Great feeder

JackM · August 08, 2018, 08:59:30 AM

Stumbled over this on U-tube, made one, and dang it works really well with a sealing lid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPQ18WA_pv8

Van, Arkansas, USA · August 08, 2018, 10:04:15 AM

Jack, agreed. I use a gamma lid, screw down, gravity feed/vacuum system. So the sugar flows very slowly. Just like in the video.

Flydown · August 11, 2018, 11:26:22 PM

I actually had planned to make one of those today. I got busy with elderberries though and didn't have time. I don't have buckets with screw on lids though. I need to know how many pounds of sugar to use with 4 gallons of water.

sc-bee · August 11, 2018, 11:32:49 PM

Quote from: Flydown on August 11, 2018, 11:26:22 PM
I actually had planned to make one of those today. I got busy with elderberries though and didn't have time. I don't have buckets with screw on lids though. I need to know how many pounds of sugar to use with 4 gallons of water.

For what ratio.... or do you care? 4 gals water of 1:1 will not fit in a five gallon bucket. The multiplication factor for 1:1 is 1.66. So 4 gal of water plus 32 pounds of sugar makes 6.64 gallons of 1:1

Oldbeavo · August 12, 2018, 12:40:26 AM

Do 1:1 by volume, 1 scoop sugar + 1 scoop water. Or what ever a scoop is, 1 gallon of water + 1 gallon of sugar.

sc-bee · August 12, 2018, 01:47:07 AM

1- 4b bag for 2 qts (1/2 gallon) of water for 1:1
2- 4lb bags of sugar per gallon of water for 1:1

4-4lb bags per gallon of water for 2:1

Break it down however you wish. My point was 4 gal of water and the sugar required for 1:1 will not fit in his five gallon feeder bucket without overflow

JackM · August 12, 2018, 08:47:24 AM

Hey, the bees don't care, it is all sweet to them!

This is so nice not having to fill the feeder every single day. I am doing 1:1, but mix in a gallon jar and then pour into the bucket, dissolves faster. I know, for end of season, go higher, but I am trying to promote new comb build. Sorta an experiment.

Flydown · August 12, 2018, 09:04:49 AM

Okay. Got it

DeepCreek · August 15, 2018, 10:59:17 AM

The screw on lids and the snap on lids are easy. However, if you're using the lids that simply press on to form a vacuum you'd better think before flipping 5 gallons of sugar syrup. Or it'll all be on the ground ; )

ed/La. · August 15, 2018, 02:37:28 PM

I use the bucket feeder with screw on lid. It works fine. Best to mix in different bucket and stir with paint mixing paddle and drill. Because of the placement of holes buck holds about 4.5 gallons or less. When empty there is still half gallon or more left in bucket so you probably get 4 usable gallons per fill. I like to fill at feeding station (300 ft from hives) so I am not caring a buck with a bunch of holes near rim to leak. My bees drain bucket in about 28 hours. 25 hive yard, so about a quart per hive per day. This seems to maintain hives and stimulate some brood rearing in a dearth. I do not fill daily because they do not need it and want to save room in hive for fall flow. No problem with robbing or dead bees. After fall flow will feed 2 to 1 if needed well before winter.

Oblio13 · August 15, 2018, 03:32:24 PM

Just made one of these today with a bucket and a Gamma-seal lid from the hardware store - I'm tired of filling small feeders every day.

Drilled 1/16" holes very close to the tops (bottoms?) of the cavities (except of course the two that hold the bail), and it works great.

It occurs to me that an entrepreneurially-minded beekeeper might be able to design and market a feeder based on this. The cavities could be positioned closer to the top of the container so as to reduce the amount of unusable syrup, and the lid could incorporate a tray that captures overflow at first, and rain afterwards - which would discourage ants.

Great feeder

Van, Arkansas, USA