Does anyone use National boxes within a WBC shell?

[Amari]

A local yearling newbe chose to deploy WBC hives, mainly for their looks and for their supposed insulation properties. However there is the frustration that accessories and gadgets from the manufacturers are often not available for the smaller WBC box. I wonder if it's practical to use National boxes within the WBC lifts? Testing a National crown board in my WBC shell that houses the pond pump I found that it fits easily. The National floor could be retained by simple modification of the WBC base-piece.

 

[REDWOOD]

I did look into this some time ago and some will and some won't, all depends on who makes them.

 

[oliver90owner]

Does anyone use National boxes within a WBC shell?

Yes, quite a number do.

 

[Brian Bush]

Hi Amari

I have modified the plans for a WBC making the lifts a little larger and also modified the stand/floors so the lifts just sit over a national hive and all parts fit and are accessible. The 2 I have are very popular with the bees and today, by coincidence, I have been cutting some ply to make 2 more sets of lifts to enclose another 2 hives

 

[itma]

... some will and some won't, all depends on who makes them.

My understanding too.
But I've never seen any statements as to who's will and won't.

However, WBC 'standardisation' is pretty loose at the best of times, and interchanging any bits from one WBC with another always seems to be a "try it and see" exercise.

 

[Apple]

Does anyone use National boxes within a WBC shell?

Yes, quite a number do.

Me for one.
Surprise surprise, not all National boxes are the same size, in fact vary considerably between manufacturers so much I often wonder I some have even seen the BS documentation for "Nationals".
I have been able to pick up boxes quite cheaply in the past by picking out "smaller" National boxes, which I know will fit my collection of WBC's hives.

All but the 2 Robert Lee 1932 examples in WRC that have 15 x 18 inch boxes and a solid floor to match ( I just have never had the heart to modify them!)
Interesting if not a bit disjointed article in this months glossy rag.
I am still befuddles as to what a " cavity lath" is?
If it is a wood piece to prevent bees from getting into the outer / inner chamber at the entrance, I think it is a part of the bottom outer lift, the one with the porch on?
Never seen a separate one

Perhaps one of you forumites can explain?


James

 

[Hivemaker.]

I am still befuddles as to what a " cavity lath" is?
If it is a wood piece to prevent bees from getting into the outer / inner chamber at the entrance, I think it is a part of the bottom outer lift, the one with the porch on?
Never seen a separate one

Perhaps one of you forumites can explain?

Dave, known as a cavity lath or tunnel slip, fixed across the top of the two riser wedges on the front of the floor, the brood box butts up against it on the inside, outer lift on the outside, it forms a closed tunnel to keep bees out of the cavity...we had a thread about this before.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i know of a wbc that is run with a 16x10 commerial brood box inside and this year it yielded 140lbs so they ran out of lifts and had top it with a national roof

 

[itma]

i know of a wbc that is run with a 16x10 commerial brood box inside …

Strange, but not that remarkable, surely? Commercial being the same 'footprint' as a National … If a National will fit, then an ordinary 14x12 or Commercial should fit equally well.

 

[clv101]

Does anyone use National boxes within a WBC shell?

Yes, quite a number do.

Yeah, I have an old WBC that will accommodate National boxs. Only got three lifts for it though.

 

[lorrick]

Hi Their
Suprisingly I have been thinking I must be the only person to think about doing this to my Nationals, obviously not, it just seemed that giving the National an air gap and keeping the wind off of the boxes must help a bit and of course keeping the wife happy with Hives looking Pretty (Sorry Sharon). So I will have a measure up and see what I can come up with.
Richard