Frames and Dummy Boards

[mike99]

Hi. I have just assembled my hive and frames in preparation for getting my first colony. I am about to build a stand tonight. The stand won't be as beautiful as the one that Millet displayed nor will it have a hen to sit on it...
I got the hive and frames as part of a starter kit that my BKA set up for beginners with a smoker, hive tool included. there were 10 Hoffman frames supplied for the brood box and 10 for the super. However, when I went to insert them into the brood box, there was space for another 2 frames. I searched on this site and it appears that a brood box has room for 12 Hoffman frames but some use 11 with a dummy board and some use the full 12.
I have never seen a Dummy board or know what one looks like. all my practice has been on a brood or super box with 12 frames in.
Can anyone enlighten me on what a Dummy board is, what it looks like and where I would source one?
On the frame assembly, what a night of fun that was, not. I have the super ones to do now.
Mike

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi. I have just assembled my hive and frames in preparation for getting my first colony. I am about to build a stand tonight. The stand won't be as beautiful as the one that Millet displayed nor will it have a hen to sit on it...
I got the hive and frames as part of a starter kit that my BKA set up for beginners with a smoker, hive tool included. there were 10 Hoffman frames supplied for the brood box and 10 for the super. However, when I went to insert them into the brood box, there was space for another 2 frames. I searched on this site and it appears that a brood box has room for 12 Hoffman frames but some use 11 with a dummy board and some use the full 12.
I have never seen a Dummy board or know what one looks like. all my practice has been on a brood or super box with 12 frames in.
Can anyone enlighten me on what a Dummy board is, what it looks like and where I would source one?
On the frame assembly, what a night of fun that was, not. I have the super ones to do now.
Mike

You should have eleven hoffmans in the hive, the space is there for a reason, you stuff twelve in and it will be OK for a while but they they get jammed up with propolis - A dummy board is just a piece of plywood (or plastic)ut 10mm 0r so thick, about the same dimensions as your frame with a top bar the same thickness as the board - it acts like the outside wall of the hive as far as the bees are concerned and stops them filling the gap with comb.
Thornes and Maisies sell them.

 

[Noddy]

You should have eleven hoffmans in the hive, the space is there for a reason, you stuff twelve in and it will be OK for a while but they they get jammed up with propolis - A dummy board is just a piece of plywood (or plastic)ut 10mm 0r so thick, about the same dimensions as your frame with a top bar the same thickness as the board - it acts like the outside wall of the hive as far as the bees are concerned and stops them filling the gap with comb.
Thornes and Maisies sell them.

It also gives you working room when removed, so that you do not roll bees off the frames, knock queen cells off etc.

 

[enrico]

dead easy to make out of any old piece of thin wood. Lay a frame on it and cut round the shape. Good thick ply is best. a cheap jig saw will make the job easier if you havent already got one but as it is all right angles an ordinary saw will do
E

 

[Millet]

Hi. I have just assembled my hive and frames in preparation for getting my first colony. I am about to build a stand tonight. The stand won't be as beautiful as the one that Millet displayed nor will it have a hen to sit on it...
I got the hive and frames as part of a starter kit that my BKA set up for beginners with a smoker, hive tool included. there were 10 Hoffman frames supplied for the brood box and 10 for the super. However, when I went to insert them into the brood box, there was space for another 2 frames. I searched on this site and it appears that a brood box has room for 12 Hoffman frames but some use 11 with a dummy board and some use the full 12.
I have never seen a Dummy board or know what one looks like. all my practice has been on a brood or super box with 12 frames in.
Can anyone enlighten me on what a Dummy board is, what it looks like and where I would source one?
On the frame assembly, what a night of fun that was, not. I have the super ones to do now.
Mike

I will give you one that i have made and you can copy it..

 

[mike99]

Thanks everyone for their replies. Every day is a school day!

 

[mike99]

Thanks Steve for the kind offer again. that would be much appreciated. I will see if I can make one out of various bits of wood that I have in my junk room AKA garage. I never throw anything out in case it gets useful. I have been a skip rat for kindling lately.
I am going to build my first stand tonight with some 4 x 2's for legs and some 5 x 1 for the sides. I will add a landing board as well.

 

[Millet]

Thanks Steve for the kind offer again. that would be much appreciated. I will see if I can make one out of various bits of wood that I have in my junk room AKA garage. I never throw anything out in case it gets useful. I have been a skip rat for kindling lately.
I am going to build my first stand tonight with some 4 x 2's for legs and some 5 x 1 for the sides. I will add a landing board as well.

Here is what i make them out of, it is a thread i started a while ago..

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=35916&highlight=dummy+boards

 

[enrico]

Thanks Steve for the kind offer again. that would be much appreciated. I will see if I can make one out of various bits of wood that I have in my junk room AKA garage. I never throw anything out in case it gets useful. I have been a skip rat for kindling lately.
I am going to build my first stand tonight with some 4 x 2's for legs and some 5 x 1 for the sides. I will add a landing board as well.

When you build the stand make sure that the bit that the hive stands on is on top of the legs. Hives can get very heavy and put a lot of strain on screws or nails . If the weight is on top of the legs then it helps.
Also, a tip, I make mine just over twice as long as they need to be front to back. That way you can stack the bits that come off the hive on the spare bit at the back, or at the very least stand your box of bits and your smoker on it, it also makes it more stable. Also don't forget to leave it hollow below the hive or your mesh floor becomes useless

E

 

[Millet]

When you build the stand make sure that the bit that the hive stands on is on top of the legs. Hives can get very heavy and put a lot of strain on screws or nails . If the weight is on top of the legs then it helps.
Also, a tip, I make mine just over twice as long as they need to be front to back. That way you can stack the bits that come off the hive on the spare bit at the back, or at the very least stand your box of bits and your smoker on it, it also makes it more stable. Also don't forget to leave it hollow below the hive or your mesh floor becomes useless

E

My inspection trays are usually under the hives (depending on the wind) , if pushed a third of the way in they are also good for putting bit's and bob's on..

 

[mike99]

Thanks for the advice on the stands. I have some 4" x 2" for the legs and some 5" x 1" for the sides.
About the dummy frames, I have some 15mm pine that will fit. is that too thick for the board? my storage area has the top bar so I am sorted with that. I can go to my local timber merchant to see if they have any off cuts if 15mm is too thick.

 

[mike99]

Hi. Can anyone advise me if 15mm is too thick for the dummy board?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

depends on how much space you have to fill - all I can advise is, the thinner the better, I find 10mm ideal but 15mm should be fine

 

[Poly Hive]

When it comes to frame making learn to feel with your thumb that you have a sharp against it and not a flat and that way you will have your frames made up right which is to say one with a point facing you and one with a flat face facing you. You do NOT want two points or two flats as flat to flat contact will get stuck together pdq! I am of course referring to the Hoffman sidebars here.

PH