Maisie's poly nucs

[peteinwilts]

I have 35 of these all converted.
I used the part i cut out to make the inserts for the gap, i then gorilla glued them in. A touch of filler and a good sanding, plus i added a frame runner to change the bee space and make the frames easier to handle.

View attachment 11396

That's a good job! I will be modifying all of mine that are not in use at the weekend!

 

[Tim1606]

I used a multi saw as it then only takes a few minutes. Did use a small hand saw but it took ages.

 

[johnandyrob]

What's this? Even more new stuff to tempt my pennies away.

Just some thing that was mentioned on twitter. I dont know any details.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

So ... did you cut out the feeder and if so how did you extend the ledge the frames sit on ? I'm sure there's a way but without buying one and cutting it up I could not fathom out how you could do it tidily ?

Exactly as Tim - beat me to the reply.
There was a thread about it on the BBKA forum a while back.

The advantage of an 8-frame box is that it's quite stable and unlikely to fall over - even with the fastest of cornering!

 

[Jimmy]

http://theapiarist.org/paynes-poly-nuc-boxes/

A forum member has posted details of butchering a polynuc to make an 8 frame nuc, link above.

 

[Roola]

I have 35 of these all converted.
I used the part i cut out to make the inserts for the gap, i then gorilla glued them in. A touch of filler and a good sanding, plus i added a frame runner to change the bee space and make the frames easier to handle.

View attachment 11396

I've done the same. Overwintered 5 nucs in them this year and they are all really strong now ready to go into full size hives in spring.

 

[itma]

I emailed them this morning about exactly this ... Jonathan's reply:

"At the moment we will be unable to do what you have suggested as they are all on the same mould with no blanking plates, isn't it strange different people different ideas, we have been commercial beekeepers for many years and find the miller feeder about the best feeder on the market, you may be able to get something like what you require from Paynes Bee Farm as they have an inbuilt feeder."

I assume that what he means is that the brood box and feeder are from the same mould and as such if they make one then they automatically have the other ..selling the nuc without the feeder may leave them with a lot of feeders they can't sell ?

For the same reason as you (I also like clear crown boards) I don't want the feeder .. just the brood box, roof and the 14 x 12 eke ... but I don't really want to shell out for a feeder I don't need or want .. so ... hopefully they will find a way of splitting it down as I think they will have a winner on their hands if they do ...

Oddly enough, the eke is available on its own! (£11.98 exactly the same as Paynes...)

I'd imagine that nuc-producers might well want 100% with feeders. I'd prefer the nuc to also be available without - for £10 less!

Clear plastic coversheet would be expected without the feeder. But if the feeder is 'standard', and expected to be used all the time, they wouldn't see the need for one.
Which brings me to the question of a feeder cover. The 'bee-zone' of the feeder looked to me as though it had small lips to retain a central small cover - a very useful feature. I do hope that they aren't (as on the failed Paynes Mk1 full size feeder) hoping that the underside of the roof would be an adequate bee-retainer and not attract propolis to the contacting regions.

 

[jezd]

Just some thing that was mentioned on twitter. I dont know any details.

Ive got the samples ;-) very very pleased - will post pictures in the morning

Jez

 

[itma]

Ive got the samples ;-) very very pleased - will post pictures in the morning

Jez

Tease!

 

[johnandyrob]

Ive got the samples ;-) very very pleased - will post pictures in the morning

Jez

Iv seen some pictures this morning on twitter. A full depth brood box that fits on top of the nuc and a top feeder. This will add more options and uses and make it a more flexible system.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Noticed this morning (not there yesterday) that Paynes have now added a top style feeder, separate brood box and super for their nuc boxes.

http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/nuc-mating-hives/

 

[johnandyrob]

 

[jezd]

Iv seen some pictures this morning on twitter. A full depth brood box that fits on top of the nuc and a top feeder. This will add more options and uses and make it a more flexible system.

Posted all the pics on the facebook page 'sheffieldhoney' - anyway, I have the brood box extension and the top feeder option too. There is a super too but I dont have that, they all go on sale at Beetradex. Thanks to Roger at Paynes for sending these samples.

Very impressed, all good quality - these are much needed options in managing nuc boxes and supporting your production setup.

I did ask Roger if he regretted adding a feeder in the main nuc and he said no, many many many people like them and that good enough for him.

I am always impressed with those people/companies that strive to build new kit, new products etc - a complete contrast to those who seem to wake up hating everything they see.

Well done Paynes on these new items of kit - I have no link to them myself in case you wondered (other thank buying stuff).

Jez

 

[Hivemaker.]

A ready painted nuc has just been added.

http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/nuc-mating-hives/painted-poly-nuc-hive-ready-to-use/

 

[Jimmy]

Looks like the Paynes and M'more versions are no longer from the same mould. Shame that they won't be compatible with each other.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I like the feeders.
I shall get a couple when they are available online

PS....anybody going to both Beetradex and the Welsh convention?

 

[pargyle]

I did ask Roger if he regretted adding a feeder in the main nuc and he said no, many many many people like them and that good enough for him.

Jez

I Like Paynes .. but now we have the stupid situation of an integral feeder in the body of the nuc and a miller feeder on top ! And it seems that, despite what Roger says, an awful lot of people are cutting out the feeder and bodging it into an 8 frame Nuc ...

Don't you think that, sooner or later someone out there will produce a Nuc without a feeder ... oops - forgot ... Maisies have - but they just won't sell it without the feeder ????

Perhaps Paynes and Maisies should be forum members - great marketing feedback if members are a cross section of British beekeepers.

 

[Hivemaker.]

an awful lot of people are cutting out the feeder and bodging it into an 8 frame Nuc ...

Just as well to put them in a bigger box and add the extra two or three frames, and call it a ten or eleven frame nuc.

 

[johnandyrob]

Posted all the pics on the facebook page 'sheffieldhoney' - anyway, I have the brood box extension and the top feeder option too. There is a super too but I dont have that, they all go on sale at Beetradex. Thanks to Roger at Paynes for sending these samples.

Very impressed, all good quality - these are much needed options in managing nuc boxes and supporting your production setup.

I did ask Roger if he regretted adding a feeder in the main nuc and he said no, many many many people like them and that good enough for him.

I am always impressed with those people/companies that strive to build new kit, new products etc - a complete contrast to those who seem to wake up hating everything they see.

Well done Paynes on these new items of kit - I have no link to them myself in case you wondered (other thank buying stuff).

Jez

yes sorry I pinched that one off twitter

 

[Tim1606]

I Like Paynes .. but now we have the stupid situation of an integral feeder in the body of the nuc and a miller feeder on top ! And it seems that, despite what Roger says, an awful lot of people are cutting out the feeder and bodging it into an 8 frame Nuc ...

Don't you think that, sooner or later someone out there will produce a Nuc without a feeder ... oops - forgot ... Maisies have - but they just won't sell it without the feeder ????

Perhaps Paynes and Maisies should be forum members - great marketing feedback if members are a cross section of British beekeepers.

I think it is probably a tooling cost as to why they will not make one without the feeder.