What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[BeeKeyPlayer]

It was a choice between 2 hours of Strictly or playing with some cedar to make my take on a slatted rack. - slatted rack won!

Nice! I presume the slats are c. 20x 20mm?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Nice! I presume the slats are c. 20x 20mm?

They are actually the width of a frame x 30mm. I set them to the correct spacings with castellated spacers.
I didn't put the dado in as I use UFE's which already have that structure.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

They are actually the width of a frame x 30mm. I set them to the correct spacings with castellated spacers.
I didn't put the dado in as I use UFE's which already have that structure.

I didn't make a dado either - my floor design, for ease of construction, and some doubt about the point of it.

Thinking of bees in a natural cavity, I have an idea that there might be space (like an an atrium) near the entrance as well as space below the bottoms of the combs. In a hive, these two areas are usually the same. Perhaps the slats help to define the boundary? C.C.Miller's idea (from observing feral cavities?) was to give the bees space below the combs to fan air and rest. Especially the latter! I love Mark Winston's account (in Bee-Time: Lessons from the hive) of the work-rest life balance of honey bees.

 

[Swarm]

Ten more broods glued and screwed and repaired two floors. Another delivery arrived this morning so that's tomorrow sorted.

 

[E&MBees]

Ten more broods glued and screwed and repaired two floors. Another delivery arrived this morning so that's tomorrow sorted.

That’s a lot of kit to store!!

 

[Newbeeneil]

That’s a lot of kit to store!!

If you look how many hives he has you will know why. I'm sure like most of us Swarm has plenty of places he can secrete extra bits of kit.
I put a 12x12 covered extension on my out apiary shed this year. Was just enough room to store my supers, and several of my winter projects

 

[Antipodes]

Well done
I did have a correspondence with a beekeeper in Tasmania some years ago, he was a solicitor.
Said that the dark Tasmanian bees were originally from Cornish Amm stock, although hearing of their aggressive nature my thoughts were they were more likely to be French Amm.
He was on a campaign to prevent the cutting of Leathewood Forrest as it was destroying the undercanopy.
He said the bees around the sea level areas we mostly Italian in origin.
Were any DNA studies ever carried out?

Sorry if a bit off topic.

Back to building the stairwell lift in the Skibber... which is turning into a major project!
Chons da

That's interesting Apple.
Was it Bob Davey?

 

[Antipodes]

Here he is Apple. Very sadly he died a few weeks ago.

 

[HughMann]

Converted loads of national wooden and polly brood boxes into 12x14 boxes using (mainly) cut down bits of old rotted parts.

 

[Swarm]

Very nice.

 

[Swn58]

I've been making crown boards with bee-escapes for use in my Paradise poly hives. I bought a load of 2mm correx, that I cut and glue together, 'warp & weft.' This strengthens it. I then glue an inner bit, so the board fits more precisely, without having to guess it, when there are thousands of bees charging about! Next I cut the long 'rounded holes' through the first two layers, then trace and cut the square hole through the third layer. A touch of glue on the porter bee escapes and then they are pushed into the hole. I'm hoping these this will be more effective than the wooden ones that were built for ordinary national hives.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Another 5 boxes and 50 frames made.
Only 6 weeks left.

 

[Swn58]

Candle making has been going on. We are wondering how cost effective it actually is though. Without loads of moulds, it takes a long time to produce candles, that won't sell for that much, considering. We are looking at sending them out as Christmas presents instead. Their burn time is very good......better than non beeswax! I think that just selling blocks of wax and furniture polish is a far better route to take in the future.

 

[Hachi]

found more brood boxes stored that I didnt know I had, so they've been added to the list to do. Finished the brood boxes I knew about. In a triumph of hope over reality, made even more demeree boards. repaired the damaged stand from the last storm and another as the legs were rotting. Made a couple of crown boards.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I've been making crown boards with bee-escapes for use in my Paradise poly hives. I bought a load of 2mm correx, that I cut and glue together, 'warp & weft.' This strengthens it. I then glue an inner bit, so the board fits more precisely, without having to guess it, when there are thousands of bees charging about! Next I cut the long 'rounded holes' through the first two layers, then trace and cut the square hole through the third layer. A touch of glue on the porter bee escapes and then they are pushed into the hole. I'm hoping these this will be more effective than the wooden ones that were built for ordinary national hives.View attachment 23000View attachment 23002View attachment 23003View attachment 23004

What glue did you use to stick the correx together with?

 

[Swn58]

It's a standard exterior/interior wood glue. I did see a series of posts about this on here a while back. To be honest, all-weather wood glue has never failed me yet!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've been making crown boards with bee-escapes for use in my Paradise poly hives. I bought a load of 2mm correx, that I cut and glue together, 'warp & weft.' This strengthens it. I then glue an inner bit, so the board fits more precisely, without having to guess it, when there are thousands of bees charging about! Next I cut the long 'rounded holes' through the first two layers, then trace and cut the square hole through the third layer. A touch of glue on the porter bee escapes and then they are pushed into the hole. I'm hoping these this will be more effective than the wooden ones that were built for ordinary national hives.

Even more effective would be to chuck the porter escapes in the bin and make up some modified rhombus clearer boards

 

[Swn58]

Your most likely right, but I have dozens of porter bee escapes. waste not want not!

Even more effective would be to chuck the porter escapes in the bin and make up some modified rhombus clearer boards
View attachment 23012View attachment 23013

Even more effective would be to chuck the porter escapes in the bin and make up some modified rhombus clearer boards
View attachment 23012View attachment 23013

Even more effective would be to chuck the porter escapes in the bin and make up some modified rhombus clearer boards
View attachment 23012View attachment 23013

Maybe you're right, but I have dozens of porter escapes. Waste not want not?

 

[Swn58]

Your most likely right, but I have dozens of porter bee escapes. waste not want not!



Maybe you're right, but I have dozens of porter escapes. Waste not want not?

Ohhh....that was odd....We appear to be on 'repeat!'

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you can say that again!