[Litsinger]

I think I've really stumbled onto a truly revolutionary idea- what do you think?

 

[GregB]

I think I've really stumbled onto a truly revolutionary idea- what do you think?
.............

I only got two of these handy.
Maybe people tend to hold onto these - don't see many by the roadside.

 

[Litsinger]

I only got two of these handy.

You just need some indoor cats!

 

[Alto Beek]

I think I've really stumbled onto a truly revolutionary idea- what do you think?

View attachment 73655 View attachment 73656

Neat idea, very eco - I like the clips/clasps better tho - very practical

 

[Litsinger]

I like the clips/clasps better tho - very practical

It started as envying the spring clips they use in the UK for use in setting up dual-purpose production boxes / swarm traps and kind of morphed from there .

 

[William Bagwell]

I think I've really stumbled onto a truly revolutionary idea- what do you think?

South face needs protection from the sun. Pennies per pound for UV additive adds up to big money if they use a million pounds per year.

 

[Gray Goose]

so a wick up into the hive, and one filled with water or Syrup.......

good show.
I use old rims for NUCs a lot


GG

 

[GregB]

You just need some indoor cats!

No cats here.
Fish only (free guppies from Craigslist - the usual with me).
Fish food cans are a bit too small for the hive stands.

 

[Litsinger]

South face needs protection from the sun.

I thought about spray painting the outsides white. I'll noodle with it and post R1.

 

[TelmahQ]

I have one of those buckets in use as a gear stowage box in the yard. It is surprisingly weatherproof (the contents stay dry and ant free). The sun damage has not been bad, although the handle just broke. I don’t remember exactly when I put it out there but this will be its 3rd season.

 

[Wil-7]

I don't care what you say Spike, I am going to take your kitty litter container.

 

[A Novice]

After a couple of years in the sun they become very brittle. A coat of paint would help greatly. Not sure it will stick very well though. A mess to clean up when they break into a hundred pieces. Most likely polystyrene.







The draw latches are good idea. A bit pricey for Greg, but once in a while they show up at reduced prices.

I get paint from Habitat for Humanity, or for $5/gallon from the back room at Sherwin Williams.

 

[Litsinger]

Most likely polystyrene.

The 35 pound totes I have are made of polypro. Doing some research, looks like people have good success spray painting them, particularly if they start with a good adhering primer.

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Tigger19687]

I would have put the Top on the ground. I've done this with other things but not a hive. I wonder how much weight it will take?
They would be good for Nucs too

 

[Litsinger]

I would have put the Top on the ground.

Not a bad idea. I thought about partially filling them with pea gravel as ballast, but suppose that could be accomplished in either orientation.

Not sure about the weight capacity, but I do frequently stand on one as a stool- so I am going to say 4 of them would easily support over 500 pounds of distributed weight.

 

[ruthiesbees]

my cinder blocks here in VA are $2.50 so for $10, I have a solid hive stand. And I have no cats.

 

[Jack Grimshaw]

I commend you on the reuse of your plastic containers but.....
I find plastic to be very slippery and maintaining a slight foward tilt is going to be difficult.Years ago I made some screened bottom boards from Trex and it is a constant battle keeping them centered on a hive stand.Unfortunately they show no sign of wearing out.
In my case,plastic pails are too valuable to leave out in the weather.Temporary tool boxes,storage for sugar bricks,wax,sand ,ice melt,bird seed.the list goes on.
They also make a good seat for inspecting nucs or pulling Qs.

 

[Litsinger]

And I have no cats.

I find plastic to be very slippery and maintaining a slight foward tilt is going to be difficult.

Ruth and Jack:

Thank you for your feedback. I should offer that the original post was offered somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as I utilized the noted approach as the only thing readily at hand.

For those of us cursed with indoor cats, you accumulate quite a stock of these plastic pails, so now I am considering whether I can make more permanent modifications to what is currently cobbled together to upcycle some of these pails in limited application.

I'll post the R1, but generally I am thinking of bolting the pails together through the rib with some spare hardware I've got laying around, adding ballast for stability, painting the exterior with a couple coats of acrylic and screwing some 1X's to the top to provide a solid base to work from.

FYI- here is my normal hive stand set-up.

Thanks again for the feedback- sometimes my dry humor gets me in trouble.

 

[Diogenes]

Ratchet straps weaken & die quickly from sun exposure.Screws maybe? FYI, those kitty litter buckes hold 5 gallons exactly.

 

[lemmje]

For those of us cursed with indoor cats

Never had an indoor cat in the 25 years I have been in this house, until three years ago when when I remarried. One by one I now have 4! I use those buckets in the shop, always a need for a bucket.