OP
Rosti
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2009
- Messages
- 1,755
- Reaction score
- 14
- Location
- North Yorks, UK
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 4
Gingernut, hope the following helps and wld like to compare notes / pics when you're done.
1. yes it is a standard 18" external dimension so no super required. Distance between feed boards is 12mm. The Miller plans I found said 3/4" but that seems an un-necessary width and would make it harder for a dislodged bee to make it to the side. One further mod I haven't done yet. Plastic plant netting 4mm gap. If the sand is no good I'll pin it to the inner feed surfaces to give really good purchase.
2. 150mm should give you a lot more capacity than mine - but they be pretty large. I thought about this and making hives top heavy? hence I went for 4 1/2" plank not 6" plank
3. I followed the rule of 6mm is minimum without causing wing damage for access width
4. I made the slushes removeable mainly for cleaning, good point about fondant though. I am a bit worried that the ladies will have to go a fair way from the nest ball and chill so may not make the journey (can get untouched stores in the brood box and dead bees in really cold conditions?) - may be best to put fondant straight over a feed hole?
5. Show off! I used scrap polycarb but probbaly would have done all poly carbonate lids if I had enough .... and wasn't a skin-flint!
6. I used water proof pva and then screwed as well. Have done a water test overnight with the first unit - on news paper - no sodden patches to date! I am certain that using the routed channels on all joints helps here because it increases the glue contact surface area
1. yes it is a standard 18" external dimension so no super required. Distance between feed boards is 12mm. The Miller plans I found said 3/4" but that seems an un-necessary width and would make it harder for a dislodged bee to make it to the side. One further mod I haven't done yet. Plastic plant netting 4mm gap. If the sand is no good I'll pin it to the inner feed surfaces to give really good purchase.
2. 150mm should give you a lot more capacity than mine - but they be pretty large. I thought about this and making hives top heavy? hence I went for 4 1/2" plank not 6" plank
3. I followed the rule of 6mm is minimum without causing wing damage for access width
4. I made the slushes removeable mainly for cleaning, good point about fondant though. I am a bit worried that the ladies will have to go a fair way from the nest ball and chill so may not make the journey (can get untouched stores in the brood box and dead bees in really cold conditions?) - may be best to put fondant straight over a feed hole?
5. Show off! I used scrap polycarb but probbaly would have done all poly carbonate lids if I had enough .... and wasn't a skin-flint!
6. I used water proof pva and then screwed as well. Have done a water test overnight with the first unit - on news paper - no sodden patches to date! I am certain that using the routed channels on all joints helps here because it increases the glue contact surface area
