Dummy board thickness

[lebouche]

Hi,
Is it a problem if my dummy board is too thin or should I add a couple? I have a hive where I have thinned down the frames to 32mm and I am left with a space just too small for a frame.

 

[Tom Bick]

If you have reduced to 32mm you should be able to fit 12 frames easily perhaps without a dummy board.

But then I am thinking you make your own hives to your own design?

 

[Travelator]

It doesn't matter how thick your dummy board is, as long as the gap between the dummy board and the hive wall isn't wide enough for the bees to hang an extra comb in.

I'm not sure what the critical measurement is, but I think a gap between dummy board and hive wall of up to 15 mm would be pretty safe.

 

[itma]

Hi,
Is it a problem if my dummy board is too thin or should I add a couple? I have a hive where I have thinned down the frames to 32mm and I am left with a space just too small for a frame.

Which is exactly where a dummy board (not a dummy frame!) comes in.

A dummy board should present a completely flat face towards the adjacent frame, not a flat board hung from the middle of a spare topbar.
The simple thing is if the dummy's bar is the same thickness as the board.

In practice, "9mm" ply hung from a bit of "10mm" square pine strip seems to be fine.


The limit on thinness is probably what will stay flat in use.
9mm ply is plenty strong enough to withstand hive-tool-levering the frames (and dummy) snuggly together.

The space between dummy and hive wall barely matters - the bees shouldn't be terribly interested in it. You'll be breaking off any odd bits of brace comb weekly, when after every inspection your dummy board ends up at the opposite end of the rail…

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Which is exactly where a dummy board (not a dummy frame!) comes in.

A dummy board should present a completely flat face towards the adjacent frame, not a flat board hung from the middle of a spare topbar.
The simple thing is if the dummy's bar is the same thickness as the board.

In practice, "9mm" ply hung from a bit of "10mm" square pine strip seems to be fine.


The limit on thinness is probably what will stay flat in use.
9mm ply is plenty strong enough to withstand hive-tool-levering the frames (and dummy) snuggly together.

The space between dummy and hive wall barely matters - the bees shouldn't be terribly interested in it. You'll be breaking off any odd bits of brace comb weekly, when after every inspection your dummy board ends up at the opposite end of the rail…

9mm ply with 9mm square or thereabouts (depends on how mr table saw is behaving that day) on top

 

[lebouche]

If you have reduced to 32mm you should be able to fit 12 frames easily perhaps without a dummy board.

But then I am thinking you make your own hives to your own design?

A for the replies. I haven't made my own hives (yet) I've just been moving my wider frames out gradually so I have mixed sizes in some boxes. This is causing the spacing issues which made me wonder about dummy board use. Thanks again