T Blankinship

I may be on to something with using a mirror on a stick. Did this today and could see some of the hive but finding the right position to see inside was an issue.  I did get some idea on were the bees were in the hive body. I think this has potential as a tool.

I looked at one that needs an application for mobile phones to run the scope. I am cautious about using a thing that needs a application for mobile phones to run due to mischief-making.

Pearl Sutton wrote:
That's what I was about to say. I'd not do wireless anything by bees. I also wouldn't put them by a cell tower, or high tension power lines. They use the earth's magnetic field to navigate, and disrupting that field with electrical sources confuses them. A good metaphor might be trying to drive when the cars all have high beams and spotlights on, very hard to tell where you are going. To me, that's what electrical fields might look like to bees.

Another issue is a bad actor hacking thought the wireless connection. At my local hardware shop there is a stand alone borescope for about 150. Maybe it is better just to open the hive maybe once a week or less and save the 150 for other projects.

So a week ago I started to hives and I would like to see how they are going. Having listened to the book "Song of Increase: Listening to the Wisdom of Honeybees for Kinder Beekeeping and a Better World " by  Jacqueline Freeman and read other beekeeping books. And being new to beekeeping I do not want to open the hive a lot but I do need to see inside the hive.

So Borescope? Adam has one and I think it could be a good tool.




So is this a good but bad idea?

Are there issues anyone can see with this?

So if I get one what should I look for and what things should I avoid?

Nicole Alderman wrote:(I have no idea if A2 vs A1 casein makes a difference). I don't think plant-based milks have casein, so they probably won't work in the same way.

I don't know if other proteins will be sticky and strong in the same way that casein is. Gum arabic might help add to the stickiness of non-dairy milk paint, but I really haven't tested that much (I've only used small amounts of gum arabic with my pre-made milk paint powder from Real Milk paint when I wanted to use those pigments for painting watercolor pictures. It didn't seem to do anything negative, but I also only used it in tiny amounts).

Casein, I think is only found in animal milk but there maybe a vegan form. I remember listening to a Paul Wheaton podcast and in it talking about uses of casein one of the uses was paint. I wonder if powder cows milk could be used to make paint? I think it would save space in the refrigerator.

Does it matter what type of milk is used (i.e. cow, goat, etc.)? Also could a plant based milk work?

Making curds in soy milk is how tofu starts out and I have used finely grounded almond flour to make tofu. Making almond milk is for me easy but making four or five gallons would take sometime.

Yes, I would support it.

I feel that if you could show everything from plans to building it. I feel the key would be showing how the current system (i.e. sewage lagoons and tanks) use a lot of power. Mostly from moving it from a low spot to a higher one and from one place to another. Sewage lagoons on a city level can be acres of land. Then showing how a willow feeder does not need power and machines to do a good job. Lastly, how if used right makes things better.

Chris McClellan wrote:Ulla,
This is a particularly fantastic one my friend built. Two burners that can be switched out for griddles and an oven.  If you're serious I will actually be out your way this summer. Drop me a message.

Nice!
What are the dimensions of this oven and stove?

Rodney Polden wrote:I wish this package was available as a set of DVD's.  Some of us are in situations where DVD's provide much better and more durable, long-term access to the info you are offering.  Any chance of that?  DVD's plus printed plans would be my much-preferred option.
Thanks for what you're doing.

When I was building my rocket oven I did print out the plans. I used Fedx print service and I think it was about $36.00 all together. I would also like to see a starter pack in DVD's. My idea would be to get that starter pack into libraries and other places. One thought I have had was something like The Knights Who Say Free, who could with help get starter packs into these places.

A good start. More detail on the eBook like projects and about the authors. I think adding rocket oven and maybe more fire related things could be good. Then since this is a starter pack have a link to another pack with more stuff. Like a pyro pack or a rocket science pack.

So back in December of 2024 I had very bad luck at work. One issue after another and worst my boss was not very happy with me. So one day I just got a broom swept the floor my thought was "it would be hard for something to go wrong".  It did help a little but my luck as of today January 2025 is mixed at best, sometimes talking about or writing about bad luck can change to good luck.