Over 10 years ago, I started, marketed, worked, built, and completely ran (with an occasional helper) a company dedicated to building storage sheds in the Dallas metroplex. The photos below are one of the larger buildings that I built – that was later renovated to be a back-yard apartment. The construction photos below show the process up until the point that the city approved the building as built per their issued permit for a “portable building /outbuilding /storage shed”. All rules and laws were adhered to by me for the construction of this building. After the permit / inspection approval… the homeowner contracted with “someone” for some additional upgrades to the structure.
16×20 Organizer – Built by Rex Smith
At Customer’s Request:
Upgraded all siding to HardiPanel siding
Upgraded to 5 skids instead of the standard 3 skids
Plastic sheet vapor barrier laid in advance of building the building
Ridge vent as well as end-vents installed on front and back
Primed and painted body of building as well as the trim
Pressure-treated ramp
Anchor kit (per Garland city ordinance for buildings under 400′ Sq.)
Unofficial Upgrades:
I can also attest to the fact that after this building was built, interior was finished out with electrical outlets and a breaker box for the building. A few windows and a window a/c unit was installed, and a proper French-door for entry was installed. The interior walls (and roof-line) were insulated, and drywall paneling was installed, and taped/bedded… I’m pretty sure that the homeowner was using the building not for “storage” but as a rental “apartment”. A total of 320 square feet – this is rather large for a “tiny house”.
The Empty Yard
The Empty Yard
Here’s where the shed will go
Here’s where the shed will go
Vapor barrier laid out, and lumber staged
Spliced 4×4 PT Skids
Floor Framing in place
Deck laid, walls framed & sheathed, and rafters staged
Not a full hive inspection – but a beautiful 60 degree (F) day – and a chance to check the pollen substitute feeders to see if they are in need of being refilled. Indeed – they were low – so after filming this short 1-minute video clip, I refilled the pollen substitute feeders.
Several weeks back, I inspected the hives, and in one of the empty nucs, found a mouse nest – with a single mouse living within. I had forgotten about installing mouse-guards when I was reducing the hive entrances and adding covers under the screened bottom boards.
I did a quick check in the hives before installing the mesh. It is 1/4″ hardware cloth – simply bent to a 90 deg. angle, and stapled across the entrance. Not rocket science – just a block to keep the field mice from using the hives for shelter, warmth, and food.
Here’s a Christmas day follow up for my pollen feeders that I installed last Saturday. We had a sunny day that was nice (but windy) – and the bees were ALL OVER the pollen sub. (I use Mega-Bee from Mann Lake)
After 5 days, we have a warm day (~55 deg. F) that allows me a chance to come back out to the bee-yard and check on the feeders that were placed last Saturday afternoon. As you can see – the bees are flying, and SCOOPING UP THE pollen sub!
Merry Christmas, Happy Yuletide, Festivus, and new return of the Solar Unit.
This week I made two feeders that provide pollen substitute to the bee-yard. Total build time for the feeders was about 5-minutes. Scroll down to view the video that was made for this project.
Pollen Substitute Dispenser on fence – View of opening
Pollen substitute ( or Pollen Sub ) is fed to the bees in any of several forms. As a powder that they forage for and bring back into the hive, as a “patty” that is placed into the hive and they move it into cells without having to leave their home. I am currently using Mann Lake’s BeePro pollen sub.
Pollen Substitute Dispenser on fence
Items needed for this project:
4″ PVC Pipe
4″ PVC End Cap
Downspout Adapter
PVC Primer & Glue
Pollen Substitute.
Rex Smith plays a personally written song on Mountain Dulcimer. Dulcimer has a more rich and full sound than indicated in the video. Dulcimer built by Terry Cannon. Inspiration to play – by Bing Futch (look up his Dulcimerica videos!).
This was take 1 – and has plenty of mistakes in it – but it’s been a few months since I picked up the instrument. The next video in my series is the same song – however, played on a different dulcimer.
Lots of work is in the planning stages for the 2015 beekeeping season. There are boxes to build, frames to assemble, foundation to install – oh – and did I ever mention a barn to build at Wolfsong Farm? This should give me a secure space to keep my beekeeping woodenware and equipment.
Plans are to create splits from the strong hives, and bump-up some of the hives to 10-frame boxes that survive from the 5-frame nuc boxes that some are currently in.
This swarm arrived today, and settled in Brianna’s Crape Myrtle tree by her driveway. She helped me go through the cluster (YES – No Gloves, and scooped the bees JUST like I do) and put the workers into the hive, whilst watching for the queen. We spotted the queen, put the queen into a clip, and into a hive. The workers came in, then decided they they would roam the neighborhood for a bit. (BTW – this swarm was larger than 1 basketball in size – but smaller than 2 basketballs).
They flew 3-4 house lengths in their swarm flight – looking for their queen – so I used the queen that I had already captured to lure the bees back to the box – and they came in IN FORCE.
I’ll let the bees settle in overnight, and will pick them up and move them to the bee yard in the morning.
Scout bees. During swarm season, it is common for homeowners to notice more honeybee activity around their homes. Sometimes bees will bump & “explore” openings around your house. These very well could be “scout bees” that are representatives from a swarm – looking for a new home for the whole ball-o-bees to call “home”. If the opening into the walls, joist space, or attic is found to be acceptable by the scout bees, then they could go back to the swarm, and tell them all where to move in.
I highly suggest that you take a looksee around the outside of your house, and do any weatherizing that needs to be done. Openings over 1/4″ can be a wide-open-door for a hive of bees.
