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Instrumental Insemination Equipment

174K views 595 replies 35 participants last post by  teplov 
#1 ·
I'm attempting to fabricate an instrumental insemination device, can anyone give me the ideal inside diameter for the tube that holds the queen?

-Jay
 
#4 ·
Hi Jay

I'm now starting to gather a few items for the same task, it would be great to bounce a few ideas off of each other.
I have got a cheap supply of glass tubes for making my own spindle and now making my own glass tubes come injection units, for the collection of the sperm I'm using a pepette vaccum handle used in the labs.
 
#5 ·
Just look for a large diameter pen with a clear plastic lower end, disassemble it, disc sand the tip little by little until the queen's abdomen sticks part way out. Then lightly deburr or raduis the inside diameter a tiny bit with 1000 grit Wet-or-Dry sand paper. A clear vynyl hose goes from the CO2 source to the queen holder.

I make a very cheap unit for $50.00 out of off-the-shelf parts. You'll groan when you see it - its so simple. This does not include CO2 bottle, nor regulator, nor microscope, nor syringe, just the fixture stand. PM me if you want one.

OOPS! Just notice it is a resurrected thread from 2012...oh, well, have a go at it!
 
#8 ·
Tried to answer and the server kicked my reply down the tube.

I just cleared a few old PMs.

Anyways, there is nearly ZERO market for these things, so I will not be patenting anything. Have a go yourself if you wish, or, I'll be happy to build you one.

I made my unit out of 2 items from Harbor Freight Tools and some hardware store items. The HFT items were two different magnifying glass stands for soldering small stuff. There is a light weight model and a slightly heavier one. I cannibalized the 2 to make one I.I. stage device, removed the magnifying glasses, swapped out and/or modified the arms, and had to drill 1 hole. I used 2 of their dental picks for the sting chamber hooks.

The hardware store parts were mostly clear vynyl tubing and adapters and a brass valve to connect and regulate the CO2 system to the queen holding cone.

I have a dumb phone that does have a camera. I can't quite figure out how to post photos with it. I did own a digital camera for awhile, and Oldtimer and InTheSwamp helped me get some photos up, but the d@^^ thing promptly died on me. I bought another digital camera and it got stolen before I got home. :scratch:

I'll get some help from any local friend that knows how this goes. I'll go buy the parts and make another I.I. stage fixture, and try to post an "Oldtimer" or a "Lauri" quality thread about it.

This is NOT a high-quality I.I. device, and y'all are gonna groan when you see it, its so simple. I now have a CO2 tank, still need a regulator, a microscope, and a Harbo syringe (just buy the one from Dr.Cobey - it's the best!).

Yay! my post went up :D
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi KC

I have been practicing the sperm collection using one of these handy devices that I used to use in my medical days, using plain old full cream milk as a substitute, the small wheel has great control and is very accurate. They are well made and come apart to clean.

https://www.sciquip.co.uk/products/liquid-handling/pipettes/pipette-pumps.html

Here is the same pipettes as mine being used, the red is the larger dia unit, but the blue 2ml version is good for me. The orifice of the pipettes has a tapered medical grade rubber cone that can accommodate tubes right down to two millimetres so you can add a plastic hose for use as an ancillary or remote device.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2WZ6sREzCsc

I'm also part way into make a drop rig to make my own glass pipettes, found a really good scientific glass blowers here in the U.K. who are very helpful indeed, 1.5. Meters of 3, 4 and five millimetre tube are a buck each.

I chose glass versus plastic because plastic has harmful BPA's in it or Bishenol A,s which can be detrimental to sperm as these chemicals can slowly leach into the fluid, this is something I learned about thirty years ago when working in the labs whilst preparing live samples, always use glass if you can.

I would be interested to find out what diameter the tiny balls, I.E. green and blue are used in the Shelly Co2 unit, because the graduated tube is a standard syringe or can be made using one I'm told.

Co2 can be bought in the small throw away one quart welding cansisters, these should last a fair while.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Welcome to Beesource, 'Blue!

Love your enthusiasm, but I would just get the Harbo syringe. The needles are just right for extracting drone semen (you'll probably need loupes for this - I need 15 power), and the capacity is huge. You and 2 friends can draw semen from drones all day long and not fill it. You can see it on her website. If you can make one, more power to you.

www.honeybeeinsemination.com

Click on "equipment" at the top of the home page.

The efficiency comes with a slightly better stage than mine that is easier to make repeatable. Mine just makes I.I. possible, not fast, unless you are very mechanically adept at small stuff. A clever, persistent person could succeed with it.

The entire process is some effort and money- a strong apiary, queen rearing yards, the queen bank, the drone bank, the queen and drone holding/shipping cages, the I.I. system, the record keeping system.

The 'scope is not cheap, but there is the internet. DO order Dr. Cobey's DVD.

Meanwhile, she has posted this one last year ( a 2007 publication by Ohio State Univ.), best internet I.I. video I've seen to date.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...d=64d7fd37cb04015668dab41b02004ca&action=view

You have to click on the one in the lower right corner with Sue's picture on it - Part I is 19:03 long. The one above it is Part II, it looks about 6:05 long. You may have to X the video of Part I in order to find Part II.

After watching the video, I get an appreciation as to how nice that Schley device really is. The goal in a breeding program is to get a whole bunch of them laying eggs, so you'll want a LOT of practice and a LOT of successes. There are a lot of steps, each one has to be mastered. That means a lot of fails along the way.

I believe the video sold in the catalogs of her explaining I.I. is longer, so probably even more detailed. It's only about 30 bucks, a huge bargain. I'd get that, try to get set up, and reserve a summer class with her at Whidbey Island, or take the U.C. Davis or WSU courses. You need to understand the genetics program goals driving the need for I.I., not just inseminate them. That's at least a year study if you're already way into it, and there's nobody in the world better to teach you this practice, although I suppose Dr. Schley and Dr. Latshaw are pretty good, too.

In preparation for her classes, read Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding, by Dr. Harry H. Laidlaw, Jr and Dr. Robert Page, Jr., if you have not already done so.
 
#16 ·
Welcome to Beesource, 'Blue!




I believe the video sold in the catalogs of her explaining I.I. is longer, so probably even more detailed. It's only about 30 bucks, a huge bargain. I'd get that, try to get set up, and reserve a summer class with her at Whidbey Island, or take the U.C. Davis or WSU courses. You need to understand the genetics program goals driving the need for I.I., not just inseminate them. That's at least a year study if you're already way into it, and there's nobody in the world better to teach you this practice, although I suppose Dr. Schley and Dr. Latshaw are pretty good, too.
Well said Kilocharlie! II is just a tool, it has to work with everything else. Sue is a great instructor as she has a really soft touch with the queens. Well worth the time if you have the opportunity to work with her!
 
#11 ·
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
One of our group has her DVD which we can watch.

My system is almost like the Harpo, but we use the pipettes pump in place of the turn buckle type, it does the same thing really and sucks, no pun intended.:D.

I will post some pictures when I get the one piece spindles made.

This will be our light source.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/dbk/Rols...qid=1481763141&sr=8-4&keywords=flexible+torch

Can't wait to get going to be honest.
 
#13 ·
I love your light source.

I have a cousin who does smooth muscle research at U. N. Reno, his research partner makes awesome pipettes small enough to barely poke through a cell wall and introduce precise fluids. He built a machine that controls the heat to a small fraction of a degree and uses piezoelectric servos to stretch and to break them apart, microns at a time. Guess I should go talk to him about making me up a batch of I.I. needles.

Thanks for resurrecting this old thread and getting my blood flowing again. I really ought to get up to the shop and build a microscope. It need not be anything super fancy. I should just try to find some retired optics with a very fine rack and pinon gear set, make mounts for the right kind of lens, get my old lens grinder buddy to make me up a set of something to handle the 5x - 45x range.

BTW, how many active in your UK group? I see that Dave Cushman's site had something like 80 I.I. enthusiasts at one point. I'd love to get in on the chats. Adam Finkelstein has a good forum last I saw.
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
#18 ·
I enjoy designing and making instruments. Beekeepers will often share with me that they have made their own equipment, but are embarrassed to share it because it is "too crude or simple". Let's see some pics of "homemade" equipment and I will dig up some photos of my early work too. Don't be shy!
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi JSL

This was my third attempt at hand drawing a spindle this afternoon, the tube is boracilicate grade 4.00 mm diameter, 0.8 wall thickness, I used a standard blow lamp but the heat was slightly under parr so I used the mini torch which has a much finer hotter concentrated flame.

The tip is less than 1.00mm, my idea is to get one which will act as tube and needle in one section.

https://s30.postimg.org/s3pvmbj01/IMG_0060.jpg

There are several cheaper end stereo scopes but they all tend to start at 20 times mag, do you know of any other affordable units less than 200.
 
#22 ·
The tip is less than 1.00mm, my idea is to get one which will act as tube and needle in one section.

https://s30.postimg.org/s3pvmbj01/IMG_0060.jpg

There are several cheaper end stereo scopes but they all tend to start at 20 times mag, do you know of any other affordable units less than 200.
It looks nice, but that one is going to hurt. The tips are so fine and delicate, you may be better off pulling them out of a smaller material.

I don’t know of any scopes off hand that come in under 200. You may have to keep your eyes open for a used scope on the internet.
 
#21 ·
I have obtained a Nikon stereo zoom 15x eyepieces by 0.8 to 4 zoom which gives me 12 times magnification up to 60 times. I have heard some talking about fitting a Barlow lens to increase focal depth but will have to see how this will work. Any further ideas are really appreciated.
Johno
 
#30 · (Edited by Moderator)
The spindle I made today is only half a millimetre I/D but with a little practice I should be able to get the desired diameters, it was a lack of heat that prevented the tip from drawing out properly, it has to be right I know so more playing until it's optimum.

The girl on the link I put up earlier made it look so easy and she was using much thinner gauge tube and double drawing it, very experienced operator indeed.

I have found a novel way of cutting the tubes, I use an old diamond coated router cutter and roll it on the edge of it, snaps really clean when it's scored.

I noticed that some ends are fired gently after cutting to round over the very edges of the tip, will have to try this too, it will save on deburrring later.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Here is my project so far, I will give as accurate step by step tutorial as possible, and edit as I go so nothing gets lost.

Here are the basic parts.

https://s24.postimg.org/on07pznj9/IMG_0062.jpg

https://s23.postimg.org/7eznesc9n/IMG_0068.jpg

Here one has two 1/4" bore rods ends, nylon insert.

http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/Rod-Ends-GrNylon-Race/FP04-14inch-Right-Hand-Rod-End-Bearing-88403-p

The next item is the needle body, which consists of a wooden body made from English holly, a section of 1/2" wide brass strip 5/64 thick, which fit into a slot cut so they sit flush, two nickel silver, or they can be made from brass, pivots are hand turned on the wood lathe using HSS wood turning tools, the old fashioned way using hand turning skills.

One pivot is drilled with a 4.00 mm hole the other tapped out to 4.00 mm, there is a two inch 4.00 mm all thread bolt and spring and the brass axle and two self washer 5.00 mm nuts.

https://s27.postimg.org/4ms9kosrn/IMG_0071.jpg

One can comfortably reach around each post to manipulate the tools into place.

https://s28.postimg.org/7gbaqth0t/IMG_0079.jpg

The rod ends are threaded onto a brass rod 1/4 inch diameter and tapped firmly into a pilot in the wooden base, to get them tight so they don't move drill the last half in a size below or you can glue them in, I prefer the former so you can remove them from below using a drift if needed.
The rod end post also have a full inch thread so there is ample range for vertical adjustment if needed.

The rod ends have a three inch 1/4" tube fitted through the pivot bearing and are secured via a piece of shrink wrap either side, then the 7/32" tube with its pin vice slide through that, to get the desired amount of resistance on the outer tube all you need to do is very gently tap the 1/4" tube to dissform it until you have slight interference fit, do this a tiny bit at a time until you have the desired damping needed.

1 X 1/4" ' and 1 X 7/32 brass tube are from K & S tubing from the United States, most good model shops carry this as standard, their wall thickness is 1/64 and they fit inside each other perfectly.

Inside the 7/32" brass tube fit two mini pin chucks perfectly, you can glue them in if you like using a tiny dot of super glue, and to remove it again afterwards all you need is a little hear from a cigarette lighter and the glue will melt again, here is where I got mine from.

http://www.rnhorological.co.uk/images/Pin Vices/IMGA0683T-S232 RN.jpg

And here is where I got the brass tubing.

https://www.phillsmodels.com

Showing the needle post, not yet fully complete with its pump or adjuster, to follow next.

https://s24.postimg.org/o6a4sshs5/IMG_0077.jpg


https://s28.postimg.org/5ew7ves31/IMG_0078.jpg


https://s23.postimg.org/fjhib3q6z/IMG_0076.jpg

The pivots can be moved well out of the way to place the queen and tube into place, the apparatus for this will also be unique and multi adjustable for ease of use, to follow also.

https://s24.postimg.org/g6ygyzthx/IMG_0080.jpg

This is an able prototype I think and inexpensive for anyone to have a go at making one.

I'm already working on the next one which will be based on this one but with a unique feed in system for the injection, that anyone will be able to handle.

Everything sits on top of the Ash wooden base covered with a nice strip of polished leather for comfort, the hands can also be rested upon the board making everything very secure.

Thanks for looking, questions please, ideas definitely.
 
#32 ·
Little Boy Blue, I am impressed. I have the microscope but that is as far as I have got. I will be 73 soon and have felt that spending a large amount of money on the equipment at my age would not give me a reasonable return on the investment. Some times I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits, so seeing what you have accomplished will now stop me from just sitting and start me thinking. I will follow your postings on this subject with interest and see if I can add something in the future.
Johno
 
#33 · (Edited by Moderator)
Thanks Johno

I'm not quite sixty yet but beginning to feel like it when we are in the yard or garden allotment digging.

You can get the parts at your side of the pond for sure, and most parts bar a couple are in imperial sizes.

For your base, make it an 18 inch triangle, with rounded corners, not a long one like the one shown, so you can fit your microscope in a hole at the centre and the posts at either side, I have a scope in mind that can be mounted to this board using just the main post, I'm sure you can see where this is headed.

I got the idea from lab equipment in my medical years so I know what to aim for, but all will be revealed as they say.

I'm also having some 3D printed queen bee training models made that I have drawn up in Solidworks, so you can practice out of season and not on live specimens or wasting gas at the very beginning.

If your going to follow wait until I show the next model, but do make the posts and arms, pin vices etc as these will be added to the new model.

I'm not doing this as a commercial enterprise but will be copyrighting certain items as I go, thus self copyrighting the design to stop people from monopolising it at a later date commercially, but everything is free to who ever, in the words of my grandfather, we must whenever possible help those who want to help themselves.

Respect

Danny.
 
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