Help regarding Maisemore Polyhive and possible adaption

[matt.the.shep]

Thanks for the suggestion MC, but the idea of looking towards a long hive is that I don't have to lift anything off to look at the brood, other than a roof and crownboard. The weight of the boxes becomes more or less irrelevant here, it is just my choice of construction method/material I was trying to sort out. I think it is probably a non starter and I will have to use wood but I know the bees like the poly where I am.

Hi Amanda,

There is a UK Long Hive group on facebook (if you do facebook) that you are more than welcome to join, there's a chap on there that makes long hives from old fridges

https://www.facebook.com/groups/longhivebeepingUK/
Cheers
Matt

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hey guys,

It's an old thread but I'm Matt from Hyde Hives, if we can assist or advice then give us a shout as we're always happy to help. I've never seen a poly long hive so if you have made one I think it's a world first.

A Beehaus?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A Beehaus?

flimsy plastic - not poly

 

[Erichalfbee]

flimsy plastic - not poly

So there’s plastic and plastic

 

[Garry R]

I rebate the sides of a flatpack hive as a routine. These are Langstroth hives (I think from HoneyPaw) and I use a circular saw along the long side to cut out a rebate. The waste is then stuck into the original rebate to square up the box. I also cut the appropriate amount off the bottom of these boxes to make them National depth. I do this to use national frames which then allow two extra frames compared to a standard national box. Basically the hive is used at right angles to what was intended. I shorten the lugs of the frames so that the bee space is perfect ie Smith lugs. This was born out of the fact that I had loads of national frames and did not really want heavy Langstroth brood boxes to lift. To make supers I get three supers out of 2 Langstroth poly broods with the appropriate cutting. There are bits of polystyrene left ove and I use these as ekes in the winter to give space for fondant feeding in the winter. I glue the parts of the poly hives together with gorilla glue and use long decking screws to strengthen the joints. I finish the hive with dark brown smooth masonry paint which has kept my oldest poly hives in good nick for 42 years now. I make my own floors and roofs. I am sure the long hive would be possible. Correct measuring is essential but with a circular saw guide it is easy once set up.

 

[amandaj57]

Thanks for the info Garry. It is good to know the poly will rebate successfully and not disintegrate.
I have taken the plunge and ordered the flatpack poly broods in the sale (will feel less annoying if it all goes horribly wrong) and once I have finished my current work contracts, I will have a go.
I will report back on the success (or lack of) in due course.

 

[Garry R]

Thanks for the info Garry. It is good to know the poly will rebate successfully and not disintegrate.
I have taken the plunge and ordered the flatpack poly broods in the sale (will feel less annoying if it all goes horribly wrong) and once I have finished my current work contracts, I will have a go.
I will report back on the success (or lack of) in due course.

Just to make it clear I don't use a router- it is a cut along the length with a circular saw and then at right angles to that to take out the rebate. For cutting the sides of the Langstroth to give me the National depth I use a bandsaw.

 

[Bee Bumble]

You could consider an AZ hive:- AZ Hives

The frames slide out so the heaviest weight you would have to lift would be one frame. Did you see this thread?

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/advice-on-setting-up-a-bee-shed.49015/page-2#post-733184

 

[Bal Evi]

I know the thread is old, but are you still interested in possible easy to build long hives? Here's one I built out of pallets last winter!

 

[Poddy]

How about using a hive lift like these ones BeeLui 2020 – Kaptáremelés könnyedén…