Patching up knotty hives

[Suzi Q]

I have some broods/supers with a number of knots, some on the top edge of the brood boxes. What is the best way to patch these up, making the boxes bee tight?

 

[oliver90owner]

From the simple 'don't know better DIYers' that would just fill with 'plastic wood' to adding a couple screws (or nails) as anchors for the filler (screws are better because they give a better grip to any filler) to cutting out the offending area and repairing with a new piece of wood.

So may depend on your DIY ability, or tools available, or even a decision on how much life is left in the rest of the box.

 

[simonrp]

Car body filler is probably the easiest and quickest material.

 

[madasafish]

I find Wet Rot Wood Hardener http://tinyurl.com/9ej9hxl

Ideal as long as when you apply it you do it slowly and mop up any runs.

Ideal for the bodger.

 

[MuswellMetro]

if you have more than two to make up I would sort through all the bits and grade them

Then re order them in good broods, good supers, and the banana super

if i buy ten 2nd supers in the winter sales then i normally get 7 good supers, 2 acceptaqble supers and one Banana super

you could even sell the banana super on fleabay in summer if you ave no morals...lots of 2nd hives sold on fleabay as prime first hives just after the winter sales

 

[Suzi Q]

Is a banana super where the wood is so curved that there is an inch gap that an hornet could get in? got one of those! It has its uses, a convenient frame carrier, etc. I bought these broods/supers in a recent sale expecting to do some repairs, and, on the whole, still think they are a good bargain. Just wish I had better DIY skills. I'll make do and mend, as they used to say.

 

[Snail368]

You can clean the resin off the knots and surrounding wood with white spirit, than when dry, use a external wood glue to re-fasten the knots in place. Any gaps can be plugged with putty, wood filler or the good old fashioned saw dust mixed with glue.

It's not a skilled job, any careful person, should be able to do. Make sure that the edges are true. If necessary I would use the sawdust/wood glue mix, make it a bit high, than when dry, sand down to the right level.

 

[Suzi Q]

Thank you Snail368! I should be able to do that.

 

[REDWOOD]

This stuff is very good break a bit off and kneed it in your hand and push it into the hole, sand down job done, you can also get wood coloured varieties
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/251138103546?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla