spacers

[mark s]

hi all
where can i get some plastic spacers for my nationals at a reasonable price if at all poss
thanx

 

[Frisbee]

Do you mean spacers to put on the frame ends or castellated spacers for the brood box/super?

Either way any self respecting bee supply shop will sell them.

A tip from me (who knows practically nothing) if you want the castellated spacers for the super, get metal ones..........plastic is cheaper but are apt to break under the strain of a full super

Frisbee

 

[mark s]

thanx frisbee
i can get castellated ones but was not sure about sharp metal inside the hive,but ill go for them then as i can get hold of them
thanx again

 

[Hombre]

It's probably overkill, but I use regular runners for the height and ensure that the castellations only provide the horizontal spacing component.

It's early days, so I might live to change my mind sometime before the next season.

Price of the metal ones is obviously not as keen as plastic, they are more durable, but sharp and can get bent if care isn't taken. More concerned about raking my hand than the bees, to be honest. They tend to have more sense.

 

[mark s]

you could be right there hombre

 

[bobandbec]

My advice is why bother with them at all. Not necessary in the brood box and a definite hinderence when it comes to supers.

Mine are all in a box and only come out if I'm transporting my bees around.

Peter

 

[Polyanwood]

Castellations instead of spacers?

I am experimenting with metal castellations in some supers instead. I buy a pair of castellations and tack them over the runner at the same height. I start off without them and then when all the frames are drawn and partially filled I put them in a box with the castellations and space for 8 frames instead of 10. So far it looks neat. Nice fat even super comb.

 

[Bcrazy]

In my opinion plastic spacers are a utility that harbours many unwanted pathogens (disease). The bees clog up the area inside the spacer and cover the top with wax and propolis. They are a thing to keep clean.

My advice would be for the brood chamber - self spacing frames (Hoffman).
Never use castellated spacers in a brood chamber.

For supers - castellated spacers - Manley self spacing frames.

I would at all costs forget about plastic spacers as that is now out dated, with the self spacing frames, the bees only stick together a minimal of wood work, and they leave the lugs of the frame alone.

Regards;

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Polyanwood

You comment;

I start off without them and then when all the frames are drawn and partially filled I put them in a box with the castellations and space for 8 frames instead of 10. So far it looks neat. Nice fat even super comb.

If your using 8 slot castellated spacers in your super, please send me a pm on how you found decapping the thick supers. I think you will find it a bit of a bind to say the least.

But when all said and done "It's horses for courses". Good luck.

Regards;

 

[Polyanwood]

Thanks BCrazyWell I hadn't thought of how I would decap them! Doh! I just liked that they looked flatter, so they look easier. I think I'll stop buying castellations for a while then and make up some more Hoffman frames. Mind you I'm not sure the Hoffmans fit in the extractor.

 

[DulwichGnome]

Thanks BCrazyWell I hadn't thought of how I would decap them! Doh! I just liked that they looked flatter, so they look easier. I think I'll stop buying castellations for a while then and make up some more Hoffman frames. Mind you I'm not sure the Hoffmans fit in the extractor.

Hi Polyanwood, if they are on unwired foundation you could try cut comb.

Mike.

 

[Polyanwood]

Sadly only got unwired foundation in the poly hives and have fitted the castellations to the wooden supers. I guess if I buy one of those hot air blowers that might make uncapping easier. Not tried that yet.

 

[Frisbee]

I guess if I buy one of those hot air blowers that might make uncapping easier. Not tried that yet.

I have...................

A doddle would be a good word to use........

Frisbee

 

[DrNick]

I might be talking utter rubbish here, but you could try using a hand held Polystyrene Foam Cutter for removing the caps, just a thought

 

[LondonBee]

8 Frames in a super is easy - just use a standard or heated uncapping knife and they will slip into an extractor without a problem. More honey from less frames = less work for you!

 

[Hombre]

Following on from DrNick's comment re hot wire cutter; a short length of stainless steel framing wire might make the basis of a good hot wire cutter. Does anyone have experience of using a hot wire for decapping, and if so what are the pros and cons please?

What are the potential pros and cons of a hot air gun please Frisbee? It sounds like your preferred method, so haven't found any show stopping problems, but what advice can you give to a novice to avoid early pitfalls?

 

[Frisbee]

What are the potential pros and cons of a hot air gun please Frisbee? It sounds like your preferred method, so haven't found any show stopping problems, but what advice can you give to a novice to avoid early pitfalls?

Erm..........I'm only just one step up from a novice myself, and have only extracted 2 supers One at the end of the spring flow and used a very sharpe knife. That worked fine, but you do get a lot of honey in the cappings which needs to be dealt with. If you've only one super then you don't waste anything.
The second I did last week (as I couldn't get it back on the hive). My mentor had suggested I use a heat gun and I have a good one from my woostripping days. Just a quick wizz over sees the cappings just pop to nothing. Apparently (this is what I was told - see I know practically nothing) the cappings in the super have a tiny pocket of air between the cap and the honey. The air gun works well on that and not so well where there is no air. Occasionally I could see a difference in the capping and the way it melted. But it worked very well. There was very little mess, only the odd honey drip, and it was very quick. So I will be doing it again like that.
The only tiny quirk was that as the caps popped they sometimes landed a miniscule blob of hot wax on my holding arm - I was holding the frame horizontally but will hold it vertically over a bucket next time

Frisbee

 

[Hombre]

Thanks Frisbee, I appreciate the detail. I guess the frame should be vertical starting from the bottom so that honey leakage doesn't hamper the operation by cooling. I have a hot air gun and will certainly consider giving it a try as I look to find my way to work.

I may not have a super to extract at the current rate of progress with my own bees. I have doubled my colonies, but no honey yet. Thank goodness for clipped queens.

I have learned a much this year as a total newbee and made a few mistakes, but am having a great year working with my mentor and getting lots of experience. More than enough to make me aware of my own shortcomings.

I'll have a play with a hot wire and at such time as it's had an outing I will report back my experience, admitting failure if it turns out to be a rubbish idea for me. I'll take a chance with half a frame after some testing on polystyrene first.

I suspect that you are a much more proficient wood worker than myself. Al fresco woodwork puts me and my timetable at the mercy of the weather, available time and even staying awake after all my learning experience.

Have a good season, hopefully it's still got a way to go yet.

 

[Poly Hive]

Some of the classic issues are now emerging as the novices come face to face with the reality of how difficult it actually is to extract.

Hot wire? There is a commercial machine that works/worked on a heated blade system so not really a new idea.

I never tried the hot air for a very simple reason, I wanted to trim the combs well back in the extraction process, (talking Manleys here) so as to give the wax builders work the next season.

As a consequence about a third of my honey went into the cappings bucket.

How did I deal with that? A modified spin dryer. A bog standard one that had the safety catch removed so that it could spin with the lid open.

The drum was lined with coarse mesh, and the bag inside was made of 400 micron mesh from memory. The resulting honey was perfectly clean and the wax near dry.

As a system this was used by small producers to extract heather honey, the combs were cut out, mashed up and spun.

Care obviously must be taken as honey sun out of the drum at 1800 revs can coat an incredible area in a second or three.
PH

 

[Poly Hive]

Some of the classic issues are now emerging as the novices come face to face with the reality of how difficult it actually is to extract.

Hot wire? There is a commercial machine that works/worked on a heated blade system so not really a new idea.

I never tried the hot air for a very simple reason, I wanted to trim the combs well back in the extraction process, (talking Manleys here) so as to give the wax builders work the next season.

As a consequence about a third of my honey went into the cappings bucket.

How did I deal with that? A modified spin dryer. A bog standard one that had the safety catch removed so that it could spin with the lid open.

The drum was lined with coarse mesh, and the bag inside was made of 400 micron mesh from memory. The resulting honey was perfectly clean and the wax near dry.

As a system this was used by small producers to extract heather honey, the combs were cut out, mashed up and spun.

Care obviously must be taken as honey sun out of the drum at 1800 revs can coat an incredible area in a second or three.
PH

Why any novice has now got frames requiring manual spacing is beyond me totally. I spent years getting rid of plastic and tin plate spacers, pinning and gluing bits of wood to frames to "Manley" them, and the issue still exists today! Why? Because Thornes make too much money out of this nonsense.

If the suppliers for the good of the craft said right that's that we are not supplying this rubbish any more then thie issue would be resolved over night.

If your mentor has advised this direction give them a hard look and say why not go Manley or Hoffman in the supers and Hoffman in the brood box.


PH