Pimp my Poly

[Helen]

Got a few poly nucs in the sales. Never used poly nucs/hives before, so thought I would try some out.

Decided on the Maismore ones. 14x12 versions.

Decided to pimp one to see if I could improve it to better fit my needs.

1) Enabled 2-in-one capability. Added slots and divider board so can use the nuc as 2 x 3 frame nucs if needed. Required a new entrance hole on the side. Dividers required for feeder as well - both when used for syrup and for fondant.










2) High-grip surface in feeder. Added sand into paint, and coated the bee area in the feeder, for better grip.




3) Wasp-defender type entrance. Used square channelling that fits in indent in front of nuc. Top 'lid' slides to left, opening or closing the entrance gap. Put in a means by which the internal 'corridor' can be stopped down, height-wise, if necessary. Added a mini landing board as well.






4) Top bee space. Trimmed down the frame rests as well as the level behind them, to create a top-bee space.




5) Removed the branding text on the lid. When I painted the lid the first time, I spent ages getting paint into all the characters in the text. Decided to sand off the whole thing, leaving a nice, flat and quickly painted surface. Don't mind the branding as such, just the pain of painting it.




6) Security. Stamped my initials/details into the top (where the original branding text was) and on the bottom.




7) Perspex crown board. 3mm clear perspex cover added.




How have you pimped your polys?

 

[SDM]

Nice job!

 

[TooBee...]

What kind of paint did you use, it's going to be in direct contact with the bee syrup / feed?

Looks real good, by the way - like the anti-wasp entrance, forward thinking...

 

[mike99]

I got a Maisemore poly nuc in the sale as well. Does it need to be painted? If so, what is the best type?

 

[Helen]

Santex smooth masonry paint. Only 1 coat so far, so will put on another soon, and tidy the finish up.

I also gave the underfloor mesh a quick wipe with black paint. The original is silver metal mesh ... black makes it easier to see through.

 

[Helen]

I got a Maisemore poly nuc in the sale as well. Does it need to be painted? If so, what is the best type?

Apparently yes, if you want it to last more than a couple of years. Paint protects it from UV, and seals all those tiny little holes in the surface of the poly.

According to Dave Cushman's site 'poly feeders need to be painted internally. This seals the surface and allows easier cleaning, otherwise sugar syrup can leach into the material - there are tiny voids between the expanded beads which make up the matrix.'

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/polyhivepaint.html

Maisemore & Cushman says smooth masonry paint. I used Sandtex, ultra smooth, matt black.

Waterproof, breathable, etc according to their website.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I started to paint the outside of my poly nucs but it was only for aesthetic reasons as they look a bit grubby after a while. The weather got worse and the paint wouldn't dry well and I thought I was probably wasting my time anyway as when they get too old I'll just buy new ones; let's face it they are not the most expensive part of beekeeping. It's a bit like painting a pencil, it might look nice but it's hardly worth it, just get another.

I expect the eco-warriors will be on me now, but then if I wanted to be totally eco-friendly I wouldn't use such a noxious thing as polystyrene in the first place, it is quite horrible stuff.

 

[SDM]

Whats your idea of "too old' when it comes to a nuc?
Painted i expect mine to outlast me.
The "eco" aspect aside( i cant be bothered with stating the obvious), for the sake of 5 mins painting, your approach seems like a foolish waste of money.

 

[JWF]

I was probably wasting my time anyway as when they get too old I'll just buy new ones; let's face it they are not the most expensive part of beekeeping.

I expect the eco-warriors will be on me now, but then if I wanted to be totally eco-friendly I wouldn't use such a noxious thing as polystyrene in the first place, it is quite horrible stuff.

If you wanted to be 'eco-friendly' you'd get the notion of disposability out of your mind! Never mind what they're made of!

 

[Angry_Mob]

Good job on adding the bee space, looks like a good addition.

The BS Honey Bees nuc has the divider system built in which is useful, another thing it has is alot more roof insulation which is something you could add if you wanted to modify further. I must remember to sand off the top writing as well as its a pain to paint.

Only thing I'm really unsure about is the black, just wondering if we got another real hot summer if it wouldn't get too warm inside?

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I have used black for years more to keep the timber warmer but poly's get the same treatment, I did not get any issue's with colony's overheating last summer, no mesh floors either all mine are on solid.

 

[birdsandbees]

I started to paint the outside of my poly nucs but it was only for aesthetic reasons as they look a bit grubby after a while. The weather got worse and the paint wouldn't dry well and I thought I was probably wasting my time anyway as when they get too old I'll just buy new ones; let's face it they are not the most expensive part of beekeeping. It's a bit like painting a pencil, it might look nice but it's hardly worth it, just get another.

I expect the eco-warriors will be on me now, but then if I wanted to be totally eco-friendly I wouldn't use such a noxious thing as polystyrene in the first place, it is quite horrible stuff.

I find it funny that you claim the material to be the problem and yet admit to treating it as a disposable item!
the material its made from isn't the issue its the attitude, long life plastics are okay, its the plastic wrapping and short life plastics that are stuffing this planet up, as has been said well looked after they should last for years AND can be recycled at the end of it.

here's a thought with regard to Horrible Polystyrene..
Many buildings are insulated with it, its has superior thermal performance over other forms of cavity wall insulation, doesn't break down over time and doesn't fail causing damp issues like fibre insulation, as a result millions of tonnes of carbon emmisions are saved over the life of the property.

I'd say that's a good thing, wouldn't you?

 

[birdsandbees]

Helen - I like i, I was thinking of trying out something similar myself.

only thing I'd say is to avoid putting it in direct sunlight, being black it will absorb a lot of surface heat and you may find that it gets a bit damaged in the summer sun

 

[citrus]

I like motorbikes so mine match the bikes

I pimped mine in line with my dirt bikes and colourmatched the top coat

yellow for the drz 400
orange for the ktm

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hVcah8mBicmVR43UA

the nuc will become a team green kawasaki hive coming in 2019 (when I get round to it)

 

[Madge]

...

Decided to pimp one to see if I could improve it to better fit my needs. ...

Pimp?!

 

[Beefriendly]

Pimp?!

It's the informal use of pimp....
PIMP-INFORMAL
make (something) more showy or impressive.
"he pimped up the car with spoilers and twin-spoke 18-inch alloys"

Not as in he sold his poly nuc for sexual acts. Although the mind boggles...

 

[GuyNir]

It's the informal use of pimp....
PIMP-INFORMAL
make (something) more showy or impressive.
"he pimped up the car with spoilers and twin-spoke 18-inch alloys"

Not as in he sold his poly nuc for sexual acts. Although the mind boggles...

You learn something new every day

 

[Ian123]

in fairness if you could find anyone wishing to preform acts of depravity in exchange for a poly nuc or 2, traffic on this site would increase 10 fold

 

[Millet]

It's the informal use of pimp....
PIMP-INFORMAL
make (something) more showy or impressive.
"he pimped up the car with spoilers and twin-spoke 18-inch alloys"

Not as in he sold his poly nuc for sexual acts. Although the mind boggles...

I can not believe you have had to explain the meaning..i thought some folk on here knew everything..

 

[Helen]

Helen - I like i, I was thinking of trying out something similar myself.

only thing I'd say is to avoid putting it in direct sunlight, being black it will absorb a lot of surface heat and you may find that it gets a bit damaged in the summer sun

Black is the base coat. I 'camo' paint the top coat with greens and sand colours. As it's not in my back garden, I want it to 'melt' in to the landscape (visual melt, not material melt).