Making FOur Way Pallets

[matt1954]

We are prepping for 2013 and have begun to make pallets. I cannot seem to find the "W" or "U" clamps (my term) to put in between the boxes. Can anyone tell me where to get them? Also any advice on building them? thanks.

[sqkcrk]

You've tried Mann Lake for the clips?

[matt1954]

couldnt find them on their catalog.

[sqkcrk]

hmmm, intersting. do they still sell pallets?

what about Kelly Co?

Pallet Clips are on page 33 in the Mann Lake Catolog, February 2012.
Kelley Co, 2011 on page 25.

[Flyer Jim]

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/mm5/merch...h=pallet+clips
page 33 of there catalog

[Stevebeeman]

Make your pallets 33.5" X 47" you can place 7 pallets in a roll and have a few inches to spare on a 20' flat bed.
"W" clips are a must!

[Bob Nelson]

http://www.meyerhoneyfarms.com/clips.html

[kilocharlie]

Suggest that you build them with screened bottom board / pollen drawers built in. We also treat them with linseed oil, dry them, and paint them all over. We use treated lumber on the bottom, untreated marine ply on the top. I use #8 hardware cloth, and the booster rails are 7/16 inch high, as I use them for different kinds of bees. W-clips are better, and I wish they were made of stronger sheet metal.

[MichaBees]

Kilo;
Do you have plans or photographs for your pallets?

[kilocharlie]

I just got told how to post photos, and have to find the digital camera, get on photobucket.com, and give it a try. Should happen soon.

For now, think of a regular pallet, but the bottom strips are green, treated 1" x 6" strips of wood. Bald cypress in my dreams, but Douglass Fir in reality...I use 2" x 6" risers, which are really 1 1/2" x 5 1/2". These sit

[lupester]

Suggest that you build them with screened bottom board / pollen drawers built in. We also treat them with linseed oil, dry them, and paint them all over. We use treated lumber on the bottom, untreated marine ply on the top. I use #8 hardware cloth, and the booster rails are 7/16 inch high, as I use them for different kinds of bees. W-clips are better, and I wish they were made of stronger sheet metal.

I would really like to see how you incorerated a pollen trap in those!

[kilocharlie]

Sorry about that last post - the anti virus went berserk.
The 2" x 6"'s sit on the narrow edge (the 1 1/2" side, like most pallets) with the 5 1/2" side vertical. Cut the marine ply to the size that fits your truck and 2, 4 or 6 of your hive boxes, as you prefer. Snap a chalk line over the 2" x 6"'s and screw or staple it together.

Lay your newest, most square hive box in position and trace the inside edges onto the ply. Then, using a yardstick, trace inside that line far enough to staple the #8 hardware cloth floor down. Drill a pilot hole big enough to put a saber saw blade through and cut the floors out, then staple down the #8 cloth. Cut your booster strips and place them directly under where the box sits. Mine are 7/16" thick. I only leave about 8" of main entrance opening so each hive on the pallet has more separation. You're in business with SBB pallets. Make your sticky boards out of the cut out pieces. You don't need slatted racks with Screened bottom floors.

Want to get fancy? You can make 1" grid sticky boards by using white finish lumber, a Sharpie pen for the grids, a sheet of clear plastic. Use 3M #77 spray adhesive or even #90, which is WAY STICKY. These work for the powdered sugar shake mite drop test.

Even fancier? Make pollen trap drawers to go in the slots where the forklift goes in, only make them without wood floors. Make floors out of window screen - the metal kind - and put T-shirt material over the screen, pulled tight and stapled to the side with very small staples. It works out well to put 2 low friction strips under the long sides of the drawer so it will slide in and out easily. These strips should be at least 1/2 inch tall so the screen floor can droop down under the weight of the pollen and not hang up on the pallet.

These pollen trap drawers won't work unless you make a pollen tripper at the entrance. It is a passage that forces the bees to crawl through 3/16" hardware cloth before getting into the comb. It has to be back inside a bit so the pollen falls through the #8 wire cloth floor and into the pollen drawer. It is getting difficult to obtain the 3/16" size mesh, and I actually soldered my own first few of them. Only about half the bees lose their pollen off their back legs when they go through the tripper.

Do remember not to use these traps too long - I only use them for a few days while pollinating - and take them out before using the forklift!

Good luck!

[toad]

Jerry,
I have a few that I've not nailed together, your welcome to use one as a pattern

[Jim Stevens]

We are prepping for 2013 and have begun to make pallets. I cannot seem to find the "W" or "U" clamps (my term) to put in between the boxes. Can anyone tell me where to get them? Also any advice on building them? thanks.

Matt,
Below is a link to an old post with pictures showing clips and other things to do with pallets.
Like sqkcrk and others have said, Mann Lake has them.
Hope this helps, and the link works.http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...574#post372574

[matt1954]

Everyone thank you, you all have been a tremendous help. Got the clips from Mann Lake. Onward and upward.

[kilocharlie]

Jim - Thank you for that old post! Great photos, and I love the jig!