riverrat]

I have actually used the corner of a maxant hive tool to poke holes in lids with good results but takes some practice.  After you get the hole in the lid lay it down and flatten out the back side burr over the hole works slick.

[Gypsi]

Finding a flat surface in my garage is rocket science. Finding a dadant box in my office with spare lids, or spare lids in the drawer since I ordered a couple of dozen in 2012, no problem.  I am never home to clean it, dig for tools to fix what breaks, and I haven't seen major chunks of garage since about the time I started beekeeping. I can do one of 2 things. Inspect a hive or start trying to clean the garage.

[iddee]

I'm with gypsi. For .50, why bother trying to drill one. Just grab a new one when needed and be done.

Where are you saving any money? Jar lids are .50 each.

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-17494/Jars/Regular-Mouth-Lids-with-Bands-for-Canning-Jars?pricode=WZ495&gadtype=pla&id=85144513042&gclid=CjwKEAiAj-KiBRC48YzhnLSg0D0SJAClOhK3ZwABqkKrPufXj9tKsmE8l3sS2_sCox2IsosEqRH1rBoCYezw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Jen]

But Mr. Wizard...  the link you put on doesn't show lids with prepunched holes, ya still have to drill the holes, or take a little nail and punch a dozen holes, takes like.. oh I dunno... 1 minute. I haven't seen pre-punched lids, but that would be the ticket for those that don't want to punch the holes themselves. 

[Gypsi]

I will take a photo of the pre punched lids Or if you ever bought a Boardman feeder you have already seen one. These are replacement lids for the Boardman.  Let me know if I have to take a pic. Housetraining a puppy right now. He thinks he will melt if he gets wet.

[Jen]

Hi Gypsi -    I have bought 3 boardmen feeders, and yes they did have pre punched holes. But the holes didn't go thru the lids so they were culls. I just got my nail and hammer and opened them up a little.

[riverbee]

i'm with gypsi as well......
i don't use boardmans often, except for water, when i order mine, i order extra lids, and although i can and have pre punched extra lids with whatever tools i have, and i do have a drill press, i just choose to get some extra ones from my supplier, they are cheap and that way i have them when i need them,they always work right and i am not finding out that the ones i punched are leaking in the hive or off the front of the hive.  convenience. 

lots of suppliers carry the pre-punched replacement lids:

some examples:
rossman apiaries:


b and b honey farms:


mann lake:


even amazon......

[iddee]

That's what I'm saying, Jen. You don't save any money by punching your own holes. Both the regular canning lids and the prepunched lids are .50 each, so why buy the solids?

[LazyBkpr]

heheh..  unless you have a wife with a candle shop.. and she has a 55 gallon trash barrel full of lids!!   

[Jen]

Okay okay, I'll conceded on this one But that's only cause I spent the day with my grandkids and I'm just too tired to fuss about it