Hive Status Tracker

About the Model

These dials/sliders help you remember the following info about your hive, for the next time you come check on it. 

I've also included a blank status wheel for you to remix and add whatever text you'd like (even just print the blank one off and write words on there with a sharpie). STEP files are included for easier remixing.

• Queen/Hive Status

  • Options:

    • Queen No Eggs

    • Eggs Seen

    • Brood Solid

    • Brood Spotty

    • Cells Seen

    • No Queen No Eggs

    • Laying Worker

    • Disease Suspected

• Maintenance Performed/Required

  • Options:

    • Feeding

    • Added Space

    • Split

    • Reduced Space

    • Harvested

    • Treat

    • Winter Prep

    • Re-Queened

• Month and Day Slider

  • Log the current date, so that next time you come visit the hive you know when the last time was

  • Or just set whatever date you want \_(ツ)_/

The status wheel stays in place simply with friction.  I opted not to have it be "clicky" so that it would be easier for people to make their own versions of the wheel and add a different number of options.

The date slider clicks into place at each month/day.

Will it fit on my hive?

• Status Wheel

  • Sized to fit on either a traditional deep box  under the handle OR on the side of any P-Hive hives (except for potentially the Quadri-Hive, for which I couldn't find dimensions for the location of the side entrance).

  • Could also fit on either a medium or shallow super, although would cover the handle on whichever side it's on

  • Rectangular bounding box: 10.45" x 5.2"

• Date Slider

  • Can fit on the side of any box, including supers, although will potentially cover the handle if put on a super (can definitely fit under the handle on a deep though, see photos)

    • Same As the Status wheel for P-Hives: can fit all except for perhaps the Quadri-Hive

  • Rectangular bounding box: 8.8" x 3"

What screws to use?

• First off, be sure to use short enough screws so that they don't poke through the hive wall

  • This means screws should be at most the thickness of the hive wall plus 1/8 for the thickness of the parts

  • typically 3/4" for traditional hives

  • I believe P-Hives are 30mm thick or more, but you should double check that

• For P-Hives, consider using self tapping plastic screws

  • Even if you drill pilot holes, the self tapping screws have nice sharp, coarse threads which should work well with the high density poly styrene

• For traditional hives, any wood screw will do

How to Print

Required Print Bed Size

All parts of the model can fit easily within a 10" x 10" (254 x 254 mm) print bed. 

The largest part actually has a footprint of about 8.9" x 8.9" (226 x 226 mm) when placed at a 45 degree angle on the print bed (see images below).  

What parts to print

For the status wheel, you will need:

• 1x Base

• 2x Knob

If you would like different status items on the wheel than what I chose to put on there, you can either remix the blank model I provided and add your own text, or just print the blank model and write your own on there.

For the date slider, you will need:

• 1x Base

• 1x End Cap - Left

• 1x End Cap - Right

• 2x Slider

• 2x Spring

Filament Type

ASA would probably be an ideal choice for something like this that is intended to be outside due to its UV resistance. However, work with what you have available! It may just not last for as long as ASA probably would.

Print Settings

Nothing special here.  I left all settings completely untouched from the 0.2mm standard PLA preset in my slicer.  Print with you typical settings for whatever filament you're using.

If you're new to printing and not sure where to start, just use the most basic, standard preset profile that your slicer has for the filament you're using.  It likely will be 0.2mm layer height with a 0.4mm nozzle. 

No supports

Scaling

The models provided has been tested and are a nice snug fit (once you move them back and forth a few times to knock down the rough edges, as described below), on the printers I have with the filaments I tested and the settings I used ... which will of course vary slightly from your own setup.  For a nice clicky feel, pretty tight tolerances are required, which is why I opted to print the parts with a very slight interference fit and then let them smooth each other out.

However, I've been told by others who have printed this that scaling the date slider part down to 99% made for a better fit.

If you're finding that your date sliders don't fit into their slots, that would be something good to try.

Print Orientation

No supports are required or recommended to print any of these parts.

I've included a 3mf file, with all parts placed correctly on print beds, that you can use if you wish.

All overhangs, when parts are in the recommended orientations, are 45 degrees or less, which should not require any supports to print cleanly. 

Correct orientation can be seen in the screenshots below, but here is a description as well.  Also know that in my slicer at least, clicking auto-orient correctly flipped all parts.

• Status Wheel Base - Right side up

• Status Wheel Knobs - Upside down, so that the big flat face is on the print bed

• Date Slider Base - Right side up

• Date Slider Slider - Upside down, so that the side which the spring will insert into is facing up

• Date Slider Spring - Right side up (don't change from how it imports, although it probably doesn't matter with this part)

• Date Slider End Caps - Upside down, so that the dovetails are touching the print bed

Assembly

Assembly is fairly straightforward--everything is simply click-in-place, no tools required.

• Status Wheel

  • Just press firmly on the knobs and they should click into place in the centers of the two wheels

• Date Slider

  • Insert the spring into the bottom of the slider.  It should fit snugly into place, and is designed asymmetrically so that it can only fit in one way (see picture below)

  • Do the same with the other slider and spring

  • Insert one slider into the month track, and one into the day track.

  • The sliders will be fairly stiff at first.  Run them back and forth a bunch of times to knock down any high points and get them to slide nicely.  There will still be some friction, and you should still feel a slight click at each index.

  • Insert the end caps into the dovetails on each side of the base.  They will only go in one way.