Equipment efficiency

[maz0]

So started the year with 1 hive and now have 4....could have been 5 if I didn't make a rookie mistake and bugger something up!

Next year I'm hoping to go for 15-20 hives and will need to prepare for that over winter with equipment...

I'm finding a lot of inefficiency with equipment...I take poly miller feeder off and put poly shallow supers on...isn't there a plastic insert that turns a shallow super into a miller feeder? like image below...

If not, I'm gonna have a bash at making one. Your unlikely to need a super and a feeder on the same hive at same time, right?

Also, should I just ditch shallow poly supers and buy extra poly national brood boxes instead and use them as large supers, so they are interchangeable? 1 size of box, 1 size of frame/foundation?

I'm trying to refine this as much as possible before I need to buy 15 poly hives, poly supers, poly feeders, etc etc

Many thanks!

 

[Poly Hive]

Been doing some reading possibly? LOL

Efficiency. Forget syrup and feed fondant. Your super is then your feeder with no faffing about.

Broods as supers. Yes but... they will be bloody heavy and sit and have a think how often you move them.... In my commercial day that was hive to the trailer, trailer to honey house, stack, then move to uncapping station. so four times there not to mention the times they were off for inspections... it adds up. Further, in intermittent weather a brood is a big space.

Oh and before you really commit to a square hive have a think about that and ask ITLD why he sold off his Nationals.

PH

 

[pargyle]

Broods as supers. Yes but... they will be bloody heavy and sit and have a think how often you move them....

Poly brood boxes are bloody heavy anyway when they are full ... I have 14 x 12's and I don't think I could lift a 14 x 12 brood box with a full load of honey in the frames .. would be ngh on 70lbs I reckon and a straight arm lift ... real recipe for beekeepers back !

 

[maz0]

Thanks gents, definitely some food for thought there....

I totally overlooked the weight of the brood/super wow that would be back breaking...Doh!

The fondant instead of syrup idea would save £300 odd for 15 poly miller feeders...so that's a pretty good idea also. (I liked your idea on the other thread about using the eke board for fondant feeding as well).

@PH - do you know what ITLD moved to? I cant imagine he will be around to answer forum posts at this time of the year - wouldn't mind having a look at his set up now and seeing if it fits the bill....

15 or so hives for next year is a goal. If I can handle that then I may double it the year after, so it would be nice to get this efficiency pinned down before I waste loads of money on equipment!

 

[BMH]

So started the year with 1 hive and now have 4....could have been 5 if I didn't make a rookie mistake and bugger something up!

Next year I'm hoping to go for 15-20 hives and will need to prepare for that over winter with equipment...

I'm finding a lot of inefficiency with equipment...I take poly miller feeder off and put poly shallow supers on...isn't there a plastic insert that turns a shallow super into a miller feeder? like image below...

If not, I'm gonna have a bash at making one. Your unlikely to need a super and a feeder on the same hive at same time, right?

Also, should I just ditch shallow poly supers and buy extra poly national brood boxes instead and use them as large supers, so they are interchangeable? 1 size of box, 1 size of frame/foundation?

I'm trying to refine this as much as possible before I need to buy 15 poly hives, poly supers, poly feeders, etc etc

Many thanks!

Sorry If I am being dim but where's the inefficiency?

You still need to store the insert for the majority of the year. Id prefer to store a poly miller feeder than an insert that clips into a super.

In terms of ditching the super, I flirted with this idea but when you are buying 20 hives, its much cheaper to buy them as kits (in the sale) as opposed to buying the components separately.

Roof, Floor, BB + 2 supers seem to be standard for around £100 (cheaper in the sales).

 

[BMH]

PS - keep all your receipts!

 

[maz0]

Sorry If I am being dim but where's the inefficiency?

You still need to store the insert for the majority of the year. Id prefer to store a poly miller feeder than an insert that clips into a super.

In terms of ditching the super, I flirted with this idea but when you are buying 20 hives, its much cheaper to buy them as kits (in the sale) as opposed to buying the components separately.

Roof, Floor, BB + 2 supers seem to be standard for around £100 (cheaper in the sales).

Your right in that sense, would still need to store the inserts, but if you could make/buy them for <£5 that would be cost efficiency compared to the £23 they want just now....

Good idea on the receipts!

 

[Anduril]

Sorry If I am being dim but where's the inefficiency?

You still need to store the insert for the majority of the year. Id prefer to store a poly miller feeder than an insert that clips into a super.

In terms of ditching the super, I flirted with this idea but when you are buying 20 hives, its much cheaper to buy them as kits (in the sale) as opposed to buying the components separately.

Roof, Floor, BB + 2 supers seem to be standard for around £100 (cheaper in the sales).

IIRC ITLD uses the poly feeders as insulation on top of his wooden hives, could easily be utilised as storage on top of poly hives as well as extra insulation. Although possibly OTT.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So started the year with 1 hive and now have 4....could have been 5 if I didn't make a rookie mistake and bugger something up!

Next year I'm hoping to go for 15-20 hives and will need to prepare for that over winter with equipment...

I'm finding a lot of inefficiency with equipment...I take poly miller feeder off and put poly shallow supers on...isn't there a plastic insert that turns a shallow super into a miller feeder? like image below...

If not, I'm gonna have a bash at making one. Your unlikely to need a super and a feeder on the same hive at same time, right?

Also, should I just ditch shallow poly supers and buy extra poly national brood boxes instead and use them as large supers, so they are interchangeable? 1 size of box, 1 size of frame/foundation?

I'm trying to refine this as much as possible before I need to buy 15 poly hives, poly supers, poly feeders, etc etc

Many thanks!

And where are you going to store all the drawn shallow comb that you've taken out of said super whilst you are using it as a feeder?

 

[drex]

Thrones used to do exactly what you are after and I bought several of them, unfortunately after a few years the plastic would crack, probably why they stopped selling them. The nearest you will get is their English feeder at £10.50. However as per JBM, what are you going to do with all those frames when using the boxes to house a feeder?

 

[pargyle]

Thrones used to do exactly what you are after and I bought several of them, unfortunately after a few years the plastic would crack, probably why they stopped selling them. The nearest you will get is their English feeder at £10.50. However as per JBM, what are you going to do with all those frames when using the boxes to house a feeder?

Buy some more supers and keep them for adding insulation above the crown board and use them as feeder ekes when you feed them... that's what I do now!

 

[maz0]

And where are you going to store all the drawn shallow comb that you've taken out of said super whilst you are using it as a feeder?

Another good point! I'm fortunately OK for storage space, but it's a valid point for HOW to store the frames....I'd need to build some racks for them or use cardboard boxes or something....so that's more time/expense...damn.

 

[maz0]

Thrones used to do exactly what you are after and I bought several of them, unfortunately after a few years the plastic would crack, probably why they stopped selling them. The nearest you will get is their English feeder at £10.50. However as per JBM, what are you going to do with all those frames when using the boxes to house a feeder?

Nice, I like the look of those English feeders, only hold 2 litres less than the Miller as well...

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Another good point! I'm fortunately OK for storage space, but it's a valid point for HOW to store the frames....I'd need to build some racks for them or use cardboard boxes or something....so that's more time/expense...damn.

Here's a simple equation:-

Frames in cardboard boxes = wax moth.

 

[pargyle]

Another good point! I'm fortunately OK for storage space, but it's a valid point for HOW to store the frames....I'd need to build some racks for them or use cardboard boxes or something....so that's more time/expense...damn.

Any storage would need to be wax moth proof and vermin proof or your stored frames will be bonfire material come spring ...

Forget cardboard or storing them on open racks ...strapped down supers with a top and bottom board have a chance of keeping them safe ...add a spray of Certan B401 and you should be Ok ... same applies for any spare drawn brood frames.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

If you use brood frames for honey, does your extractor work with frames of that size? Most don't.

What frame spacing will you use for your honey boxes? Have you standardized this yet? Reduce the number of frames and the weight goes up (a little) and your efficiency increases too.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any storage would need to be wax moth proof and vermin proof or your stored frames will be bonfire material come spring ...

I've had a brainwave - supers stacked up with a blank board top and bottom, cinched up with a ratchet strap

 

[pargyle]

I've had a brainwave - supers stacked up with a blank board top and bottom, cinched up with a ratchet strap

Well shiver me timbers ... what a good idea ... who would have ever have thought of that ... ruined my next commercial venture... hive frame winter storage boxes ... complete with clear lid and a snip at £40 each including carriage ...

https://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/polystyrene-national-hive/poly-national-super/

 

[maz0]

Bare in mind that the drawn comb would be in the supers for winter stacked and ratcheted.... so likely only going to be out of the supers during times the hives need fed syrup...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Onnce you have extracted the supers, stacked them wet and cinched them up, you don't want to be faffing around opening and closing them, removing and replacing the frames - messy, sticky, will attract wasps, bees and waxmoth - you'll have a nasty shock when you need them again in the spring.
Thornes English feeders - fit nicely on top of the crownboard, no need for ekes if you have deep roofs, hosed down and stored away in minutes, a much more sensible and efficient idea.