Of course we need pictures! Some of us are word-challenged but can read pictures like no one's business!
Ok - you asked for it...
A bit of a preamble (bear with me ...) :
Some time ago I settled on the use of six-and-a-half-frame nuc's - that's not as barmy as might first sound, for that number relates to the width: the 'half-frame' being a divider which sits in the box permanently, and is located centrally when the box is in 2 x 3-frame 'mating nuc' mode, and to one side when in '6-frame nuc' mode.
These nuc's have appropriately divided crown (top) boards, which have had 2 x 2" dia. holes cut in them to take overhead inverted jar feeders. I find that such feeders work well when over full-sized hives, as any drips due to changes in atmospheric pressure get quickly mopped-up, but can pool with smaller colonies with potentially disasterous consequences.
So - for some time now I've been looking for a *really good* solution to the syrup feeder problem to fit my existing set-up: for as many of you have found, they either leak, drip, or drown bees - and sometimes the bees even decide to build comb in them !
I then discovered the FatBeeMan design who, as you know, has been working on feeder design over many years. So by using his concept as a starting point, I was then able to develop the feeders which I now use. They may not look very elegant, but they don't have any faults - and after several months of field testing over both full-sized hives and nucs, I can report that there's not been a single leak, drip, outbreak of robbing, and not one single bee has drowned. Although I've been focussing on small feeder units (my design brief has been: <3.5" high, <3.5" wide, 1 pint capacity), the same principle can very easily be applied to full-size overhead feeders with a gallon or more capacity, or even Top Bar frame feeders. The only limiting factor is sourcing suitably shaped plastic containers.
Ok - enough chat - this is the 'Mark I' being trialed - loosely based on the FatBeeMan design - the problem here is that the container can't be tilted to endure complete emptying.
This is the 'Mark II' - now with a vertical 'stair-well' - again being trialed over a full-sized hive. It works perfectly and several are now currently in use over nucs.
This is the 'business end', showing the essential principle of the design: two sheets of aluminium mesh, separated by 8mm battens. There is absolutely nowhere for the bees to go - if one should enter the syrup, then one or other of the mesh walls can be used to haul itself out.
Finally, this is the brief I've been working to: each feeder must fit within the height of a single pallet plank (for ease of 'super/eke' construction), and within the width of a half crown-board, as shown.
Hope this has been of interest ...
LJ