EPQ - Artefact

Construction of floor These measurements are for the hive floor that I will be building. Above I have given the exact measurement and the name for each one of the pieces and what it will be used for.  These measurements I have are the same used to make the standard national hives that you can buy. The image to the right is of what the floor will look like from a top view and side view when it is completed. I got these pictures from the same website that I got these measurements from and this will help give an example of what it should look like when completed. http://dave-cushman.net/bee/natfloor.html Construction of brood box These measurements are of the brood box that I will be making for all the brood (baby bees) that will be laid by the Queen bee in the frames in the brood box. Again, this picture on the left is what the brood box will look like from a top view and side view when it is completed.   http://dave-cushman.net/bee/natbrood.html Construction of super These meas...

One way to make the hive stronger that comes to mind, is whenever I join two pieces of wood together; it is best to use a nail/screw as well as wood glue. This will greatly increase the strength of the wood joint decreasing the chance of the joint from breaking apart and will help it last a lot longer. In addition, I could also put in multiple nails/screws whenever I put in one, this would  also greatly increase the strength of the joint and makes it last longer.   Another way to make the hive stronger is to coat all of it with a primer when painting the hive. This will help make the paint and the Hive last a lot longer and help protect it from the weather, rotting and from insects, like flying ants. It will also help the bee’s know which hive is their hive and stop them from getting confused - when there are multiple ones in a row. It would be more beneficial if multiple coats of paint are added, as every coat of paint added means it will last a little bit longer. Also, one ...

Nails I believe the best nail to use to build my hive will be the round head nails. I have decided to use this type of nail because of its availability and because it varies in size. This will allow me to get replacements or order more nails if needed and I also have a lot more of a choice in what size will be best for the hive. It is also a very strong nail that focuses on strength, which is ideal for when the hive is heavy with honey. round head nails - Bing images Screws I believe the bugle head screw is the best screw for me as it provides the most strength than the other screws and requires the least amount of work to drill in. They have good holding power so it is less likely that the materials will come apart. This type of screw is also widely available everywhere in the UK and you don’t need any extra drill bits for the screw. buggle head screw - Bing images   Glue For the glue to use I believe that Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue is the best glue to use for t...

Nails Nails are better for when you are joining a thin piece of wood and a thick piece. Usually, the nail has to be 3 times longer than the thin piece of wood so two-thirds of the nail is in the thick piece of wood, resulting in a stronger hold.  B ending the flat end of the nail into the wood also results in a stronger hold but is not as appealing aesthetically. Nails are best f or delicate work and a re cheap and widely available. But it is b est to use wood glue in conjunction with nails for more strength and in addition, when  nailing with a hammer the wood can move around and can cause damage to the wood. As you can see in the picture to the left, that is a round head nail I nailed into a piece of wood. This was done with relative ease and won't be hard to nail multiple nails in a minute. It also provided a lot of strength and did not require any cure time after I nailed it in. So it was ready to be used straight away. This is one of the nails greatest strengths, as ...

VOC stands for the volatile organic compound.   VOC’s refer to the chemicals that evaporate out of the paint as it dries.    These chemicals are unstable and  are harmful, causing health problems in humans and animals. Headaches, nausea, irritation to the airways, liver, and kidney damage are all ailments that can occur if you breathe in VOC’s.  Low VOC paints mean that they have less volatile organic compounds, and thus, require less off-gassing. These paints have less odour than regular paint and dry quicker.  When it comes to VOC’s in paint, less is better.  Choose paint with the lowest level.  Generally, a VOC level of under 50 is considered low VOC.  Examples of Low VOC paints ·       BEHR Premium Plus Interior – under 50 ·       Benjamin Moore Paint Aura – 50 ·       Glidden High Endurance Paint – 0 ·       Sherwin-William...

Tape measure, hand saw, hammer, screwdriver, drill with drill-bit, square, hand-planer, wood chisel, utility knife, spirit level, staple gun, circular saw (I have all of the tools listed above except for the circular saw, a circular saw is shown in the image to the right.)  (This saw only costs £40, which is relatively cheap compared to other makes. I could think of buying this saw for my project, but my Uncle also has a circular saw which I will borrow to use for my project. This will be more cost effective and a better use of resources than simply spending money on a new saw, when I can just borrow one.) Mac Allister MSCS1200 1200W 165mm Electric Circular Saw 220-240V | Circular Saws | Screwfix.com The timber should be 20mm-25mm thick, and 300mm wide. Planed shelving timber is suitable, and you’ll need 10-20 metres depending on how many levels you want your hive to have. You’ll also need two pieces of exterior plywood for the roof, one 500mm x 420mm and another piece 390mm x 350m...