Clearer boards made cheap.

[Oaktreepotter]

I have also made clearer boards using the plastic 'things' shown but I hadn't thought about cutting in half - great idea. I have used two 'lozenges' for want of a better word placed at the sides of the clearer boards so that the bees emerge in the four corners. I simply cut two round holes about 5mm across in a piece of 12mm ply (getting more expensive by the week!) and I would suggest they don't need the gauze arrangement shown in the photos. Like you, I put them on in the afternoon and take of the cleared supers the next morning. A few stragglers but 99% efficient and simple to make.

Chris

 

[Swarm]

I made up one of these with the rhomboid cut in two, very happy with the result. Took supers off this evening and there were a few stragglers left in the porter example but with this design by PH ... zero bees.

 

[VEG]

Where is the cheapest place to get them as postage on some sites is crazy.

 

[psafloyd]

I've used a clearer board twice now. Last time, the porter escapes cleared the super no problem.

This time I tried to clear two supers and none of the buggers left. The escapes weren't blocked and they weren't propolised shut, so I took one off and shooed the bees before extracting.

 

[derekm]

After seeing the panic in bees after I tried porter escapes i went for the design above with a few additions...

doubled the rhombus to get one at each corner, the frame is some scrap wood mitred and nail gunned with 2mm correx stapled on. The rhombus escapes epoxied on.

I also tried my hand at making an escape out of folded and cut presentation film - Basically its V channels with fingers that move back to let the bees through. The fingers are light and will move if you just gently blow on them. The idea is to have the maximum number of doors for the bees to escape through. This is like having 50 porter escapes in one package.
Heres a close up of underneath

and from the bee side (top)

does it work? dont know yet.

 

[JamezF]

I made up three rhombus escapes this year and they worked fine, but by far the most effective appears to have been a square vortex escape from plans on Dave Cushman's site:

http://www.*****************/bee/vortexescape.html

(I didn't bother putting CDs on the corners as he suggests.)

James

 

[JamezF]

Hmmm. I'm guessing someone has an objection to his site. I'm sure google will be your friend if you want to search for it.

James

 

[VEG]

try this one http://tinyurl.com/3hgnb76

 

[JamezF]

Ah, yes. I should have thought of that

James

 

[VEG]

I only learned about that yesterday

 

[drstitson]

i picked up a stack of rhombus escapes at Windsor today.

when is the Mons Ab demonstration video due to be uploaded as i don't think i can manage to put together a clearer board without guidance.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

i picked up a stack of rhombus escapes at Windsor today.

when is the Mons Ab demonstration video due to be uploaded as i don't think i can manage to put together a clearer board without guidance.

Hoping to distribute it on the B side of Hedgerow's waggle dance vid

 

[Poly Hive]

FWIW

I left supers on top of clearer boards, 8 in total as an experiment.

There were some 5 of an "official" nature, ie plastic rhombus ones cut in half and put on as the pics show. Three home made totally.

After 10 days they remained clear of bees with no interference from me.

PH

 

[Nic Rhodes]

will be making some of these for my 'Nationals' but will do a few with Langstroths at the same time for next searson when I will try them. Can anyone confirm the dimensions in mm please for the Langstroths clearer boards?

 

[Poly Hive]

Timber or poly Lang?

PH

 

[Poly Hive]

Measure the Outside dimensions. Cut a board to fit.

Run 25mm x 25mm round the perimeter. Drill two holes one in one corner one in the opposite corner.

Cut or make your two exits.

Paint the edge a distinctive colour so you will not over look one in the apiary in use.

Hope this helps.

PH

 

[victor meldrew]

Measure the Outside dimensions. Cut a board to fit.

Run 25mm x 25mm round the perimeter. Drill two holes one in one corner one in the opposite corner.

Cut or make your two exits.

Paint the edge a distinctive colour so you will not over look one in the apiary in use.

Hope this helps.

PH

I brand my initials on the edges , serves as a reminder also identifies my having fitted same the correct way up .
Nowt worse than having doubts and having to remove full supers in order to check
VM

 

[Erichalfbee]

also identifies my having fitted same the correct way up .
Nowt worse than having doubts
VM

I thought I was the only one

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Timber or poly Lang?

PH

Poly by modern BS, only have the nucs atm.

 

[drstitson]

The plastic QEs or travel screens for these are 505x418mm. That size fits on the raised rim.