Carbonate crown boards

[Curly green finger's]

Brilliant idea about parchment paper I would be able to see how much fondant has been used as don’t want to get caught out with isolation starvation.
Totally agree with you about the fondant being close to the cluster is better.
Thanks for that tip it is really useful

Brilliant idea about parchment paper I would be able to see how much fondant has been used as don’t want to get caught out with isolation starvation.
Totally agree with you about the fondant being close to the cluster is better.
Thanks for that tip it is really useful

No worries, your using clear crown boards to?
Like this
As you can see the fondant is almost gone. reversable crown board with double bee space and 50mm eke.
Picture from autumn 2018. single brood colony was a nuc in June 2018.

When I put lots of fondant on 5kgs or more i use a thin metal qx then fondant crown board and then insulation/roof.
The qx stops heavy fondant falling on the bees.

 

[Somerford]

Available in the Thornes sale...

 

[Newbeeneil]

They always seem to be a tenner in any Thornes sale. I bought another couple this year. I'll put a 50mm eke on one side.

 

[Madge]

Also I bought 2 ready made poly boards from a supplier in Cornwall.....all I can say it was an expensive mistake. Spot the mistake made by the manufacturer!

Two holes in a CB - particularly a clear polycarbonate CB - is useful. You can use both holes with feeders, or use one for syrup and the other for fondant. You can see where the cluster is, and move the feeder to the hole nearest to the cluster - and, if the cluster is not near the feeder holes in deep winter, quickly lift the polycarbonate feeder, add a shallow eke, and put the fondant directly on the frames (however, I hardly ever need to do that). And if you don't want to use the feeders, simply close the feeder holes with a small square of cut-off polycarbonate sheet, plywood, correx or whatever.

 

[Speybee]

Two holes in a CB - particularly a clear polycarbonate CB - is useful. You can use both holes with feeders, or use one for syrup and the other for fondant. You can see where the cluster is, and move the feeder to the hole nearest to the cluster - and, if the cluster is not near the feeder holes in deep winter, quickly lift the polycarbonate feeder, add a shallow eke, and put the fondant directly on the frames (however, I hardly ever need to do that). And if you don't want to use the feeders, simply close the feeder holes with a small square of cut-off polycarbonate sheet, plywood, correx or whatever.

I don’t think I have explained my situation very well.
I am a fan of clear crown boards and my existing 2 are glass but I ordered 2 more clear crown boards made of polycarbonate from another supplier in Cornwall, other than my usual place in Newburgh.

The problem with these 2 boards from Cornwall is that the holes are not far away enough from the wooden edge therefore I cannot use a rapid feeder in Spring or at other times in the season because (the measurements are incorrect) the feeder cannot sit flush, leaving a gap allowing bees to escape and also not giving the bees full access to the feeder.

This is similar to me only having my bathroom door only fully opening 6 inches with the builder saying “Sorry Quine, but you have got access as I’ve left you an opening of 6 inches and that is an access”

I only use my glass board in Spring to early Autumn before changing to a solid crown board with a 2.5kg slab of Ambrosia rolled across the top of the entire surface area of the 11 frames to prevent isolation starvation.

 

[enrico]

I don’t think I have explained my situation very well.
I am a fan of clear crown boards and my existing 2 are glass but I ordered 2 more clear crown boards made of polycarbonate from another supplier in Cornwall, other than my usual place in Newburgh.

The problem with these 2 boards from Cornwall is that the holes are not far away enough from the wooden edge therefore I cannot use a rapid feeder in Spring or at other times in the season because (the measurements are incorrect) the feeder cannot sit flush, leaving a gap allowing bees to escape and also not giving the bees full access to the feeder.

This is similar to me only having my bathroom door only fully opening 6 inches with the builder saying “Sorry Quine, but you have got access as I’ve left you an opening of 6 inches and that is an access”

I only use my glass board in Spring to early Autumn before changing to a solid crown board with a 2.5kg slab of Ambrosia rolled across the top of the entire surface area of the 11 frames to prevent isolation starvation.

I just bought the sheets cut to size and cut my own hole with a hole cutter. I can see your problem and I sympathise!
E

 

[Speybee]

No worries, your using clear crown boards to?
Like thisView attachment 21890
As you can see the fondant is almost gone. reversable crown board with double bee space and 50mm eke.
Picture from autumn 2018. single brood colony was a nuc in June 2018.

When I put lots of fondant on 5kgs or more i use a thin metal qx then fondant crown board and then insulation/roof.
The qx stops heavy fondant falling on the bees.

I do the same as you except in winter no QE and I roll out a 2.5 kg slab at a time.
I will be trying your excellent idea of using parchment instead of a cardboard template, between the crown board and the fondant.

 

[Madge]

The problem with these 2 boards from Cornwall is that the holes are not far away enough from the wooden edge therefore I cannot use a rapid feeder ...

Oh, sorry. I missed that. Yes, that's a nuisance. You can buy smaller feeders, or use a contact feeder - one you've made yourself. But, of course, you'd have preferred to avoid that!

... the feeder cannot sit flush, leaving a gap allowing bees to escape and also not giving the bees full access to the feeder.

Why doesn't the feeder sit flush? Is the polycarbonate CB flexible? In that case, what I do is to put two pieces of wood (bits of bottom brackets, for example) on the top bars, just to the sides of the holes, to prevent it sagging under the feeder's weight.

 

[Speybee]

I just bought the sheets cut to size and cut my own hole with a hole cutter. I can see your problem and I sympathise!
E

It’s a shame the supplier in Cornwall, did not see the problem or even constructively engage to resolve matters.
After nearly 2 months my onion was well boiled and I started a credit card dispute, my money was refunded by the bank.

 

[Speybee]

Oh, sorry. I missed that. Yes, that's a nuisance. You can buy smaller feeders, or use a contact feeder - one you've made yourself. But, of course, you'd have preferred to avoid that!



Why doesn't the feeder sit flush? Is the polycarbonate CB flexible? In that case, what I do is to put two pieces of wood (bits of bottom brackets, for example) on the top bars, just to the sides of the holes, to prevent it sagging under the feeder's weight.

When this poly board was manufactured, who ever made it or programmed the machine, the distance between the centre of the polycarbonate hole and the distance of the hole in my rapid feeder do not marry up.

If you look at the photo at the base you see the wooden strip and the hole in the polycarbonate does not allow full access to the feeder when it lays flat ( that is one hole) while the other hole at the other end is worse.
There is not a single hole in the centre reinforced with a single wooden strip as in my glass boards.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I do the same as you except in winter no QE and I roll out a 2.5 kg slab at a time.
I will be trying your excellent idea of using parchment instead of a cardboard template, between the crown board and the fondant.

It's a bit old fashioned calling it parchment paper. But do try it.
You can cut a piece of it, and roll your fondant out on the paper, save getting your kitchen all sticky.

I've found that the bees don't chew the paper either and you can peal it of quite easily.
Good luck!

 

[Murox]

It's a bit old fashioned calling it parchment paper. But do try it.
You can cut a piece of it, and roll your fondant out on the paper, save getting your kitchen all sticky.

I've found that the bees don't chew the paper either and you can peal it of quite easily.
Good luck!

Now thats a good tip - took brains to work that one out - probably why I didn't think of it

 

[Curly green finger's]

Now thats a good tip - took brains to work that one out - probably why I didn't think of it

Don't knock it I've learned alot from you since I've been on here .

 

[madasafish]

I use grey greaseproof paper to wrap fondant in (is it the same as parchment?). It's cheap and works...

For holes cut in the wrong place, dismantle and cut new holes in correct places - slowly or polycarbonate melts and sticks to cutter teeth (back the polycarbonate with wood when cutting to avoid splitting and take time.. grandmother and eggs I know) Seal original holes with HD clear perspex or flexible sheet ,

 

[pargyle]

I don’t think I have explained my situation very well.
I am a fan of clear crown boards and my existing 2 are glass but I ordered 2 more clear crown boards made of polycarbonate from another supplier in Cornwall, other than my usual place in Newburgh.

The problem with these 2 boards from Cornwall is that the holes are not far away enough from the wooden edge therefore I cannot use a rapid feeder in Spring or at other times in the season because (the measurements are incorrect) the feeder cannot sit flush, leaving a gap allowing bees to escape and also not giving the bees full access to the feeder.

This is similar to me only having my bathroom door only fully opening 6 inches with the builder saying “Sorry Quine, but you have got access as I’ve left you an opening of 6 inches and that is an access”

I only use my glass board in Spring to early Autumn before changing to a solid crown board with a 2.5kg slab of Ambrosia rolled across the top of the entire surface area of the 11 frames to prevent isolation starvation.

You have enough room between the two existing holes to cut another one in the middle with a tank cutter. If you then glue the piece you have cut out to a square of plywood you can then fill the hole when you are not using it. If you make similar covers for the other holes - problem solved, Sit your rapid feeder over the new hole - job's a good 'un.

** Edit - Looks like Madasafish got there before me !! No matter great minds think alike !

I watch out for scraps of polycarbonate - sometimes polycarbonate shower screens can be found at your local recyling centre and for a pound or two you have enough PC to make several crown boards and the offcuts can be used to make rims or covers for the holes.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I use grey greaseproof paper to wrap fondant in (is it the same as parchment?). It's cheap and works...

For holes cut in the wrong place, dismantle and cut new holes in correct places - slowly or polycarbonate melts and sticks to cutter teeth (back the polycarbonate with wood when cutting to avoid splitting and take time.. grandmother and eggs I know) Seal original holes with HD clear perspex or flexible sheet ,

Both the same sort of thing madasafish.

 

[Speybee]

You have enough room between the two existing holes to cut another one in the middle with a tank cutter. If you then glue the piece you have cut out to a square of plywood you can then fill the hole when you are not using it. If you make similar covers for the other holes - problem solved, Sit your rapid feeder over the new hole - job's a good 'un.

I watch out for scraps of polycarbonate - sometimes polycarbonate shower screens can be found at your local recyling centre and for a pound or two you have enough PC to make several crown boards and the offcuts can be used to make rims or covers for the holes.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I've got 6 sheets of poly 1.2m x 0.9m x 12mm, if any one wants them there free to a good home.. I'm having a clear out ready to store supers.

 

[GowerSteve]

I bought it cut to size as it wasn't much more expensive than a sheet. Just googled it and bought the cheapest. Easy to drill. Cut centre holes with a hole cutter. Used mitre glue to stick the edges on. I use mitre glue for everything. Brilliant stuff. But screwed it in the corners too for belt and braces, probably unnecessary!

I’m sorry to ask such a basic question, but what thickness polycarbonate does everyone use?

 

[pargyle]

I've got 6 sheets of poly 1.2m x 0.9m x 12mm, if any one wants them there free to a good home.. I'm having a clear out ready to store supers.

12mm thick ??? You could run a car over that ... Better still ... glue them together and make a see through hive ... you would need to have some covers as the bees won't like the light - but imagine being able to show visitors the inside of a hive without taking the roof off !