WBC/National Hybrid Hives

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Daithebees

New Bee
Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
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Location
West Devon
Hive Type
National
Has anybody tried making a WBC type outer hive that can accommodate a Nation inner hive? It seems to me that apart from the stacking dismantled hives on an upturned roof platform problem, this combination would benefit from the advantages of both types of hive.

Daithebees.
 
I'm sure somebody will have tried this.
Why you would want the hassle of an outer shell I can't imagine?
Cazza
 
It isn't hassle.
Mind you, I only have the one...:rolleyes:
 
Either a National or a Commercial fits inside any WBC lifts I have ever tried. Nothing special required?
 
Either a National or a Commercial fits inside any WBC lifts I have ever tried. Nothing special required?

i have been using national hive boxes inside wbc outers for years, i even use 12 by 14 broods inside them with no problems

Do you use the wbc floor/entrance arrangement?
If so, presumably the national (larger footprint) brood overhangs by less than the wall thickness?


Why? Two reasons for putting up with the extra hassle (and expense) of the cladding lifts -
- aesthetics (especially in a garden)
- weatherproofing (especially in an exposed location!)
 
I have new WBC and second hand (old) ones. Nationals sometimes, but not always fit inside the lifts. Sometimes the WBC inners will fit warm and cold way, sometimes only warm way. Go figure!
 
I have a number of WBCs that take the standard National size boxes
The WBC floors are open mesh and have been designed to accommodate the National Boxes, the sliding blocker system is far better than anything I have yet seen on a standard National floor set up, however if you want to move any WBC they are a pain!!!!

I also have some older WBC hives manufactured by Robert Lee and in these the boxes are much smaller with thin walls, the Brood Boxes will take 11 DN4 frames, but will only fit the outer covers the cold way, the supers take 10 (or 8) frames on castellated runners.

I have seen.... some time ago a National sized hive that looked like a WBC with sloping covers fixed to the supers, that then overlapped the box below, I seem to recall that these were being made by a beek in Croydon, but were very heavy.
 
I have 2 WBC I built myself. I modified the brood boxes to take 14X12 frames. Last week I aquired a lot of rough sawn timber from some specialised pallets. Cut and put through the planer/thicknesser I have enough timber to build some new ones. I have taken the traditional plans for WBC 10 frame national and increased them by the required width and length to ensure thay will accept 14X12 national 46cm sq. boxes. The floor layout I will modify to accept a standard OMF so all working parts will be interchangeable. Currently I have 40 lift sides stacked in the garage, production line cutting/planing & assembling. I personally like the WBC I have at home but advise anyone who is making them to try and use timber for the lifts as my 18mm ply lifts can be a little on the heavy side.
I will post a photo when i have assembled them. This is my winter(escape from SWMBO) project
 
The Jeffersons do exactly this over near Whitby. WBC style lifts that they use during the winter over their nationals. I think there was a picture of them recently in Beecraft - covered in snow. Their theory is that they need the extra insulation up on the N York Moors.
 

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