Poly plastic crownboard ?

[mark s]

Hi all
Just purchased my first poly hives and was wondering about the plastic see through crownboard supplied with them, do i leave them as they are or do you have to make a frame for them ?? All ideas are welcome.
For the record ive bought 2 14x12 polys and 2 national polys.

 

[For want of a better word]

Not sure what make you have?
My Beehivesupplies ones came with a sheet of CORREX
have marked them out and punched holes to accept 2 of the 2 litre rapid feeders
... and as top space gets soon brace combed!
I have found that the plastic sheets supplies with the P ay nes polly nucs need replacing annually as the material becomes brittle ....and are not so easy to remove for feeding without a grist of bees getting out !
I have used a thicker styreen clear sheet, but this makes the roof stand proud.

 

[IBeeHere]

If P....s polyhives they do not need a frame around just lay them on the top.

 

[itma]

If P....s polyhives they do not need a frame around just lay them on the top.

I know they are supplied with a plain plastic sheet - but I'm not sure that is the best thing.

Pains and BHS units are bottom beespace, and a flat sheet laid over the topbars will get prop-stuck to them. And all the topbars in the top box need to be kept really well cleaned to allow the sheet to sit (fairly) flat on the bars.
I use T's polycarb crownboards which provide beespace beneath - so they are safely above those topbars. I think they are great things to have.
But on Pains poly there's not much roof wrapover, so the sides of the thicker (framed) crownboard are somewhat exposed. A single-sided (and perhaps wider) frame would be more appropriate to P's poly.

I presume (based on photos), that the BHS (more expensive) poly roof has distinctly more wrapover than P's roof.

 

[Poly Hive]

Never used a clear CB on a poly.

I use a solid 12mm ply CB.

PH

 

[Red Bee]

I use polythene sheet cut to hive size with my paines poly hive. They propolise round the edges a bit but otherwise fine.

 

[Finman]

I use polythene sheet cut to hive size with my paines poly hive. They propolise round the edges a bit but otherwise fine.

Propolis does not glue boxes together. It is burr combs between frames.

Plastic sheet is necessary on top because Poly cover does not stand twisting if the cover is glued with burr.

.Sheet is easy to renew and keep clean.

 

[mark s]

Thanks for the replies all, should have mentioned that they were pains ones

 

[drstitson]

"Propolis does not glue boxes together"

well my hives ALL have thick propolis sticking poly sheets down.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Propolis does not glue boxes together.

Oops, it looks as if my bees have got it wrong.

 

[user 6228]

if you make a frame make sure it has thermal properties that match the poly.
My feeders are kingspan frames . These frames have acrylic top and bottoms that sit inside the kingspan resting on folded ally angles. the kingspan is protected on the box to box surfaces with 2mm correx. The kingspan facing is sealed to the correx with polyester resin.

 

[BeeJayBee]

if you make a frame make sure it has thermal properties that match the poly.
My feeders are kingspan frames . These frames have acrylic top and bottoms that sit inside the kingspan resting on folded ally angles. the kingspan is protected on the box to box surfaces with 2mm correx. The kingspan facing is sealed to the correx with polyester resin.

Have you got a picture of one of these?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I have had poor results with Correx when it is exposed to the weather as the hole fill with water if not sealed. I tried replacing the clear cover boards with something different. The ****** ones are PETG NOT polycarbonate as I assumed and therefore don't withstand boiling water . I have made up some wooded framed thick polycarbonate ones to try.

 

[itma]

.... I tried replacing the clear cover boards with something different. The ****** ones are PETG NOT polycarbonate as I assumed and therefore don't withstand boiling water . ...

The asterisks defeat your advice!


Pains latest flimsies were PET-G (printed on the opaque anti-scratch protective packaging film).
Older ones were a (probably similar) but differently branded (duPont?) food-safe plastic.

T's sell (framed, fairly rigid) clear ones that are catalogue, website and invoice described as "Polycarbonate" - I'd be disappointed (to say the very least) if they weren't.

 

[user 6228]

Have you got a picture of one of these?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

the ****** was Pa yn es, these are like pop bottles and deforms in boiling water. The framed thorn$ ones are polycabonate as the cat says.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thanks Derek. Now we know what you're talking about. Looks like a good idea.

 

[Finman]

Oops, it looks as if my bees have got it wrong.

Of course it does but it is not a reason why the coves is so firmly closed.

USE YOUR BRAINS, when they have give to you.

 

[user 6228]

Of course it does but it is not a reason why the coves is so firmly closed.

USE YOUR BRAINS, when they have give to you.

I think you should apologise for being so rude to Joy.