dummy frames

[beeboybee]

going to make a few dummy frames up..... should they be exactly the same size as a normal frame or extend to the rdge of the brood box and down to the floor?

thanks beeks

 

[Poly Hive]

Usually a normal frame infilled with polystyrene and for long levity cover that in fablon.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Dummies - leave a bee space for non-propolising, so can be easily removed for inspections; dividers - no space so get propolised, used to prevent heat loss in winter or to separate into two sections in a Dartington when artificial swarming.

Not so much gain insulating dummies (heat is stopped going through but can go around); dividers may or may not have tight fitting insulation behind, dependent on application.

Invariably need different thicknesses of dummy - won't fit or too narrow for that particular space.

Regards, RAB

 

[m100]

Respect the frame side but make it any thickness you want, preferably significantly narrower than a normal frame.

This ignores the concept of bee space as the adjacent frame / spacer will provide the bee space where it matters and the other side outboard of the dummy doesn't matter with regular inspection.

Of course if you are fitting half a dozen frames in a brood box then the thickness does matter.

I make mine out of 9mm ply with a top bar of 9mm square beech stuck with polyurethane glue, that way I can fit 11 hoffman frames to a brood box and a dummy, leaving enough space to easily remove the dummy and manipulate the frames 'in the box' without rolling bees, or having to leave a frame propped up outside.

During the inspection the frames shuffle up towards the end where the dummy was at the start of the inspection, and at the end of the inspection the dummy goes in the space now created at the other end of the box.

 

[MJBee]

M100 "snap"

 

[MuswellMetro]

one version here

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/dummyframe.html

i only use the above type if using fresh new hoffman 35mm spacings and brood as therre i plenty of space left in a national with 11 x 35mm new hoffmans, for 11 x 37mm spacers or old hoffman proplised brood frames i make the dummy out of 9mm ply and a top bar, more like this division board but only the size of a frame

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/divisionboard.html

 

[Poly Hive]

The insulation DOES matter as the warmth is next to the bees + brood.

All. Every little helps. And of course more is better still.

PH

 

[beeboybee]

going to get sawing and glueing tomorrow so watch out for the photo!!!
thanks for all the ideas