Solid cover boards ... where to get them

[domino]

I want some solid cover boards I've looked on most the normal site I go to but I can't find them. Who sells them?

 

[MuswellMetro]

I want some solid cover boards I've looked on most the normal site I go to but I can't find them. Who sells them?

get a large ply sheet cut into 46cm squares at a wood merchants or slighlty more expensive at B&Q and edge it in strip wood

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Big T's do - they were on the sale list, so if you're quick....................

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

get a large ply sheet cut into 46cm squares at a wood merchants or slighlty more expensive at B&Q and edge it in strip wood

Agreed.

Even I can make them.

And clearer, feeder, Apiguard and Snelgrove boards etc.

Dusty

 

[domino]

Guess I'm off to the timber yard, I'm going to make some hive stands anyway.

 

[itma]

get a large ply sheet cut into 46cm squares at a wood merchants or slighlty more expensive at B&Q and edge it in strip wood

If you are in B&Q, get a small sheet of twinwall polycarbonate roofing sheet http://www.diy.com/departments/polycarbonate-roofing-sheet-120m-x-610mm/241217_BQ.prd (gone up to £9.25) and a couple of 2.4m lengths of "10.5mm" square stripwood (about £3 each).

Saw the stripwood into 450mm (460-10) lengths.
Cut two 460mm squares from the polycarbonate sheet. (Do it carefully and you'' have an offcut suitable for a Paynes poly nuc.) A stanley knife and a metal straight edge are the tools for that job.

Glue the wood strips round the edge of the plastic sheets. Then, once the glue has set (ideally) turn the sheet over and staple the plastic to the wood. Finish it for example with tape over the edges of the plastic - I've used Aluminium tape (actually from Lidl) intended for greenhouse sealing. The idea here is to seal off the open ends of the 'tubes' through the twinwall (and thereby give it some insulation capability - as well as keeping the earwigs out ...)

So, a couple of see-through coverboards for about £15 total (with some spare bits left over for free).

 

[oliver90owner]

I do less than MM. I just cut 46x46cm squares. So simple to do.

 

[itma]

I do less than MM. I just cut 46 46cm squares. So simple to do.

As before, unstated that o90o runs top beespace hives.
Important info in this context.

 

[Eyeman]

Shame you can only get x2 clear crown boards from one sheet.
Anyone know of other (cheaper) transparent material?
Alec

 

[user 6228]

I want some solid cover boards I've looked on most the normal site I go to but I can't find them. Who sells them?

Make them out of 25mm kingspan/Recticel/celotex with black correx edging to give bee space.

You only need a knife, a straight edge and some grab glue. a bit of ally tape on the cut edges, (though as they dont see much sunlight gaffer tape or nothing will also do.)

Cheap ... easy to make, light and ...

 

[Eyeman]

If you are in B&Q, get a small sheet of twinwall polycarbonate roofing sheet http://www.diy.com/departments/polyc.../241217_BQ.prd (gone up to £9.25) and a couple of 2.4m lengths of "10.5mm" square stripwood (about £3 each).

Itma
What thickness are these?
Alec

 

[user 6228]

Itma
What thickness are these?
Alec

you cant see much through these, you might see a bee stuck on the underside of it but forget trying to peer down the frame gaps.
the plastic isnt flat or constant thickness so you can only see things indistinctly

 

[itma]

Shame you can only get x2 clear crown boards from one sheet.
Anyone know of other (cheaper) transparent material?
Alec

That's the small (car back seat size) sheet. You can get bigger sheets if you want them.

While B&Q will happily cut plywood to the precise sizes you request (for free - ie included in the price), they won't do it for plastics or stripwood.

 

[REDWOOD]

B&Q is OK for the one off items on a Sunday but seriously expensive compared to a builders murchants.
The easiest way to build a crown board is like a picture frame, one piece of wood 12x thickness of board x19mm, cut a channel in the center the thickness of the board with a router, cut it into 4x460mm mitered end lengths, glue, clamp and pin, job done at a fraction of the cost

 

[drstitson]

for solid ply boards as per others - local timber supplier, sheet of decent thickness ply and 9mm strip wood.

but much better to be working TBS and just order 460x460 polycarbonate from an online supplier.

 

[madasafish]

Top beespace makes crown boards much simpler...just as well with my woodworking "skills"..

 

[BeeJayBee]

For solid boards ask an estate agent for old signs they no longer use or need.

For see through, either fasten some thick polythene to a frame or buy some polycarbonate.

 

[beehive1234]

Oh yes, I watched a German Utube video and they had lovely hives made from Styrofoam and they just had pieces of plastic sheeting, (like builders plastic) for cover boards. I think I will have a go at making a frame and cover it both sides with pieces of transparent builders plastic.