the flow box

[pargyle]

Having full boxes of flow frames without the expense of having to buy an extractor is an ideal solution for any new beekeeper, perfect.

Ha ha .... IF they are lucky enough to get ANY honey in their first year and even then it would be cheaper to buy one of Simon's four frame extractors than a hive full of flow frames ...and then some more for the next hive when they swarm in June when you are not expecting it ...

 

[dexter's shed]

IF they are lucky enough to get ANY honey in their first year and even then it would be cheaper to buy one of Simon's four frame extractors than a hive full of flow frames ...and then some more for the next hive when they swarm in June when you are not expecting it ...

yup you're quite right,
and similar was probably said when people bought the beehaus when it first appeared,

but like everything out there, everyone has a choice to buy what they want, and it might not necessarily be what YOU or OTHERS would do, but it's their choice, I myself had 6 hives before buying an extractor, and then buying into the flow frames, again my choice

how much does any beekeeper spend on their bees/hives, I'd hate to add it all up, or even tell the mrs, but it saves spending it down the pub, or gambling it in the bookies, so does it really matter who does what where

 

[pargyle]

yup you're quite right,
and similar was probably said when people bought the beehaus when it first appeared,

but like everything out there, everyone has a choice to buy what they want, and it might not necessarily be what YOU or OTHERS would do, but it's their choice, I myself had 6 hives before buying an extractor, and then buying into the flow frames, again my choice

how much does any beekeeper spend on their bees/hives, I'd hate to add it all up, or even tell the mrs, but it saves spending it down the pub, or gambling it in the bookies, so does it really matter who does what where

And the Beehaus is still a bit of a white elephant unless you significantly insulate it and it's hardly a mainstream hive. I don't have a problem with the Beehaus - I have a timber long deep hive and long hives have a number of advantages ... but .. they are not most people's choice and I think the Beehaus (new) is very expensive for what it is.

I don't have a problem with the Flow Frames per se ... I do worry that the hype created by the 'marketing' campaign will leave a lot of gullible people who, unlike you, have no prior knowledge of beekeeping and who are not as creative in practical terms wondering what the hell they have bought in to.

Yes, people have a right to spend their money as they see fit and whilst nobody has forced them to buy a flow hive I do see that a large percentage of the people who have bought them are total newbies and no amount of forum advice is going to prepare them for the fact that it ain't as easy as collecting a swarm and turning a tap on a tube .... time will tell ???

 

[dexter's shed]

I don't have a problem with the Flow Frames per se ... I do worry that the hype created by the 'marketing' campaign will leave a lot of gullible people who, unlike you, have no prior knowledge of beekeeping and who are not as creative in practical terms wondering what the hell they have bought in to.

I've said from the very start, I expect to see quite a few units on ebay in another 12 months or so, along with brand new bee suits only worn once, yup, I'll have a bid

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you look at the flow forum you will see that the owners of this machine are very very keen to get feedback from beekeepers starting to use the frames.
They crowd funded 70K was it? to develop their invention and if they had got that there would have been a timely launch of a tested and regionally reviewed product. Instead they got zillions and had to suddenly churn out their frames to everybody whose imagination had been fired by "honey on tap".
It's odd to see some "heavy hitters", can you call Michael Bush one? give out advice for the newer gung-ho novices to take that advice to their Facebook forum and laugh at it.
Some of these will fall at the first hurdle and those who can make the gizmo work will snap up a bargain.

And.......I agree, about the Beehaus. I wonder how many Omlet have sold? They do need much modification to make them work, unlike a square or rectangular box which while they might be customised with floors and roofs still remain a box.

 

[Tremyfro]

If you look at the flow forum you will see that the owners of this machine are very very keen to get feedback from beekeepers starting to use the frames.
They crowd funded 70K was it? to develop their invention and if they had got that there would have been a timely launch of a tested and regionally reviewed product. Instead they got zillions and had to suddenly churn out their frames to everybody whose imagination had been fired by "honey on tap".
It's odd to see some "heavy hitters", can you call Michael Bush one? give out advice for the newer gung-ho novices to take that advice to their Facebook forum and laugh at it.
Some of these will fall at the first hurdle and those who can make the gizmo work will snap up a bargain.

And.......I agree, about the Beehaus. I wonder how many Omlet have sold? They do need much modification to make them work, unlike a square or rectangular box which while they might be customised with floors and roofs still remain a box.

Stop knocking the Beehaus....it's a good long hive! If you like long hives. The only modifications I felt were needed ...to increase the insulation and use an under OMF board...to reduce the draughts. In all honesty....even that might not be needed...except that I live in a very windy place! Everything fits well...it's easy to use. Also, it is just a double box and can be used like that unless you want to expand the colony or do an increase...like an A/S. So no lifting boxes...can only be a good thing.
The main thing wrong was the introduction of the Beehaus......there were a number of ways that it could have been improved....for a better reception.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No Knocking, don't be so touchy! I have no issue with the Beehaus.
It's an expensive box. I wouldn't have one but that's personal opinion

 

[Tremyfro]

No Knocking, don't be so touchy! I have no issue with the Beehaus.
It's an expensive box. I wouldn't have one but that's personal opinion

I chose to get my Beehaus because it is a good hive....I think it is a pity that people always speak of it so negatively. I wanted to keep bees...all the bad press here stopped me from getting a Beehaus initially. I read it all. Even so.....I went down the route of using nationals...choosing polys because they were lighter.
I just couldn't do the lifting and I could foresee an accident. So when I got my first Beehaus....I was really surprised that almost everything I had heard and read was wrong!

 

[Hivemaker.]

I wouldn't have one but that's personal opinion

Omlet gave me a brand new beehaus for free, didn't like it at all, so i sold it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Omlet gave me a brand new beehaus for free, didn't like it at all, so i sold it.

Heavens! How cheap of them; fancy expecting to get all that advertising for the cost of one Beehaus.
They should have given you lots and you could have drip fed them onto ebay

 

[dexter's shed]

.I think it is a pity that people always speak of it so negatively. I wanted to keep bees...all the bad press here stopped me from getting a Beehaus

talk about deja vu, where have I seen that recently on a new product

 

[Tremyfro]

talk about deja vu, where have I seen that recently on a new product[/QUOTE

Ha ha...I wonder!
I like the Beehaus. I was listening , yesterday, to some beekeepers discussing winter preparation. It was about single/double/brood and a half. About how to arrange the frames...whether to use comb/ foundation ...whether they would need insulation blocks etc as they needed to fill the box with frames. Some of them were new beekeepers and didn't have enough comb. I was thinking that in the Beehaus...or indeed in any long hive...it is not an issue. You just use the frames you need regardless as there is room for any size brood nest. Just one of the things that make beekeeping simpler.

 

[stormpsy]

is there no way anyone can make a langstroth long national wide box? I have WBC's so I have 2 issues lol

 

[dexter's shed]

just to add to this post, remember at the start of the campaign when all the doubting thomas said you had only donated money and not paid for an item, and you'd never see your order etc,etc,etc

here's that non existent order that turned up 2 days ago




so made up another two boxes

https://youtu.be/LCMhwxcDWXM

for those that wonder why I'm using a mixture of flow frames and normal frames, it's called, hedging my bets, as we don't know if these things will work or not do we,
this year I've had 2 full supers from my garden bees, plus maybe one full one more if I'm lucky (as per video)
using these boxes as supers, that gives me 16 brood frames which are double the size of a super frame, therefore, worst case scenario that the flow frames do not work, I could still get approx 3 supers worth of honey