Anyone tried, seen, touched the poly hive from maisemore

[dickndoris]

I'm waiting to see what the Abelo Poly's are like....

Are they doing 14x12 broods? I like the extra space and me bees love it.

 

[2_dive]

I have both Maisemores 14*12 and standard brood poly boxes.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Are they doing 14x12 broods? I like the extra space and me bees love it.

I doubt they will be doing 14x12, would of thought they would of listed them on the website if they were, or an eke to convert the standards deep.

 

[Eyeman]

The Abelo Poly's nationals should take a standard wooden national roof which would be a winner for me.
As I understand it other poly's are too wide to take a standard wooden roof?
Alec

 

[maddydog]

Swienty 14*12, home made Dartington style floor, standard roof with 50mm kingspan glued in. About £50 a hive - probably too rich for Finnie's blood but there you go! Compatible with the cedar shallows from thornes sales along with frames. The advantages of poly, the robustness of wood.

 

[Swarm]

The Abelo Poly's nationals should take a standard wooden national roof which would be a winner for me.
As I understand it other poly's are too wide to take a standard wooden roof?
Alec

Swienty aren't, they are standard 460mm outer dimensions. Framed excluders fit properly, as do other parts including the roof.

 

[Finman]

Swienty 14*12, home made Dartington style floor, standard roof with 50mm kingspan glued in. About £50 a hive - probably too rich for Finnie's blood but there you go! Compatible with the cedar shallows from thornes sales along with frames. The advantages of poly, the robustness of wood.

I do my roofs. £ 4 a piece. IT is price of metall sheet. Roofs have lids. That is a speciality.
Very easy to do.

My friend made new roofs, but they are all leaking. Not money to buy metall sheets.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Why do you put wood roofs on poly hives ??

 

[Hivemaker.]

Why do you put wood roofs on poly hives ??

Because many people have plenty of wooden roofs, so they just buy the poly boxes.

 

[Finman]

Why do you put wood roofs on poly hives ??

I make them from recycled, but from high quality wood.

I use roof as landing base, where I lift honey boxes when I inspect the hives.
They must carry 100 kg weigh.

And I have wooden & ply floors.

 

[dickndoris]

I have both Maisemores 14*12 and standard brood poly boxes.

How are you finding them? Any problems? Using any wood with them?

 

[2_dive]

How are you finding them? Any problems? Using any wood with them?

I collected them yesterday so they are not in use yet. I have however been using both Paynes and Bee Hive Supplies poly's for the past 3 years and prefer the design of Maisemore's for the following reasons.

No moulding depressions, better floor design (no lugs, smaller landing board), deep hand holds on sides, and importantly cost.

The only concerns I have is the entrance block which I do not think will last very long, and the frame supports which could be simply removed and replaced with either metal or plastic runners.

They are supplied with screws for assembly but I will be using UHU glue on mine.

I will try to post some photographs later but seem to have problems with the forum at the moment.

 

[Thymallus]

better floor design (no lugs, smaller landing board), deep hand holds on sides, and importantly cost.

Interesting you don't like the lugs on the floor. I think they are really good, prevent floor and brood box shifting apart whilst moving hives. Although if you don't do a lot of migratory beekeeping this may not be an issue for you. The only thing I don't like about them is the size of the "footprint".

 

[2_dive]

Interesting you don't like the lugs on the floor. I think they are really good, prevent floor and brood box shifting apart whilst moving hives. Although if you don't do a lot of migratory beekeeping this may not be an issue for you. The only thing I don't like about them is the size of the "footprint".

I try to keep as much compatibility as possible and due to BHS polys not having the recess for the lugs then the lugs had to go. I do move my hives around and have never had a problem with them shifting apart - with polys you have a much greater contact area between the floor and brood.

I agree with you that the size of the footprint is larger but the advantages of poly over wood make this a none issue for me.

 

[dickndoris]

I collected them yesterday so they are not in use yet. I have however been using both Paynes and Bee Hive Supplies poly's for the past 3 years and prefer the design of Maisemore's for the following reasons.

No moulding depressions, better floor design (no lugs, smaller landing board), deep hand holds on sides, and importantly cost.

The only concerns I have is the entrance block which I do not think will last very long, and the frame supports which could be simply removed and replaced with either metal or plastic runners.

They are supplied with screws for assembly but I will be using UHU glue on mine.

I will try to post some photographs later but seem to have problems with the forum at the moment.

Sounds good so far. All the niggly problems with the Paynes one gone! Look forward to the pictures. Do they hold 11 or 12 frames? Or maybe 11 and 15/16ths of 1.

 

[2_dive]

Attached are some photos of Maisemore's poly hive (Broods and supers only - roofs and floors will be arriving Friday) as requested.

The super has been assembled with screws only at the moment. Internal dimensions are identical to wood nationals and they have an external dimension of 500mm that is the same as Paynes and BHS

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I wonder why the manufacturer deems it necessary to have the joints screw fixed ? As far as I am aware friction alone is sufficient with other makes, though acrylic sealant can help, if one has time to allow it to cure.

 

[Swarm]

As a design it is far more practical than paynes with its pathetic hand holds. I can't see a reason for the runner design to be a problem either, you don't apply pressure to this area when splitting frames.
Had they made it to outer dimensions, like swienty, I'd have given them a try but 500mm is just too bulky, IMO and they still don't provide excluders that fit.

 

[Alabamaeee]

My Paynes 14x12 are under attack by mice. This has never happened before but this year they are chewing holes above the plastic entrance block.

No idea how to further protect them as the odd shape of BB make sit difficult to add any metal protection.

May have to try fine mesh which will be easier to shape around the protruding centre web of the BB.


So here is a question for Finman

How do you guys prevent mice or rats from chewing holes in your poly hives?

 

[Swarm]

Ditch the floor and make your own underfloor entrance and deal with wasps at the same time.