Flow Hive - more info

[charlievictorbravo]

There was a comment under the video from an Aussi beekeeper who had been to a Flow Hive presentation recently. He was told there that the first few times the "cranks" are operated they should not go in the full length straight away so that say 1/3 of the comb is opened first, then 2/3 then the whole length so that the opening, initially, is progressive across the comb. After the mechanism is "run in", it can be done as one operation.

I wondered whether there is a language problem operating with the video maker. Maybe there are no Polish instructions and the beekeeping English of the Aussis confused the Poles. If I was operating the crank lever. I'd grab hold of the end of it for maximum leverage but he was putting lots of force on it right adjacent to the bar that goes in the hive. What's the Polish for "Moment = Force x Distance"?

All the videos I've seen of the operation, apart from the Polish one, two levers were used to open it - did one get lost on the journey from Byron Bay to Poland?

Dexters Shed - when are you getting yours. Because of the value of the import, I gather HMRC wants its cut, so in addition to the purchase price, and shipping there's a £50 import duty charge to pay. Ouch!

CVB

 

[pargyle]

Dexters Shed - when are you getting yours. Because of the value of the import, I gather HMRC wants its cut, so in addition to the purchase price, and shipping there's a £50 import duty charge to pay. Ouch!

CVB

He's already got them, and a freebie for moderating their forum and some cheap chinese copies ... not yet in action though I think .. waiting for spring ... and we all sit here with baited breath hoping for him that they work ...

I think the import duty is actually VAT which you do have to pay on any VAT rated incoming goods purchased outside of the EU ... but, it's a bit dependent upon whether the import gets picked up on the 'radar'. I've had items with small value picked up and some with large value not picked up ... I think the size of the parcel and the declaration on the outside of the package seems to dictate whether the HMRC get interested.

If they do .. your parcel won't be released by the courier or post office until the VAT is paid.

The early flow hive information did not include these potentially hidden charges you could face but I see they now have a paragraph in there that highlights that some countries mat charge duty on imports.

 

[Anduril]

@dexters shed looking at the Polish video, the body language suggested the instructions weren't in Polish. Is that correct!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think the import duty is actually VAT which you do have to pay on any VAT rated incoming goods purchased outside of the EU

There will also be import duty - don't ask me how much - don't have ready access to the tarriffs any more there will also be a 'transaction charge' levied by the agents running the whole transaction.

 

[pargyle]

There will also be import duty - don't ask me how much - don't have ready access to the tarriffs any more there will also be a 'transaction charge' levied by the agents running the whole transaction.

Yes ... probably like most items manufactured from plastics it's going to be another 6.5% of the CIF but a lot of the time I've noticed that HMRC just settle for the VAT as the classifications for import duty need the mind of Einstein to navigate ...

I have a feeling (from memory) that some agricultural items are exempt but the only way to be certain is to put in a request to HMRC with product details and they will tell you ... if you want to attract attention !!

The transaction charge is pretty much up to the carrier ... some are downright extortionate ...

 

[dexter's shed]

@dexters shed looking at the Polish video, the body language suggested the instructions weren't in Polish. Is that correct!

mine were in english, as postal address was england, no idea if they produced it in different languages for different countries

as for the extra charges, yup good old vat, crazy that you don't pay that for importing from china

the three free flow frames I was sent had a vat import charge of £17
the seven flow frames that I did purchase had a charge of £29

so yes I had to pay more after the purchase price, but if we took that total cost away from the 3 free frames, then I still saved around £172
I suppose it depends how you look on things, whether you a half glass empty or half full type of person

 

[For want of a better word]

Plus if you pay for an overseas transaction the banks make a foreign transaction charge... got hammered for a 15% levy on some kit I bought in US $ because I used American Express / Lloyds card to pay! + Import charges + VAT...
Charges almost equaled the original purchase price!

My glass is now empty!

Nos da

 

[Karol]

<snip>
I wondered whether there is a language problem operating with the video maker. Maybe there are no Polish instructions and the beekeeping English of the Aussis confused the Poles. <snip>
CVB

No language problem. The chap in the video was sufficiently proficient to understand the English instructions that came with the product. For the record the video was a 'user evaluation' of the Flow Hive so JBM the video was not instructional - just a 'this is what we found' type video.

Just for a little bit of back ground. The Polish beek conducted the evaluation indoors because they had suffered really horrendous weather so he transferred the hive indoors and was careful to say that he wondered if the movement of the hive had in some way affected the performance of the flow hive.

He went on to say that the mechanism was difficult and appeared to get stuck, not just in cracking the cells but also removing the plastic 'chucks' from the tops of the frames and the bungs from the bottom.

The beek used a strainer to check for 'fragments' coming away from the mechanism. He also made a point of it to show the leaking honey and said that he wouldn't be impressed if that happened on top of a hive but that perhaps moving the hive had caused this.

With regards to the mechanism getting 'stuck' the Polish beek made the comment that perhaps in warmer climates the mechanism moved more freely whereas in colder climates the whole thing jammed up more. Couldn't tell from what he said whether he meant this was because of increased viscosity of the honey or shrinkage of the plastic components at lower temperatures or both.

This was the first time that the beek had used the flow hive. He said it worked in so far as the honey flowed from the hive but he did go on to say that he didn't know if the hive he had received was the finished article but it needed tweaking in his opinion.

Putting my microbiologist's hat on I wonder what level of microbiological evaluation has been done on contamination levels of the honey produced from the flow hive in vivo? Strikes me that the first draw would be fine but thereafter I would be concerned that traces of honey left on the inside would provide a source of media to support microbiological growth in climates that are prone to condensation within the plastic cassettes. Any one know what microbiological work has been done under differing levels of condensation?

 

[Erichalfbee]

They run beekeeping classes too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iq46pZWek8&feature=youtu.be

 

[BeeJayBee]

That's nice, it'll mean nobody else has to bother teaching new beekeepers.

 

[For want of a better word]

the first few times the "cranks" are operated




Yep... certainly will be a few Cranks starting beekeepering this coming season!

Nos da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the first few times the "cranks" are operated




Yep... certainly will be a few Cranks starting beekeepering this coming season!

Nos da

well, there'll be -plenty of cheap second hand flo hives on fleabay for them

 

[For want of a better word]

well, there'll be -plenty of cheap second hand flo hives on fleabay for them

I aim to get one... it will go in the museum alongside the baby blue painted Darlington and the funny skeppie dung and crystal covered contraption that the misguided folk have attempted to keep bees in... not forgetting the brittle plastic honighussen!

Yeghes da

 

[user 6228]

I wonder about the bottom channel in the bottom of the frame where the honey collects. How does that fair through a season ? Does the honey crystallise there or absorb water? Do you have to clean it out regularly?

 

[Honeybeeco]

I wonder about the bottom channel in the bottom of the frame where the honey collects. How does that fair through a season ? Does the honey crystallise there or absorb water? Do you have to clean it out regularly?

I wondered exactly the same Derek after seeing the flow hive videos and can't work it out either?

 

[Finman]

I read experiences from NZ beekeeping forum, but I did not find out, how well apparatus works.

There was something that bees were not eager to fill plastic tubes.

 

[Tremyfro]

Having seen some videos of this...the channel is sloping so the honey runs to the back of the hive for extraction via a tube which you insert...first removing a plastic bung....for which pliers may be needed. The bung leaves a small opening and any remaining honey can run out of the channel and into the hive.....the bees can lick the honey up as it leaves the channel. Failure to fit the tube into the channel correctly ....for instance fitting the wrong end of the tube into the channel, may leave this opening unprotected and your honey will run into the hive. I believe this is shown when a numpty connected it up wrongly.
I have recently seen video and pictures of some of the new Flowhive frames in use...full of capped honey. The bees will fill them the same way they fill any plastic frame. I used plastic frames for the first time last year. I painted them with some of my own bees wax. The bees built on them immediately and used them for stores too.
I would think that some of the people using the flow frames have been rather impatient and used them on small colonies and / or when there isn't a flow of nectar....but then you wouldn't expect honey in those circumstances whatever type of frame was used.

 

[Hivemaker.]

The bees will fill them the same way they fill any plastic frame. I used plastic frames for the first time last year. I painted them with some of my own bees wax. The bees built on them immediately and used them for stores too.

It has nothing to do with what the frame is made from, it is to do with the comb, did you use plastic foundation and the bees built their own comb on it, or ready made plastic comb.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have recently seen video and pictures of some of the new Flowhive frames in use...full of capped honey. The bees will fill them the same way they fill any plastic frame.

Oh that's alright then - if it's been on yootoob - I'll slap my order in for a couple of gross pronto

 

[user 6228]

Having seen some videos of this...the channel is sloping so the honey runs to the back of the hive for extraction via a tube which you insert...first removing a plastic bung....for which pliers may be needed. The bung leaves a small opening and any remaining honey can run out of the channel and into the hive.....the bees can lick the honey up as it leaves the channel. Failure to fit the tube into the channel correctly ....for instance fitting the wrong end of the tube into the channel, may leave this opening unprotected and your honey will run into the hive. I believe this is shown when a numpty connected it up wrongly.
I have recently seen video and pictures of some of the new Flowhive frames in use...full of capped honey. The bees will fill them the same way they fill any plastic frame. I used plastic frames for the first time last year. I painted them with some of my own bees wax. The bees built on them immediately and used them for stores too.
I would think that some of the people using the flow frames have been rather impatient and used them on small colonies and / or when there isn't a flow of nectar....but then you wouldn't expect honey in those circumstances whatever type of frame was used.

there is always a residue of honey,left . My question is what happens to that, does it crystalise and build up?