Rock bottom

[mbc]

No, my piles are fine, I was refering to the maisymoores rock bottom bee hive offer I saw in this months beecraft, whole hive in English cedar, including two supers and all the frames and foundation for only £135. Seems like the best price I've seen advertised by one of the big suppliers.

 

[Chris B]

I saw it too.

Does anyone know why this trend of 12 frames in the broodbox? It seemed to start 3 or 4 years ago with Th****s Hoffman frames being a bit slimmer and now I see M****** are following suit.

 

[alanf]

No, my piles are fine, I was refering to the maisymoores rock bottom bee hive offer I saw in this months beecraft, whole hive in English cedar, including two supers and all the frames and foundation for only £135. Seems like the best price I've seen advertised by one of the big suppliers.

Indeed. Appears to be pitched squarely against Th0rnes bees on a budget. Plus 6.75 p&p though, while Th0rnes is 145 but free delivery. I see there's a WBC variant too as well as the 14x12. The 'beginners kit' puzzles me. Should that include a hive? It doesn't say so in the content list. How many will notice that adding 3 spare bottom bar pairs for 1.05 saves 6.75 delivery for the kit?

One difference I can see is it says 12 DN4 frames, probably on runners shaped from the sides. The Th0rnes kit BB I saw had 11 DN4 plus a dummy board on plastic runners. Anything else different?

Pays your money, takes your choice.

 

[kevrhcfag]

I saw it too.

Does anyone know why this trend of 12 frames in the broodbox? It seemed to start 3 or 4 years ago with Th****s Hoffman frames being a bit slimmer and now I see M****** are following suit.

We bought some through the summer, fitted 12 in the BB and still had a gap when I queried it was told it was right, so sent them back. I have been putting 12 in to get some spare drawn frames as starting up.

 

[Swarm]

Twelve frames fit, in boxes from both suppliers. Once the bees have played for a while, number 12 will soon be exchanged for a dummy board.

 

[justme]

Not sure why they're supposed to be 11 frames but fit 12, however, OSB (Rose boxes) are made to fit 12 and dummy. Helps to counteract lack of depth in boxes of brood I assume.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Twelve frames fit, in boxes from both suppliers. Once the bees have played for a while, number 12 will soon be exchanged for a dummy board.

 

[REDWOOD]

That's a bit of old welsh poetry, where did you get that from ?

 

[REDWOOD]

You also get the extra room for 12 frames because the hive walls are no longer 19mm 3/4 thick but 18mm

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That's a bit of old welsh poetry, where did you get that from ?

The bible

 

[Teemore]

Proverbs 24:12 by any chance?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Proverbs 24:12 by any chance?

Thirteen - well done!

 

[MuswellMetro]

Not sure why they're supposed to be 11 frames but fit 12, however, OSB (Rose boxes) are made to fit 12 and dummy. Helps to counteract lack of depth in boxes of brood I assume.

11 plus dummy in literature is because the width of Hoffman differs from the yorkshire metal spacers/ plastic spacers

Hoffman frames are NOW 1 3/8" ~ 35mm and metal yorkshire spacers or plastic ends are 1 7/16 ~ 36.5mm (or 37mm they vary depending on make)

old imperial hives with hoffman 422mm less 35mmx12= 2mm gap

modern metric hives with 424 less 35x12= 4mm gap

old spacers in old imperial hive 422mm less36.5x11= 20.5mm gap (ie 12 dont fit)


i have worked rose hives and think as the ply is 12mm then that gives you an extra 12mm gap, so 16mm for a thin dummy

i have seen 37mm hoffmans made by the now defunct supplier EH Taylor of welwyn but know of no supplier now ( and I think some of the poorly season 2nd quality frames shrink more so a 35mm nominal hoffman can be 33-34mm wide )

 

[Newtobees]

Caddon hives have National at £108 which includes two supers frame pack at £45 but are made from good quality western red ceder but you will have to add £9.00 for postage the cheapest top quality hives i have seen.

 

[Teemore]

Thirteen - well done!

Was asked to give a Harvest address a wee while back(a first for me) and took a bit of inspiration from Proverbs! I don't speak Welsh but there was something about the phrasing/grouping of the words (if that makes sense) that made me think I was on the right track - that and recognising the word mel.....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes, the rhythm/grouping of the wording is similar ( the traditional translations have always tried to follow the spirit of the reading as well as the wording.)
but then in proverbs 25:27 it tells you it is not good to eat much honey!