Thanks Jason. I really like your design, I built one today and can't wait to try it out. A friend of mine has a farm with a swarm occupying a tree, hence, the cordless vac. I used a DeWalt 18 volt as a test and it seemed to have pretty good suction, but that was in my shop. Out in the trees with an extended hose may prove to be challenging. I'll keep you updated.
I read the same thing before building this one. I understand how the smooth pipe may help. But, I have not had any problems with my vac and yes both of my hoses are from a regular shop vac.
Drew St.george After doing a few removals I learned I needed to upgrade to this. It makes it really simple to setup the colony once the removal is done. Just make sure you have no air leaks.
Really great Jason!!! Thank You for sharing!!! If I make one I will follow your design. It is the first beevac design I have seen that motivated me to want to build one. I have a feeling that I will need one eventually and so provided I build one here soon like this I will be prepared. Two Thumbs Up.
Wow, loved this video great set up and easy construction. The best are those monster bucks roaming the field in velvet at the videos end, making me a bit hungry
Thanks a lot. I think you would be very happy with this vac. Once the bee removal is done just have a bottom board, inner cover, and a lid and your ready to place the bees in there new location.
I have never tried a cordless vac but I have always had electrical hook up close to my bee jobs. And if I really needed I could take my generator. Let me know how it works out.
HI Jason thanks for the ideas but what sort of vac do you use? I pick a crate today on my ute they said the empty box is 100Kilos the whole thing weighed 550 Kilos meaning there could be 450 Kilos of honey and bees etc. I plan on doing a vid.
i like your bee vac.could i also put a screen on the bottom of the top? that way i could take off the top box after the job.that way i am just dealing with a lite load. let me know.thanks S.D.
So you would like to remove the vac box? Just want to be sure I understand the question. If so I think you could if you screened off maybe an excluder to put between the vac box and the box the bees are going in. Then really you could attach that to the bottom of your deep, so all you have to do is lift!
Yes, the suction is set very low. I don't know why a super would not work as long as there are no holes for air to leak. But all you really need is a lid with a lip around it. This keeps the bees from being smashed.
Hi Jason, seems like a very simple and effective setup you got , thanks for sharing i wonder if using a clear hose instead of one with rings all the way could reduce the bees kill rates due to fewer bumps on the way to the box? Cheers, Ahmad
+Ahmad Abdi I have wanted to upgrade my hose for awhile now just never taking the time. I do think a smooth hose would help but I have never noticed a large amount of dead bees with my setup.
Thanks for sharing your design - similar to what I'm planning on building next week. Do you just use this for swarms or do you do cutouts as well? I'm trying to work out how to integrate a box for collecting comb from the cutout with bees from the trap box, while not compromising suction. I've also worked out how to introduce the bees into the bottom, rather than on the top of the frames, by dividing the base box into two sections. The bees climb up into the trap box, and above that I have a box to receive the cutout comb, with a removable divider. Open the divider and the bees can climb up on to their own brood comb.
***** I only use my vac for cutouts. Swarms are usually pretty easy and the vac is not needed. I usually remove the frames under my suction hole so the bees aren't hitting the frame tops as they are sucked in. I would like to see a picture or two of your though. It sounds interesting. I have my first cutout for 2015 planned for April. I plan to make a video of it.
Jason Chrisman Gotcha... my basic idea is to have a trap box made from a hive body, but bees enter from beneath rather than above as you have. On top of that I have a divider board, with a hole that can be sealed/plugged On top of that I have another hive body - no lid - that I can put the cut comb in once it is strung on frames. Once I've finished the cutout and have no more frames to add I remove the plug between the sections and put a lid on the top. Removing the plug lets the bees climb up back onto their own brood comb. I can then even continue using the bee vac, sucking up remaining bees into the bottom section even while the bees are making their way up onto the comb. At the very end I lift the two boxes from the trap base and set them on a standard floor, strapped down tightly for transport so it won't shift. I'm planning it like this as my first job is indoors in someones bathroom. I don't want to be reuniting the bees indoors unless I can control the process. Added bonus - If I do a really big job and end up with more than one box of salvaged comb I can put it under the divider board, let the bees reunite with it and put another box on top to carry on with. I'm sure there will be issues, but I'm optimistic for it.
***** I like the idea. The cutout I have planned is going to be inside a house. The house is empty though. It would be the perfect test run for your setup. You have me thinking about a upgrade.
Hi Jason, because of the portability, I'm thinking of using a cordless 18V vacuum. I was wondering if you've tried one and whether or not it would be powerful enough to complete the task.
Instead of attaching the suction hose to the top and letting gravity pull the bees down along with the air flow for a harder impact... I put the hose into the side and remove the center frames so they have space to get sucked into the box and THEN fall a shorter distance to the floor. This way they bleed off velocity, arent affected by gravity, fall a much shorter distance, and don't get smashed into the tops of frames. I also use a smooth hose and not an accordian type vacuum hose. Imagine the rough ride the poor girls take bouncing from edge to edge. Great vac you built thought. I love the seperate vac chamber below.
mattheritage Sounds like you have a pretty nice vac also. I also removed the center frames but I understand your comment on the drop they take. Maybe I will have to upgrade my vac this summer. Where did you find a hose with smooth inner walls? I know several people that have swimming pools that's where my hose came from. Someone upgrade their hose and gave it to me. I would like to have one like you have though.
Simplest no bulldust one ive seen, if kill rate is low?, and you use a super which is so easy when you get home Arent you smashing quite a few bees against the top of the frames? or you have suction very weak so no real velocity going in? Most have their inner and outer box? Not being a carpenters backside, could i simply make top lid from small super, ie basically what you have as base super? well done looks a1
Did you try using a small as a lid? I have some extras which are not used and like the idea. It would also give them a bit of room before getting to the frames.
Going back through some videos thinking it's hard to believe I have been subscribed 9 years. Thanks man 👍 good health and God bless 👍
I know you've been a follower for a long, long time and I great appreciate it. I also appreciate that you comment and ask questions. Thanks!!
Your video explains the bee vacuum in the best simplistic way I’ve seen so far. Thank you. ☮️-Kirsten
So glad you found the video helpful. Hope you subscribed to see more of my videos.
@@JCsBees I did go back and subscribe!
Thanks Jason! I was looking for something simple to build and that looks perfect.
Glad I could help!
Thanks Jason. I really like your design, I built one today and can't wait to try it out. A friend of mine has a farm with a swarm occupying a tree, hence, the cordless vac. I used a DeWalt 18 volt as a test and it seemed to have pretty good suction, but that was in my shop. Out in the trees with an extended hose may prove to be challenging. I'll keep you updated.
Very nice rig Jason thanks for sharing!
I read the same thing before building this one. I understand how the smooth pipe may help. But, I have not had any problems with my vac and yes both of my hoses are from a regular shop vac.
I have seen different systems and yours makes the most sense. .Thank you for sharing. ...cant wait to try mine out
Drew St.george After doing a few removals I learned I needed to upgrade to this. It makes it really simple to setup the colony once the removal is done. Just make sure you have no air leaks.
Really great Jason!!! Thank You for sharing!!! If I make one I will follow your design. It is the first beevac design I have seen that motivated me to want to build one. I have a feeling that I will need one eventually and so provided I build one here soon like this I will be prepared. Two Thumbs Up.
Wow, loved this video great set up and easy construction. The best are those monster bucks roaming the field in velvet at the videos end, making me a bit hungry
Thanks a lot. I think you would be very happy with this vac. Once the bee removal is done just have a bottom board, inner cover, and a lid and your ready to place the bees in there new location.
Jason, built a bee vac patterned after yours this weekend. I used #8 hardware cloth vs screen and think i
I have never tried a cordless vac but I have always had electrical hook up close to my bee jobs. And if I really needed I could take my generator. Let me know how it works out.
HI Jason thanks for the ideas but what sort of vac do you use? I pick a crate today on my ute they said the empty box is 100Kilos the whole thing weighed 550 Kilos meaning there could be 450 Kilos of honey and bees etc. I plan on doing a vid.
i like your bee vac.could i also put a screen on the bottom of the top? that way i could take off the top box after the job.that way i am just dealing with a lite load. let me know.thanks S.D.
So you would like to remove the vac box? Just want to be sure I understand the question. If so I think you could if you screened off maybe an excluder to put between the vac box and the box the bees are going in. Then really you could attach that to the bottom of your deep, so all you have to do is lift!
Yes, the suction is set very low. I don't know why a super would not work as long as there are no holes for air to leak. But all you really need is a lid with a lip around it. This keeps the bees from being smashed.
This is so amazing! Exactly what i need atm... thank u!
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Jason,
seems like a very simple and effective setup you got , thanks for sharing
i wonder if using a clear hose instead of one with rings all the way could reduce the bees kill rates due to fewer bumps on the way to the box?
Cheers,
Ahmad
+Ahmad Abdi I have wanted to upgrade my hose for awhile now just never taking the time. I do think a smooth hose would help but I have never noticed a large amount of dead bees with my setup.
Good point
Thanks for sharing your design - similar to what I'm planning on building next week. Do you just use this for swarms or do you do cutouts as well? I'm trying to work out how to integrate a box for collecting comb from the cutout with bees from the trap box, while not compromising suction.
I've also worked out how to introduce the bees into the bottom, rather than on the top of the frames, by dividing the base box into two sections. The bees climb up into the trap box, and above that I have a box to receive the cutout comb, with a removable divider.
Open the divider and the bees can climb up on to their own brood comb.
***** I only use my vac for cutouts. Swarms are usually pretty easy and the vac is not needed.
I usually remove the frames under my suction hole so the bees aren't hitting the frame tops as they are sucked in. I would like to see a picture or two of your though. It sounds interesting.
I have my first cutout for 2015 planned for April. I plan to make a video of it.
Jason Chrisman Gotcha... my basic idea is to have a trap box made from a hive body, but bees enter from beneath rather than above as you have.
On top of that I have a divider board, with a hole that can be sealed/plugged
On top of that I have another hive body - no lid - that I can put the cut comb in once it is strung on frames.
Once I've finished the cutout and have no more frames to add I remove the plug between the sections and put a lid on the top. Removing the plug lets the bees climb up back onto their own brood comb. I can then even continue using the bee vac, sucking up remaining bees into the bottom section even while the bees are making their way up onto the comb.
At the very end I lift the two boxes from the trap base and set them on a standard floor, strapped down tightly for transport so it won't shift.
I'm planning it like this as my first job is indoors in someones bathroom. I don't want to be reuniting the bees indoors unless I can control the process.
Added bonus - If I do a really big job and end up with more than one box of salvaged comb I can put it under the divider board, let the bees reunite with it and put another box on top to carry on with.
I'm sure there will be issues, but I'm optimistic for it.
***** I like the idea. The cutout I have planned is going to be inside a house. The house is empty though. It would be the perfect test run for your setup.
You have me thinking about a upgrade.
Jason what type weather strip you use?
Brilliant!
Hi Jason, because of the portability, I'm thinking of using a cordless 18V vacuum. I was wondering if you've tried one and whether or not it would be powerful enough to complete the task.
Instead of attaching the suction hose to the top and letting gravity pull the bees down along with the air flow for a harder impact... I put the hose into the side and remove the center frames so they have space to get sucked into the box and THEN fall a shorter distance to the floor. This way they bleed off velocity, arent affected by gravity, fall a much shorter distance, and don't get smashed into the tops of frames. I also use a smooth hose and not an accordian type vacuum hose. Imagine the rough ride the poor girls take bouncing from edge to edge. Great vac you built thought. I love the seperate vac chamber below.
mattheritage Sounds like you have a pretty nice vac also. I also removed the center frames but I understand your comment on the drop they take. Maybe I will have to upgrade my vac this summer. Where did you find a hose with smooth inner walls? I know several people that have swimming pools that's where my hose came from. Someone upgrade their hose and gave it to me. I would like to have one like you have though.
Very simple bee vac #beevac #Honeybees
Do you put some honey in the hive, to keep the bee's happy?
Once I remove them and get them relocated I do feed them.
Wanted to know, thye thought of them being vaccumed, & no treat.
Simplest no bulldust one ive seen, if kill rate is low?, and you use a super which is so easy when you get home
Arent you smashing quite a few bees against the top of the frames? or you have suction very weak so no real velocity going in?
Most have their inner and outer box?
Not being a carpenters backside, could i simply make top lid from small super, ie basically what you have as base super?
well done looks a1
Did you try using a small as a lid? I have some extras which are not used and like the idea. It would also give them a bit of room before getting to the frames.
thanks
Sure, I hope it helped. I not longer do cutouts so this vac just collects dust. Are you going to build one?
spread the frames where the intake is located...minimizing the bee smash...Terry Crissman in Marlow,OK
gonna try this