National Brood box bar bent

[Paulypaul]

Early this year, I bought a National 2nds quality brood box from Thorne. I've just noticed the bar in one side is hent, preventing a seal with boxes above.
Can I buy a replacement bit? What's it called?
Thanks.

 

[drex]

Looks like it is one side bar of the queen excluder that is bent. I would damp it down, lay on a flat surface and put some weights on it. It would flatten out between boxes anyway if there was some weight in the top box. Do you have some established colonies you could slip it into?

 

[user 819]

QX is fine it is pretty straight aligned with the bottom of the super box .

Probably easiest option is to use sharp plane to remove the bump out of the top rail of the BB or use a rubbing block and 80 grit paper you will have to also do the same for the inner rebate so the frame bars will sit correctly.
Being cedar 80 grit and a decent rubbing bolocking should work as the timber isn't very dense.

 

[JamezF]

QX is fine it is pretty straight aligned with the bottom of the super box .

Probably easiest option is to use sharp plane to remove the bump out of the top rail of the BB or use a rubbing block and 80 grit paper you will have to also do the same for the inner rebate so the frame bars will sit correctly.
Being cedar 80 grit and a decent rubbing bolocking should work as the timber isn't very dense.

I think so too.

James

 

[user 819]

Predictive text why does it always mess up your typing ?
Should read block .

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I think that's a top locking bar. The Thorne instructional YouTube video would tell you. Those big knots drying out have bent it.

I'm sure Thornes will replace it. It will make a mess trying to lever it off now. shaving off the hump with a plane or a sanding block would work or if you know someone with a table saw running the box on edge through the blade.
#edit# If you've got a castellated metal strip you could use it upside down to get the frames to sit flush with the top of the box.

To cover up my substandard carpentry I've used gaffer tape over seams. ?

90% of mine are Thorne seconds and the only problem I've had is this lower locking bar that someone fed into the machine the wrong way up.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Probably easiest option is to use sharp plane to remove the bump out of the top rail of the BB

had to do it to two shallows in a job lot of very old but unused flatpacks I picked up at an auction once

 

[drex]

Yep. You are all right and I was wrong. Too much of a rush as usual

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yep. You are all right and I was wrong. Too much of a rush as usual

I wouldn't say you were wrong, I personally thought it was a good idea - all depends on how much time you have

 

[Ian123]

Clamp the boxes when putting together glue and screw!
That bar could have bent after assembly if you have no glue between it and side wall, also a couple of screws through side wall into locking bar. Joints will move over time it’s worth putting a little extra effort initially.

 

[WalnutTreeBees]

Clamp the boxes when putting together glue and screw!
That bar could have bent after assembly if you have no glue between it and side wall, also a couple of screws through side wall into locking bar. Joints will move over time it’s worth putting a little extra effort initially.

What have you stained those with Ian?

 

[JamezF]

What have you stained those with Ian?

The blood and sweat of an honest day's graft

James

 

[Ian123]

What have you stained those with Ian?

Saddolin classic…… 2 coats quite literally slapped on. It soaks in well to the cedar and does last very well.

 

[Beth]

That's why they're seconds. I bought a pack and just chuck the bent bits in the wood pile for repurposing. I taught woodwork for over 20 years and you will never straighten out a piece of wood that's bent with a knot in it! It will always go back. I find those slightly wonky boxes make reasonable feeding ekes though.

 

[GaryH]

Early this year, I bought a National 2nds quality brood box from Thorne. I've just noticed the bar in one side is hent, preventing a seal with boxes above.
Can I buy a replacement bit? What's it called?
Thanks.
View attachment 36627

The BB top bar has warped because of the knots causing grain to shrink at different rates. Plane down the ‘hump’ using a straight edge to constantly check. Don’t take any timber off the outer edges. All tools must be very sharp, especially when you have conflicting grain in the wood.
You then have a problem with a rebate that is consequently, not deep enough for the frames to sit on, inside, because this will have warped too. Therefore you need to
You ideally need a router to deepen the rebate; remove the same amount of timber from the rebate inside. If you don’t have a router, you can just use a sharp chisel. It should only be a maximum of the gap that you can see at each end of the brood box.

Early this year, I bought a National 2nds quality brood box from Thorne. I've just noticed the bar in one side is hent, preventing a seal with boxes above.
Can I buy a replacement bit? What's it called?
Thanks.
View attachment 36627

 

[mychale]

That's why they're seconds. I bought a pack and just chuck the bent bits in the wood pile for repurposing. I taught woodwork for over 20 years and you will never straighten out a piece of wood that's bent with a knot in it! It will always go back. I find those slightly wonky boxes make reasonable feeding ekes though.

My thoughts too, but you could improve it by planing off the bump.

 

[Ian123]

When seconds are new the knots rarely cause issues, like most construction grade timber it’s sold wet and really needs using and fixing in position before it dries.
Knots rarely cause issues until the timber starts to dry out so if buying yourself assemble sooner rather than later. If purchasing from re sellers there are many be aware!
If the box in question was assembled soon after purchase I’d suggest the likely issue is no fixings/glue along locking bar and side wall faces.