What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[Wilco]

Tools. Just the usual I guess but his latest toy is a thickness planer

Thought he must have one based on the finish! Very nice.

 

[frankenstine]

pretended to be a chippy today, made about 40 18mm thick dummy boards no idea why i made so Meany but had a lot of offcuts of ply on the van.

next on the list is a a batch of underfloor entrances and inulate a bunch of roofs

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

made about 40 18mm thick dummy boards no idea why

I found that 18mm was a bit too thick, unless you are going to operate with only ten frames

 

[frankenstine]

I found that 18mm was a bit too thick, unless you are going to operate with only ten frames

guess I'll find out or find a use for them maybe use a few for closing down boxes a bit when moving them up from nuc or something. they were mostly long and narrow strips so couldn't think of much else to do with them but seemed to good for the skip or fire. got a load of 12mm ply offcuts about the same size as well so thinking id rip them down the same as well then ive got options in stock, and its something productive to do inside.

the original plan was to do a bit more apiary groundworks but that would have just got messy today, next lot of suitable offcuts of stuff will hopefully do for makeing insulated roofs and some better hive stands

 

[gmonag]

Sorted through all my boxes, removed any bad frames, treated the good combs with B401 (I still had some left) and put them into winter storage.
Then I rendered the bad comb down with my steam wax-melter.

A satisfying day's work.

 

[Garry R]

In the workshop today I finished off another long hive based on two polystyrene hives dowel jointed and glued making a 31 National brood frame hive, including the two spare hive ends into the length. Looking forward to the spring and moving bees in!! My wife took one look and thought I was opening a funeral parlour!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

What an interesting conversion. I'm phasing out my Swienty hives ......hmmmmm

 

[Murox]

I like the notion GaryR - be intrigued to hear how it works through the year.

What an interesting conversion. I'm phasing out my Swienty hives ......hmmmmm

What are you moving onto?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I like the notion GaryR - be intrigued to hear how it works through the year.


What are you moving onto?

I’m gradually replacing the broods with old Abelo. All eked to make them top space

 

[Garry R]

I like the notion GaryR - be intrigued to hear how it works through the year.
The idea is that the brood area is central with either a dummy board on each side which can be moved if the queen needs more brood space as the colony expands or a queen excluder each side. Underneath the brood area is a small section of open mesh floor the front of which is level with the entrance so that the bees can chuck the rubbish out as well as letting varroa fall out. On either side is a floor panel which can be dropped out from underneath for cleaning. I can never quite get my head round the entrances on many long hives being at the ends leaving the bees a long walk to store honey hence the central brood and turn left (business class) or right (economy) at the entrance. Wonder if there is a difference in honey quality??!!

What are you moving onto?

 

[Murox]

I’m gradually replacing the broods with old Abelo. All eked to make them top space

Ah I see. I prefer top spacing as well. I do like the swienty floor concept - 9mm entrance - no need to mess about with mouse guards and so on, of course an underfloor entrance also solves a lot. Do you create top space with your swienty ?

 

[victor meldrew]

I’m gradually replacing the broods with old Abelo. All eked to make them top space

I have always used bottom bee space boxes .
generations of bees have used them . None have complained
as long as as you don’t mix top and bottom bee spaced boxes all is fine .
fads come and go .
I can’t help but thinking this fiddling about with hive types is manufacturing companies trying to get a foot in the expanding beekeeping market?
Little old cynic me !

 

[Murox]

Gary R wrote: The idea is that the brood area is central with either a dummy board on each side which can be moved if the queen needs more brood space as the colony expands or a queen excluder each side. Underneath the brood area is a small section of open mesh floor the front of which is level with the entrance so that the bees can chuck the rubbish out as well as letting varroa fall out. On either side is a floor panel which can be dropped out from underneath for cleaning. I can never quite get my head round the entrances on many long hives being at the ends leaving the bees a long walk to store honey hence the central brood and turn left (business class) or right (economy) at the entrance. Wonder if there is a difference in honey quality??!!
I also use long hives and in the summer/flow time I just open up another entrance. You can slide them up to one end. Some long hives have a "long" slot which gets partly blocked off until there is a good flow. You will generally get less honey from a long hive, but tastes as good. Last season I bodged a super on top as I had a particularly heavy flow in July, they drew out the starter strips and filled the super within a two week period - which is good for where I have the bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ah I see. I prefer top spacing as well. I do like the swienty floor concept - 9mm entrance - no need to mess about with mouse guards and so on, of course an underfloor entrance also solves a lot. Do you create top space with your swienty ?

Yes. All of the broods have had a plastic eke glued on top. I did try running them without the plastic runners for a couple of seasons but gave that up.
The broods are now on home made wooden UFE, one with a solid floor.
Wooden supers have all been made top space and the Swienty supers have the plastic runner converted to castellations level with the rebate so they are top space too

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have always used bottom bee space boxes .
generations of bees have used them . None have complained
as long as as you don’t mix top and bottom bee spaced boxes all is fine .
fads come and go .
I can’t help but thinking this fiddling about with hive types is manufacturing companies trying to get a foot in the expanding beekeeping market?
Little old cynic me !

Langstroth is top space and that’s used all over the world.

 

[Murox]

I have always used bottom bee space boxes .
generations of bees have used them . None have complained
as long as as you don’t mix top and bottom bee spaced boxes all is fine .
fads come and go .
I can’t help but thinking this fiddling about with hive types is manufacturing companies trying to get a foot in the expanding beekeeping market?
Little old cynic me !

thats cos you've squished them all !! - just personal preference really. Companies have to fiddle to grow i think, you know, a new model of car every year, a new smart phone, an improved gadget etc etc etc .

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Langstroth is top space and that’s used all over the world.

Which is fine if you are on Langs, but for those on Nats, why change? it really makes no difference apart from a fe minor things like not needing rims on crown boards

 

[Erichalfbee]

Which is fine if you are on Langs, but for those on Nats, why change? it really makes no difference apart from a fe minor things like not needing rims on crown boards

For clumsy oafs like me I squash fewer bees

 

[North End Bees]

thats cos you've squished them all !!

Surely equal numbers theoretically get squished, top or bottom??
Just that on the bottom you can't see them!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

For clumsy oafs like me I squash fewer bees

as LB says, you don't squish fewer bees - you just don't see them perish
Out of sight, out of mind