crown board frame

[SixFooter]

I'm making some crown boards. Why do the store bought ones have a frame on both sides? Surely you just need one.

 

[SixFooter]

Just realised it's so they can be used as clearer boards.

 

[susbees]

I put softwood strips on both sides so as not to gouge the ply with the hive tool and so they can be scraped easily free of propolis and bits of unfortunate bee on occasion.

 

[masterBK]

If you put deeper strips on one side then it can be turned over and used to cover pollen patties or fondant in early spring placed over the top bars as well as allowing space for apiguard under it in august. If you also incorporate a swivel entrance in one side you can also use it as a split board. The more uses you can get out of one piece of equipment the better as dedicated separates all take up space.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

. The more uses you can get out of one piece of equipment the better as dedicated separates all take up space.

Yes, I belong to that line of thinking.

But coming fast over the horizon, like Sioux on the rampage, come those who say a crown board is a crown board is a crown board - nothing else.

Duck! The arrows are about to fly!

Dusty

 

[alanf]

The more uses you can get out of one piece of equipment the better as dedicated separates all take up space.

Indeed, and I'd usually agree with that.

I was thinking of the efficiency of insulation if there is a potentiallly draughty gap over the crown board. Anybody use insulation blocks directly as a crown board? The Celotex/Kingspan type coated boards could be used directly as a crown board on topspace hives, or could have a rim taped or glued on for bottom space. I know there are correx type crown boards, any reason why a straight insulation block shouldn't be tried, or is the propolis a problem?

 

[Haughton Honey]

I overwinter my bees with a QX over the brood frames, a 3" eke above that and a crown board covering the eke. Above this sits a customised, lightweight roof 1 3/4" deep.

I feed fondant to the bees (I don't use syrup) which is placed on the QX and within the eke.

To date, I haven't lost any colonies due to having a 'void' above the cluster.

 

[Tom Bick]

I'm making some crown boards. Why do the store bought ones have a frame on both sides? Surely you just need one.

Yes clearer boards is one reason.

Another is they are reversible you can flip the crown board over and scrape off the brace comb so not squashing bees when replaced.

And finally it balances the plywood, If you only fitted the frame to one side you will run a good chance that the crown board will warp and twist.

 

[MJBee]

Yes clearer boards is one reason.



And finally it balances the plywood, If you only fitted the frame to one side you will run a good chance that the crown board will warp and twist.

I made some solid ply cover boards with a 6mm strip on one side (bottom bee space) they have all warped and require a breeze block on the roof to keep them flat - stops the roof blowing off too

 

[jackbee]

Duck! The arrows are about to fly!

that'll be another use - cb as shield

 

[oliver90owner]

Duck! The arrows are about to fly!

Dusty,

All my new crownboards are plain flat sheets of 9/10mm ply. No frame around them, no porter bee escape holes, no feed hole. So used for nothing else.

I rarely feed full colonies (not fed anything this season - but very close, on a couple of occasions - and use Ashforths for autumn feeding (but again, I have not autumn fed sugar syrup or fondant for the last five years).

They don't normally need any feeding during the winter and, up until this spring, I have needed to remove stores frames from some colonies to provide brood expansion space.

Clearer boards are only used a couple times a year and I don't need one for each and every colony. Further a crown board stays over the lot while clearing so there is no risk of ants (or even bees or wasps) getting to the frames of honey (BTDT!).

Where possible, items are stacked on 600mm square paving slabs with an old roof over to keep them reasonably dry and prevent warping. A concrete block on top keeps them flat.

RAB

 

[SixFooter]

Is that because you have top bee space? I have top bee space ( and bottom) in my nucs, so I can use a flat piece of ply in these, but my nationals use bottom bee sapce. ergo I need a frame.

 

[george]

Even with top bee space you could run a thin strip to stabilise the board . There may be a little brace comb built but to be honest I get this even where I know its spot on for bee space .
If you wanted to , and with little extra work why not have deep enough timber on the other side so you can use it for apiguarding , if you use it .
If you are a top insulation user it holds that in place too so no void in the roofspace .
G