Dummy Boards

[Millet]

What is your views on using UPVC fascia board for dummy boards, its around 1mm thinner than the ones that thornes sell.

 

[REDWOOD]

Looks OK to me, how strong are the top lugs, if they get glued down will the lugs be strong enough to take it ?

 

[Millet]

It is pretty strong stuff that does take a bit of pressure to snap.

 

[Cazza]

Should do the job just fine. Good idea.
Cazza

 

[Millet]

Thanks its not that expensive and builders and roofers often throw off cuts in the skip.

 

[Tremyfro]

They look like the dummy boards in a beehaus....I have a number of them.

 

[Millet]

They look like the dummy boards in a beehaus....I have a number of them.

I rattled 4 of today in around 15 mins and they cost me nothing..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What is your views on using UPVC fascia board for dummy boards, its around 1mm thinner than the ones that thornes sell.

the thickness isn't important - it's just to make the bees think it's the outside wall - if it's thin, all the better as you have little bit more of a gap to move it away from the comb before lifting it out. The important thing is that they but right up ahainst the frame spacers only leaving a beespace size gap between the comb and the dummy board mine come in a variety of thicknesses depending on what was available - 8,10,12 mm makes no odds - fascia board looks ideal to me

 

[BeeBeeKa]

In my view the dummy board must have good isolative properties, and a crown board should sit well on top edge of it, otherwise warm air will leave the congested space too fast thus spoiling the whole idea of the dummy board.
Here is mine:
It`s 2,5cm thick foiled polyurethane with an insulation tape on perimeter...Chip enough to make
Bee space is allways important: from 4 to 9 mm IMHO to the next comb

 

[Millet]

8,10,12 mm makes no odds - fascia board looks ideal to me

Thank you but.. Through all these energy saving schemes this stuff is also insulated with something.. .. Derek M may jump on this thread and help me out.

 

[Millet]

In my view the dummy board must have good isolative properties, and a crown board should sit well on top edge of it, otherwise warm air will leave the congested space too fast thus spoiling the whole idea of the dummy board.
Here is mine:
It`s 2,5cm thick foiled polyurethane with an insulation tape on perimeter...Chip enough to make

Them curtains are ****.. lol

 

[BeeBeeKa]

Them curtains are ****.. lol

**** can`t be not tasty. Billions of flies can`t mistake

 

[REDWOOD]

Trapped air

 

[JWF]

Trapped air

I get that sometimes, I find a gentle stroll helps.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In my view the dummy board must have good isolative properties, and a crown board should sit well on top edge of it, otherwise warm air will leave the congested space too fast thus spoiling the whole idea of the dummy board.

Not really - Big difference between a dummy board used for ease of manipulation during the season and a dummy frame/blanking board whatever used for reducing the colony down and insulating for winter.

All you need for a dummy board during the season is a piece of thin plywood with a top bar matching the frames giving you bee space all around. It's not about filling the gap at the end of the frames, it's about avoiding brace comb whilst still giving you a bit of empty space to separate the end frame before lifting out.

 

[BeeBeeKa]

giving you a bit of empty space to separate the end frame before lifting out.

I use the end of a hive tool as a lever( that`s why it was designed so) for exactly the same purpose( I presume, if I get you right).I insert it between top bars of the neighboring frames ( at one end, and then at another) and use it as a gear twisting/turning aside, thus separating frames one from another. Then I use another end of the tool to lift one end of a frame, grab it, lift another end, and here we are here we go
I may need or need not to take the dummy board out before the operation. If bee space was correct it`s not a big deal usually.
No need to make 2 boards for 2 different purposes. One can serve both IMHO.

 

[BeeBeeKa]

Trapped air

Trapped warm air.
Good for brood rearing.

 

[Finman]

.
Guys are inventing new things.

 

[REDWOOD]

.
Guys are inventing new things.

We British are very good at that but the Japaneses keep making them better.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I use the end of a hive tool as a lever( that`s why it was designed so) for exactly the same purpose( I presume, if I get you right).I insert it between top bars of the neighboring frames ( at one end, and then at another) and use it as a gear twisting/turning aside, thus separating frames one from another. Then I use another end of the tool to lift one end of a frame, grab it, lift another end, and here we are here we go

No - you presume wrong - the idea of a thin dummy board is that you have it tight against the 'last' frame leaving any additional space between the board and the hive wall. one quick twist with the hive tool then separates it from the frame and moving away from any bees, avoiding rolling any bees and winding them up unneccessarily - this can be done will all subsequent frames which, if nothing else means less chance of damaging the queen.
Doesn't really work with Langstroths and the like as they are filled to tighter tolerances therefore don't have the 'extra' space that nationals with hoffmans have