BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS
Bushkill 4-way Mating Nuc
steveouk:
great post gives me some excellent ideas for next season
xC0000005:
I've been building with plastic signs for a while (for outside bodies as well) and not all signs are created equal. For dividers I like the kind that have the cells running vertically. Why? use one for a while and then repeat the measurements. If you cut carefully things will be fine. If you use horizontal cels in a divider and don't trim carefully along the edges, you'll wind up with a partial cell. Ok, so far, so good, right? Fast forward a few months - those edges will fold down and your divider will be less tall than it was. For standard height cells it's no big deal so long as only one edge is like that.
If you cut the sign using one with veritical cells (that's all the ones on wire H stands) they will not collapse downward.
Horizontal cells make much better side walls for nucs and cut right form a nice flap/lid.
Political Sign Nucs
Frankenhive sans skin
Now with signs added.
Robo:
It is definitely a give and take when using coroplast. The problem I have had with vertical cell dividers is that unless you put a dado in the floor, they will warp to one side and in some cases touch the adjacent frame and cut off access to the bees. If you do go with dados, you can forget about easily removing the dividers once the bee propolize them. :( With horizontal cell dividers the dado is not needed to prevent warping. I get around the half cell cuts by extending the divider past the tops (individual tops for each nuc).
Even though there are pitfalls with the coroplast that need to be designed around, the price is right ;)
purvisgs:
I have seen this thread pop up to the top of the list several times and I have wanted to jump in and post this link (but I was unable to find it), well finally, here it is: http://www.wiltshirebeekeepers.org.uk/Downloads/BeeLines%20April%202007.pdf
scroll down to page 7, you will see some pretty cool combined tbh mating nucs. now these I would certainly call a mating manor!
robo- q's if I may: how do you like the ply inner covers as opposed to other options- how easy is it to inspect a "middle" colony? very good idea it seems I tried using various "cloth"/ grain bag type inner covers stapled to dividers and didn't like result. with this setup do you consider telescoping tops necessary or could a slightly larger (say 2" overhang) ply top, weighed down work? is your (outer) top made of the luan ? or do you have bottoms on the boxes? can't see anywhere else it is used in your design.
what is it that makes one coroplast better than another? do you have a favorite? :-D
(ie can't horizontal be turned 90 degrees to become "vertical coroplast"
thank you
Robo:
--- Quote from: purvisgs on December 08, 2008, 04:28:29 am ---I have seen this thread pop up to the top of the list several times and I have wanted to jump in and post this link (but I was unable to find it), well finally, here it is: http://www.wiltshirebeekeepers.org.uk/Downloads/BeeLines%20April%202007.pdf
scroll down to page 7, you will see some pretty cool combined tbh mating nucs. now these I would certainly call a mating manor!
--- End quote ---
Very interesting. Looks a bit complicated with all those internal hoses and such. Looks like something from outer space with all those cans and soda bottles on it.
I did learn something though - use of Carniolan bees which are well known for their ability for precise orientation. So I guess they are only good for rearing Carniolans :?
--- Quote --- how do you like the ply inner covers as opposed to other options- how easy is it to inspect a "middle" colony? very good idea it seems I tried using various "cloth"/ grain bag type inner covers stapled to dividers and didn't like result.
--- End quote ---
I like them a lot, They are rigid enough that they don't sag or warp. The middle ones easily pry up with the hive tool and all the propolis sticks to the wood and not the coroplast, so once off, a quick scrap and they can go back on. I tried coroplast covers, but they tend to warp and don't seal well with the outer cover removed, so you get bees escaping from previous inspected units while your going through the adjacent units. I used 3/4" ply scraps from building the boxes, thinner stuff would work equally as well.
--- Quote --- with this setup do you consider telescoping tops necessary or could a slightly larger (say 2" overhang) ply top, weighed down work?
--- End quote ---
Telescoping cover are by no means necessary. I've used sheets of coroplast with a overhang with to problem.
--- Quote --- is your (outer) top made of the luan ? or do you have bottoms on the boxes? can't see anywhere else it is used in your design.
--- End quote ---
Yes the top covers and bottoms are Luan.
--- Quote ---what is it that makes one coroplast better than another? do you have a favorite? :-D
--- End quote ---
It all seems to be pretty much the same around here. The FREE ones are my favorite ;) Especially the ones that only have printing on one side ;)
--- Quote ---(ie can't horizontal be turned 90 degrees to become "vertical coroplast"
--- End quote ---
Yes, but you must turn it BEFORE cutting it to size :-P (unless you are cutting squares, but that doesn't seem to happen with Langstroth hives)
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