prizing supers appart

[bobba]

I started out with home made ply supers. But this year I have been running a mix of ply and ceder.

My boxes are painted inside and out with polyester resin.

The ply boxes weigh a ton, but are always very easy to pry apart. But I have found it far easier to damage the ceder ones, particularly when first jamming in the hive tool. Not serious damage, but I keep nibbling away at the wood.

I was thinking of running some sand paper along the outside corners of my ceder boxes to round the edges a bit, so hopfuly I can jam the tool in without damaging the wood.

Has anyone tried this?

Or has anyone got any tips that may help me out?

Thanks as always.

 

[Boston Bees]

It sounds like you may have a hive tool with a rather blunt end. Perhaps purchase a finer one?

Or buy one of these that I find useful with poly boxes

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-dual-moulded-stripping-knife-3/19995

 

[pargyle]

Yes ... I keep an old scraper in my bee box ... it's an old Rosewood handled one that my Dad had - it's not stainless - fairly robust carbon steel and quite stiff - but I find it very useful for easing a poly super off the brood box - less destructive than my hive tools as it spreads the load a bit and being thinner is easier to insert between the boxes. Great for scraping the free comb off the inside of crown boards and off the top of the frames as well,

 

[bobba]

Thanks for the inspiration guys.

I am a J tool man. Actually I duel weld for prying boxes and lifting tricky frames. And yes, they are both very blunt. So I think I will be tacking them to visit a grinder to sharpen them up.

It did not occur to me to use non-beekeeping specific tools.

I will be going to my tool boxes to see what I can find.

As well as scrapers I have a japaneese pry bar:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0883/0264/products/Main_Dogyu_Pry_Bar_-_300_mm.jpg?v=1466712631
I bought it after a friend lent me his to lift some tricky floor boards. It will be interesting to see how it preforms hive boxes.

But will definetly bee keeping a scrapers to hand when opening hives.

 

[Boston Bees]

I am a J tool man. Actually I duel weld for prying boxes and lifting tricky frames. And yes, they are both very blunt. So I think I will be tacking them to visit a grinder to sharpen them up

I didn't mean blunt in the sense of having lost their edge. I meant blunt in the sense of being designed with a thick, deep blade, as J-tools generally are. Other hive tool types have longer, shallower blades that slide between boxes more easily. But yes, get a scraper too, I find them very useful.

 

[bobba]

I didn't mean blunt in the sense of having lost their edge. I meant blunt in the sense of being designed with a thick, deep blade, as J-tools generally are. Other hive tool types have longer, shallower blades that slide between boxes more easily. But yes, get a scraper too, I find them very useful.

Like you say, they were made blunt rather than became blunt. I have a spare so no harm in trying to grind one a bit sharper.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I didn't mean blunt in the sense of having lost their edge. I meant blunt in the sense of being designed with a thick, deep blade, as J-tools generally are. Other hive tool types have longer, shallower blades that slide between boxes more easily. But yes, get a scraper too, I find them very useful.

Interesting you say the j tool is thicker, I've found that.
@bobba do you clean the kissing edges of your boxes ready for the new season?
I was wondering maybe some small fabricated corner plates nailed onto the corners would help if you know what I mean?
Maybe even cut a castilation down?

 

[bobba]

All my ceder boxes were brand new this season. That is why I am innoyed to see the wood already getting a little damage.

I gave the edges of my ply ones a quick scrape, but other than the occasional flat bee they were fairly clean.

My ply ones are just so solid compared to the ceder. Its very easy to pry them without damaging the wood. So I think I have acquired bad prying techniques and probably need to try a slightly more delicate approach.

I dont normally pry them from the corner, so that's something else I can try.

I like your idea of a metal reinforced prying point. I imagine it could be done using some cut down bits of frame runner. May have to rout/chisels out a little recess so it sits flush.

I am going to try some new tools and see how that works out, but may consider upgrading my boxes if I still struggle.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I like your idea of a metal reinforced prying point. I imagine it could be done using some cut down bits of frame runner

You can buy corner protectors if you are that way inclined, personally I don't bother, it's a working bit of kit. I've still got boxes from when I started, the corners may look a bit tattered, but they'll outlast me and probably whoever has them after.

 

[bobba]

Tried a scraper and japaneese pry bar today. Both work better than Js, but each has its pros and cons. I think I will be keeping both to hand for the time being. Managed to pry some sticky ones without damage.

You can buy corner protectors if you are that way inclined, personally I don't bother, it's a working bit of kit. I've still got boxes from when I started, the corners may look a bit tattered, but they'll outlast me and probably whoever has them after.

A bit tattered is one thing, but with my old J tools and gun-hoe approach to prying, I think my boxes would have been done for in a few seasons.

Now I have tools that I am happy with I wont be bothering to upgrade my boxes. Just not worth the expense and faff.





Its a shame the ply boxes are so heavy, other than the weight I prefer them to ceder.

But thanks for the suggestions everyone, they have helped me out.

 

[Worker bee]

Scrape off the propolis from the joints. That's what one end of most hive tools is for. Look at hive tools some are strait some are angled. Scrape off top and bottom you'll find it easyer to part them next time but leave it long and its like super glue. Your ply seems better because it's more poreus. Your decent wood is less pourus so it sticks more. But it's much better wood. Try to part all four ends if it's tight with minimal leavrage one end will crack it. I've always made a point when inspecting not to force them apart in one corner.

 

[bobba]

Scrape off the propolis from the joints. That's what one end of most hive tools is for. Look at hive tools some are strait some are angled. Scrape off top and bottom you'll find it easyer to part them next time but leave it long and its like super glue. Your ply seems better because it's more poreus. Your decent wood is less pourus so it sticks more. But it's much better wood. Try to part all four ends if it's tight with minimal leavrage one end will crack it. I've always made a point when inspecting not to force them apart in one corner.

I normally do pretty much as you as you say. Attack form sides,freeing them in turn. Once the tool is in prizing is not a problem.

I dont think its to do with how pours it is, both are coated the same. And the propolis is minimal. My bees tend to use mostly wax at the joints. My finly crafted ply ones were cut flush on a table saw post assembly. Where as some of my 2nds ceder ones have tiny gaps where the wood does not line up 100%. So the odd one is a bit more sticky, but that was not so much the problem. It was simply getting the tool in without damaging the wood. I used a high grade ply, its touch compared to ceder.

I think blunt cheap tool from ali express was my problem. Once it has visited a grinder, I think it will work like it did on the ply and I will be able to part them from the ends as we both seem to prefer.

I scrape tops, but have never scraped bottoms - so thanks for the tip.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I have had four hive tools over the years. I suppose I still do, somewhere, but I put them down never to be seen again. If I ever find them they will be there with a frame lifter and a bee brush. They are in the garden somewhere, covered in weeds or half-buried in the ground, who knows. Sometimes I lose my smoker, or the blowtorch I use to light it but strangely, never at the same time.