BEE VAC's

[LazyBkpr]

  I will bow to your vastly superior knowledge Robo.   I really dont want to spend a couple hundred bucks for hose....  I just didnt like the rough interior...
   Excellent. I'll stick with the shop vac hose then.  Two cut outs to do already...  just waiting for spring...      Staring out the window at the snow falling, and the wind blowing it into drifts, and tapping my foot impatiently....


   Thanks for the link... had to read a bunch of stuff there...  I may have to abandon my base board and make a bottom like your Vac has..  WIll see how those two cutouts go and how much debris I get on top of the frames...


  Quote from the site...

The volume of the super makes the air velocity drastically decrease once it exits the hose. This causes the majority of the debris (and bees) to drop out of the air flow.


   Thats a good explanation.. I was struggling to explain that part of the chamber volume VS hose diameter.

   Edit;

   First time I have been to that site in better than a year I would guess...    I had to repost here and say... that for the price ROBO is selling those Vac's..  I would never attempt to build my own again..    A lot of detail and work there for that price.

[Perry]

Maybe it's me, but something in those pics seems strange. That top that you refer to is not very thick. Would that not place the suction or working end of your vac quite close to the bees below the screen? Not sure what to make of it. Is that screen piece the one you will be using to re-unite the bees with frames of banded brood?
Something doesn't make sense to me (not always an unusual thing ).

[Finally Home]

Only thing I didn't do was the window screen under the top board.  Not sure as to why that is there but hopefully I'll find out before I have to use it.  So chime in if you can Robo or G3...  I would have to trim my hose so it wouldn't puncture it.

Not quite sure what you were trying to replicate.  Your second small frame looks like perhaps you were trying to make a cut out shim(?) but without the hardware cloth being removable.   As long as you keep that second small frame right under your top piece it should be OK.   

My concerns are with the vac you are trying to use.  I find anything less than 5HP to be under powered and hose less that 2-1/2" diameter to be more harmful to the bees.

Can it work, probably.   Will it cause head-aches for you?  Perhaps depending on the situation at the time.

Best of Luck.

I did suck up a fly off the basement window and it lived???  Can you explain a little more on why a smaller diameter hose is more harmful.  Just trying to learn and understand it all (well some of it anyway).

[Finally Home]

  I dont like the hose thats ribbed on the inside..   Just seems like it would beet the poo clear out of the bees all the way through to me...    Otherwise I think it looks good.
   Finding a 2 1/2 inch hose is a royal pain.   This stuff is still ribbed inside, but the ribs are smoother, less course and may work.. Havent tried any yet.. still looking.

http://www.thegreenchalet.com/2.5-Inch-Premium-Quality-Truck-Mount-Vacuum-Hose.html

This hose has a smooth bore. Used in many injection molding plants.  See through so they can see the plastic pieces entering but smooth so no clogging. Was hoping to find a larger diameter but this was free.  I can always drill a larger hole when I find bigger hose.

[Finally Home]

Maybe it's me, but something in those pics seems strange. That top that you refer to is not very thick. Would that not place the suction or working end of your vac quite close to the bees below the screen? Not sure what to make of it. Is that screen piece the one you will be using to re-unite the bees with frames of banded brood?
Something doesn't make sense to me (not always an unusual thing ).

Don't know.  What if I put a 90 degree elbow under the suction line on top?? Might disperse the suction a bit??
As far as the screen I figure it would be no different than putting a box filled with frames next to them for most to march in and cut the comb and put in another box.  When done, put the two together? (similar to a cut out) 
Once I have the banded brood ready,(after removing top board) I'll spray the framed box with sugar water through the mesh (like installing package bees) then just lift the top off and put the brood box on.  I have to lift the framed box off the bottom piece to put it on a bottom board as well.
Make sense or am I missing something. 
I just didn't like the way he had to pull that mesh out.  I would be too afraid of hurting too many bees by getting them caught if they were hanging on to it.

[robo]

Can you explain a little more on why a smaller diameter hose is more harmful.  Just trying to learn and understand it all (well some of it anyway).

http://beevac.com/faq/#vachose

[Finally Home]

Can you explain a little more on why a smaller diameter hose is more harmful.  Just trying to learn and understand it all (well some of it anyway).

http://beevac.com/faq/#vachose

Gotcha.  Thanks  Hadn't clicked on your link earlier.   
I will keep looking for a larger hose.  I can always make the hole bigger.  Going to be 15' up in a loader bucket this spring so that's why I went with the small vac and hose.

[G3farms]

Not sure if you got the answers you were looking for but I will chime in.........

 "Only thing I didn't do was the window screen under the top board. Not sure as to why that is there but hopefully I'll find out before I have to use it."
If you made your top with a slide out panel (Robo style) you will soon figure out that the screen is needed to contain the vacuumed bees in the hive body when the slide out panel is "slid out". On hot days you WILL need to remove the slide out panel or the vacuumed bees will over heat and die.

"So chime in if you can Robo or G3...  I would have to trim my hose so it wouldn't puncture it.  I do have the hardware cloth on the second small frame."
The hardware cloth on the cut out shim should be able to be slid out, not stapled on. You will find that vacuumed bees are pissy bees, this lesson will be a quick and short one.

The 2 1/2" hose is available at home depot or lowes. If you need more clearance on the top sliding board for the hose consider adding apiece of plywood to make it thicker. Look at the hose entrance on mine and also where the plexiglass piece is for the vacuum regulator.

Not sure if you saw the video I had posted but it is just a country boys view of it.

[Finally Home]

Not sure if you got the answers you were looking for but I will chime in.........

 "Only thing I didn't do was the window screen under the top board. Not sure as to why that is there but hopefully I'll find out before I have to use it."
If you made your top with a slide out panel (Robo style) you will soon figure out that the screen is needed to contain the vacuumed bees in the hive body when the slide out panel is "slid out". On hot days you WILL need to remove the slide out panel or the vacuumed bees will over heat and die.  Won't the hardware cloth keep the bee's contained when the slide out panel is out??

"So chime in if you can Robo or G3...  I would have to trim my hose so it wouldn't puncture it.  I do have the hardware cloth on the second small frame."
The hardware cloth on the cut out shim should be able to be slid out, not stapled on. You will find that vacuumed bees are pissy bees, this lesson will be a quick and short one.

The 2 1/2" hose is available at home depot or lowes. If you need more clearance on the top sliding board for the hose consider adding apiece of plywood to make it thicker. Look at the hose entrance on mine and also where the plexiglass piece is for the vacuum regulator. Will look for a larger hose.

Not sure if you saw the video I had posted but it is just a country boys view of it.

[Finally Home]

Went to Robo's website.  Watched all the video's there.  Now it makes a whole lot more sense.  Back to the drawing board 



Revamped version!!


http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,433.0.html