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[North End Bees]

I know ... I was referring to your frame rest ....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not sure that I do? I'm female btw!

With a filthy mind obviously

 

[North End Bees]

With a filthy mind obviously

Well wasn't sure if being of the gentler persuasion you'd be expecting me to have assistance to handle such equipment!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well wasn't sure if being of the gentler persuasion you'd be expecting me to have assistance to handle such equipment!

SWMBO has the same issues - she's been told not to handle heavy weights

 

[LeaBees]

On the topic of equipment, does anyone have an opinion on using the Manipulation Cloths? As seen in Thornes product list --> Manipulation Cloth

 

[pargyle]

On the topic of equipment, does anyone have an opinion on using the Manipulation Cloths? As seen in Thornes product list --> Manipulation Cloth

Yes ... I use a cloth at times - but spare the expense of the Thornes ones .. so easy just to use a couple of old tea cloths that will serve the same purpose. There was a recent thread on here that was solely concerned with inspection cloths ... someone will find it.

 

[Amari]

On the topic of equipment, does anyone have an opinion on using the Manipulation Cloths? As seen in Thornes product list --> Manipulation Cloth

See p. 377, this month's BBKA News: how to make one from two tea-towels.

 

[Swarm]

On the topic of equipment, does anyone have an opinion on using the Manipulation Cloths? As seen in Thornes product list --> Manipulation Cloth

In a recent thread there was discussion about the first frame removed and where to put it. Laid flat on top of the hive it can serve as a handy alternative to a cloth.

 

[RichardBeeW]

4" roof or deeper 8" roof???

I have 8" roofs but as Little_Bees says they are 'grunt' heavy. I like them because I live in a wide mid-Wales, very exposed valley and when the wind blows on a winter's night I just smile and turn over - I do have almost 4" of insulation in them though.

 

[deemann1]

Some of us, due to common sense would not hold the smoker between our knees

I always do

 

[BeeJam]

In a recent thread there was discussion about the first frame removed and where to put it. Laid flat on top of the hive it can serve as a handy alternative to a cloth.

This - I got my Mum to make some when I first started beekeeping but as I got more confident I stopped using them and now just use the first frame I remove to cover the "far" side of the hive. I certainly wouldn't go to the expense of buying them from Thornes.

 

[gmonag]

I made a couple of "hive cloths" from heavy duty tarp material. I don't use them during inspections as suggested, but use them to cover open boxes temporarily. I can wash them in soda crystal solution easily.

 

[madasafish]

I have 8" roofs but as Little_Bees says they are 'grunt' heavy. I like them because I live in a wide mid-Wales, very exposed valley and when the wind blows on a winter's night I just smile and turn over - I do have almost 4" of insulation in them though.

I make roofs from 50mm celotex. And fibreglass the top to prevent bird damage.

A 400mm deep one weighs no more than 2kg at most.

All my hives are strapped to hivestands 365 days /year.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I make roofs from 50mm celotex. And fibreglass the top to prevent bird damage.

A 400mm deep one weighs no more than 2kg at most.

All my hives are strapped to hivestands 365 days /year.

I'd love to see some pictures Madasafish

 

[Garry R]

I make my roofs from pallet boards and cover with roofing felt using felt nails I also line each roof with polystyrene with a couple of splodges (that's a technical term!) of no more nails or equivalent to keep them in place. Sheets are 25mm thick and bought from Wickes at £7 for an 8ft x 4ft sheet. Dirt cheap and last for years, If you do get a little hole in the felt a splodge of bitumen paint sorts it.

 

[madasafish]

I'd love to see some pictures Madasafish

See the gray one on top of tallest stack (if you want, I'll remove it today and take detailed photos .. it is dry for a change so not an issue)

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'd love to see some pictures Madasafish

I have the same minus the fibreglass....which was a mistake. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I made a couple of "hive cloths" from heavy duty tarp material. I don't use them during inspections as suggested, but use them to cover open boxes temporarily. I can wash them in soda crystal solution easily.

So your using them as a temporary crown board... I do this sometimes with the cloth when finding Queens.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

There are some fundamental flaws in this blog:

1. As the frames are removed from my polystyrene nuc boxes and become empty, they are first put on the cleaning table and as much of the physical wax and propolis debris is removed carefully with a narrow wallpaper scraper. No need to remove propolis .. just scrape any excess comb off.

2. After cleaning the next step is to sterilise it in the tub of bleach solution. I bought this 60L tub from Amazon. It has blanked off handle holes. There is also a lid available, but I use a shallower tub as a lid. This is also handy for storing tools and other bits and pieces. Why is this necessary ? I deplore this desire to remove all vestiges of pathogens ... there AREN'T USUALLY ANY THERE. Unless the colony has had one of the Foulbroods totally unneccessary.

3. To prevent pathogen build-up, brood comb in colonies is replaced regularly. By using brood comb replacement, bailey comb change or shook swarm, at least every two years. OMG - When are they going to learn ... Brood frames and comb do NOT need to be changed automatically every two years ... what a waste of bee effort and a totally unnecessary process. Change combs when they are past their useful life not when an arbitrary time frame of "less than" 2 years dictates.

There are more in this blog - I lost the will to live reading this much passed on TRIPE !!

I've only now got round to rereading Northumbrianbees posts on hygiene which you and others are so critical of. It does seem that you’re shooting the (poor) messenger. He states from the outset, and several times after, that his blog is derived from the NBU material on the subject.

I can see you have to seize the chance though. Everything happens fast on this forum, and it was his blog and not an NBU publication that was posted.

I’ve attended all my associations courses since I started a few years ago and have done some modules and practical exams. Not surprisingly, these courses are thoroughly orthodox – by which I mean that the word of the NBU is gospel – and consequently there is rarely anything more controversial than a comical and long-lasting discussion on how to keep mice out of hives. (I see that happened here too.)

So it’s very interesting for me over these last few months since I joined this forum to read that if the BBKA and NBU are the ‘gospel’, then they may well be outnumbered by the heretics! Which I guess is just as well. If we all agreed with each other, there would be nothing to talk about.

Thanks for your posts – especially the laughs!

 

[user 819]

+1 for fibreglass all my wooden roofs are fibre glassed having removed the zinc lid.