What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Of course there is another benefit, but not with Nationals due to the ridiculous roof design, there is no real need for a crownboard with TBS, you just slap the roof straight on - seen that with poly Langs in this country and with wooden ones in Africa (some suppliers in SA do sell them but as an added extra)

 

[Erichalfbee]

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

People often say this but when I check the bottom of the boxes when they come off there aren’t any squashed bees

 

[victor meldrew]

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

It’s also asymmetrical. I suppose that settles the argument ref cold or warm way .
as previously stated . As long as you don’t mix boxes it’s fine either way .

 

[victor meldrew]

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 .

A bee space is a bee space . Bees get squished on the box edges , not between frame bottoms and tops .
my crown boards have a bee space shim .
if you look at the drawings for an under floor entrance floor , you’ll find it is flush.
the base of a top bee space box is flush .
Flush to flush = squished bees .

 

[Murox]

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

They're always on the bottom!

 

[Swarm]

A bee space is a bee space . Bees get squished on the box edges , not between frame bottoms and tops .
my crown boards have a bee space shim .
if you look at the drawings for an under floor entrance floor , you’ll find it is flush.
the base of a top bee space box is flush .
Flush to flush = squished bees .

Which is why you wouldn't make them that way.

 

[madasafish]

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

That assumes you lift a brood box - presumably because you need double brood as Nationals are not big enough.

Those of us with appropriately sized brood boxes lift them twice a year for cleaning etc. The rest of the world uses Langstroth - a more logically sized and top spaced hive.

I crush very very few bees with top beespace.
The UK is unique in using Nationals - no-one else is stupid enough to adopt them

(And no-one has flush fitting floors with Langs)

 

[pargyle]

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!!

Very nice ... I like that idea ... lot lighter than my LDH as well I suspect ....

 

[victor meldrew]

Which is why you wouldn't make them that way.

I made all mine with a shim added . Making them interchangeable .
the way drawn is flush but would work with a bottom bee space . However the floor to base of frames needs to be at least two bee spaces .

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I find that single beespace is sufficient, that's all I have on all my hives, I would only fit a bead onto my UFE's if I had top beespace

 

[Swarm]

I made all mine with a shim added . Making them interchangeable .
the way drawn is flush but would work with a bottom bee space . However the floor to base of frames needs to be at least two bee spaces .

Extra space helps prevent situations where burr comb could cause problems, mine have 9mm rims but I'm running top space anyway.

 

[Garry R]

Very nice ... I like that idea ... lot lighter than my LDH as well I suspect ....

It is light but a little awkward due to the size but once in place just fine. The roof is 2mm b;ack Corrux held in place with the push fit holders for plastic car panel. Drill a 6ml hole through the corrux onto the sides and bearers and push in the rivet and tap down. It makes a good seal. I was told that a pond liner was tougher from someone who uses it on Nationals. Easily cut and very light. I also have polystyrene cut for the tops using a cloth over the frames in sections so I can inspect one setion of the hive at a time

 

[Erichalfbee]

if you look at the drawings for an under floor entrance floor , you’ll find it is flush.
the base of a top bee space box is flush .
Flush to flush = squished bees .

It’s also asymmetrical. I suppose that settles the argument ref cold or warm way .

Except Stan makes our UFE and we can orientate those any way.

 

[victor meldrew]

Extra space helps prevent situations where burr comb could cause problems, mine have 9mm rims but I'm running top space anyway.

even for Langstroths ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

and why not? I doubt bees aren't that particular where the entrance is oriented although personally I do not like 'warm' way and with a nuc or a Lang a whole frame wasted is IMHO unacceptable although I doubt with an UFE you'd get the same wastage as with a conventional floor

 

[Paddyg]

Can anyone point me to woodworking plans for Nationals pls. Thanks

 

[Apiarisnt]

Can anyone point me to woodworking plans for Nationals pls. Thanks

 

[rampino]

More plans on the website www.dave-cushman.net. Mesh for the floor can be bought on EBay btw.

 

[Apiarisnt]

.....Mesh for the floor can be bought on EBay btw.

I used to buy mine from STB at Beetradex, but he has jacked up his prices: B.S National Varroa Mesh

unless you buy five of them at a time from him via Amazon: simonthebeekeeper 5 x Beekeepers varroa mesh sheets for National Bee hives 46cm x 46cm : Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science

 

[Moobee]

Except Stan makes our UFE and we can orientate those any way.

I’ve been searching the forum for plans and found JBMs but would like if possible to convert my existing OMFs to UFEs to save on cost. Can’t find a post that mentions plans for this though, unless I’ve missed one!