Bee Hive Frame dowel jig

thingiverse

This jig allows vertical holes to be drilled into Beehive top bars. It's set up specifically for standard Warre hive bars, just like the ones shown in the photos, so that 6mm diameter dowel ends can be used. The jig features 6mm nuts at both the top and bottom, which are pre-drilled with a 6mm drill before assembly. This helps to ensure longevity and takes the wear of the drill. So far, I've made 50 of these jigs and all of them have remained straight. The groove is slightly wider than most bars, so you can simply hold it by hand or attach it to a board using the four screw holes if you prefer. To add some extra height, you could use spacers and a stop to ensure that the hole spacing remains consistent across all bars. The photos show the results of using this jig, with the spacing from the hive walls achieved when the jig is level with the end of the bar. You can adjust the position of the jig to suit your needs. Once the holes are drilled, I set out 8 bars on a flat surface and used PVA glue to secure 10cm-long dowels into place. By doing it this way, you can make any necessary adjustments to ensure that the dowels are fairly vertical and in line. Since no dowel is perfectly uniform in diameter, some movement may occur, but it's much easier to do it this way than trying to align individual dowels. If a group of 8 bars looks right, then it likely is. This jig is particularly useful if you don't have access to a drill press like me, but you do have a printer. You can also use it for other tasks that require drilling vertical holes in various materials - this one is specifically designed for 6mm holes, but it could potentially serve as a pilot for any other size hole.