Magnets to hold half-frames together?

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fatshark

Field Bee
Joined
May 4, 2009
Messages
985
Reaction score
1
Location
Fife & Ardnamurchan
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
10
I'm interested in creating 'half-frames' for a project, in which the queen can lay on both halves (and faces) and they can then be separated and moved to different locations. Dave Cushman's site has examples of bifold frames which are more complicated than I need.

I wondered about using neodymium magnets to achieve this ... simply cut a normal brood frame in half vertically, add two more end bars at the interface, having embedded (glued) two or three of these magnets along the joining faces. Neat, hidden and allowing repeated usage ...

So the question is, are there likely to be any issue with having such strong magnets in the hive? Specifically, does anyone know if strong magnetic fields inhibit a queen from laying? I'm aware that magnetic fields are used during navigation, but am unaware of any influence in the hive.

With thanks,

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fatshark
 
Sounds too fancy by half - at least. A couple of simple catches fixed appropriately, job done.

You neos will likely pick up all sorts of magnetic rubbish when moved/not in use.

But, I daresay they would be ok, but if you had too many how would the waggle dance work if the magnetic field goes in several direction? I have some serious ones which are difficult to separate and will lift in excess of 25kgs!

Regards, RAB
 
All I can say is WTF. :eek:
 
I thought reading the magnetic field of the earth was really significant for bees and is an important way they orient themselves.. so can't see that magnets in brood box could be good...

Is this true or not?
 
If it would work, once you got past one frame, you would start to get interactions that would tend to destabilise the whole show.

It might be worth thinking about, but pursuing it is a completely different matter.
 
Hi all

I think Park bees do a half frame that can be joined together. bee-smillie


John D
 
Many thanks tazbee, but they clip together to make a Langstroth ... it's part of their poly mating nuc.

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fatshark
 
Awesomely well-read Repwoc, many thanks. This is for some Varroa research, so I'd better check the patent doesn't cover varroa as well ...

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fatshark
 
Hi first mind your finger they snap together pretty sharp, Dave Cushman has a artical about joining two boxe's together on top of nuc ? with Z orW springs depending witch way you look at them I have just started to make a modified version to stop my brod or super coming or slipping or being Knocked off
 
paired frames

why not just make them with half width lugs (one half offset one way, the other the other so they abut each other when fitted together)? put the 2 frames together and slip a plastic spacer on each end.
 

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