Okay. I admit it. I'm dumb!

**Rusty Hills Farm** · 02-16-2013, 09:17 AM

Yep. Without a doubt. Usually I can follow plans and build equipment successfully. I really can! I promise! But the plans for the Miller feeder on here have me completely flummoxed. How do the bees get in? And for the life of me, I cannot figure out what to do with the hardware cloth. No, I haven't actually built the thing. I need to understand the plans before I start cutting. I do have all the raw materials. I just don't have a clear picture of how it goes together. (It probably doesn't help that I've never used one before--always did the plastic baggies or the upside-down jars.)

Has anyone built this that would be willing to steer me in the right direction? Gads but this is embarrassing!

Rusty

**Rader Sidetrack** · 02-16-2013, 09:30 AM

I have not yet built one, but it is on my list and I have studied the plans. The bees come up from the hive below between the boards labeled "B". The hardware cloth fits in the gap between boards "B" and "A". Note that "B" is one inch shorter than the sidewalls. You need to realize that the "dashes" covering the boards "A" and "B" represent wood grain. There is no wood where the "grain" marks stop. The diagram isn't as clear as it might be in that respect. The bees crawl over the top of boards "B" to access the screen (and syrup) in the slot between "A" and "B".

Also, I don't see a hole represented in the bottom board in the area under the slot created by boards "B", but there needs to be one there.

I had seen pictures of similar feeders in different threads on Beesource over the past year. If I hadn't seen those threads I may have had greater difficulty with the plans.

**Rusty Hills Farm** · 02-16-2013, 09:50 AM

Also, I don't see a hole represented in the bottom board in the area under the slot created by boards "B", but there needs to be one there.

Aha! That explains one question! I could NOT figure out how they were supposed to get in there. But I confess I still don't get how to attach the hardware cloth. I'll have to study the diagram some more.

Thanks!

Rusty

**Rader Sidetrack** · 02-16-2013, 09:58 AM

Further study of the materials list shows the bottom board is really (2) smaller boards. The center gap between those boards is where the bees enter the feeder.

**mgolden** · 02-16-2013, 11:10 AM

Diagram is confusing. Have made the feeder and I like it.

P1010332.JPG P1010331.JPG

Bees enter in a 3/4 slot the width of the feeder between the two "Bs", at the bottom.

They crawl over the top of the B board and feed in the V screen between A and B. The V screen extends the width of the slot A-B and must be tight to the ends. I stapled it to the top inside of A and top of B. V is formed from top inside of A down to bottom of tank and then up to inside top of B. Fold screen over top of B and staple.
Then staple on a piece of screen that spans from A to A.

I highly recommend a good coat of beeeswax on bottom and walls of tank before As are installed. Seals corners and prevents molding on the sides. I also used silicone on all wood to wood seems as I assembled, as leakage can be an issue.

As you can see from the attached pics, I made a simple 2x4 frame and attached a 3/4 plywood to the under side and then cut a slot with a jigsaw.

**DC Bees** · 02-16-2013, 11:14 AM

There are three pieces of hardware cloth, two of them are folded and pushed down between two boards so the bees can access the syrup with out drowning. The last piece is stapled over the top center so the bees can not get into the area where the syrup is poured into, hope this helps.You will need to make them water proof so they do not leak, I used camcote and it worked great.

**Rusty Hills Farm** · 02-16-2013, 12:29 PM

NOW it makes sense! Thank you, guys. I kept trying to figure how in the world to do it with one piece of hardware cloth folded in half and there just ain't no way! But THIS makes sense!

Now that I understand it, now I can finally decide whether to build it as is, or tinker with it a bit.

I really appreciate the help/input and pictures.

Rusty

**gscforester** · 02-19-2013, 09:22 PM

feeder.jpgI made the feeder the first time exactly like the plans and it does work well. I actually modified them starting with the second one I made. Instead of of the opening in the center with two access points for the bees, I made the opening on one side of the box only with just a single access point. I like it because you only need to dado the side boards twice instead of four times, also half the wood dividers and hardware cloth, and on top of that there is only one resevour to fill. I attached a sketch, use the one showing the hardware cloth in a "V" on the right, I messed up and drew it on the left in one, and don't know how to delete it.

**Rusty Hills Farm** · 02-20-2013, 05:26 AM

That's funny! Once I understood how it goes together, my first thought was to modify it about like yours! See, great minds DO think alike!

Thanks for the help.

Rusty

**sqkcrk** · 02-20-2013, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by Rusty Hills Farm

Yep. Without a doubt. Usually I can follow plans and build equipment successfully. I really can! I promise! But the plans for the Miller feeder on here have me completely flummoxed. How do the bees get in? And for the life of me, I cannot figure out what to do with the hardware cloth. No, I haven't actually built the thing. I need to understand the plans before I start cutting. I do have all the raw materials. I just don't have a clear picture of how it goes together. (It probably doesn't help that I've never used one before--always did the plastic baggies or the upside-down jars.)

Has anyone built this that would be willing to steer me in the right direction? Gads but this is embarrassing!

Rusty

Step one completed. Recognition of the problem.