What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[Swarm]

 

[REDWOOD]

Just wait until shes gone to BINGO

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bottled my demijohn of elderflower melomel.
A bit sweet for my taste but that's my fault as thinking the fermentation had run out of fuel I added some honey.
Crystal clear
Quite strong...hic.......I drained the filtered lees.....oh dear, and before lunchtime.
The elderflower is a little overpowering but I think in a year's time when it's aged a little this may go really well with a soft ripe goats cheese.

My husband doesn't like mead or goats cheese....oh well

 

[Swarm]

Made a floor with under floor entrance as per JBM but adapted to match the PPPPP poly. Looks good, first coat applied.

 

[REDWOOD]

Made a floor with under floor entrance as per JBM but adapted to match the PPPPP poly. Looks good, first coat applied.

There could be a cult starting here, I made one last year but yet to try it

 

[Itchy]

painted a WBC in forget-me-not

 

[Swarm]

The new floor for the PPPP poly ...

 

[VEG]

did you paint it white lol

 

[Swarm]

oops ...

 

[Cul a cnoic]

oops ...

That looks very good swarm. Question, what is the height of the timber above the mesh? I made a few during the summer and had about 20mm above the mesh and about 12 over the solid.

And to keep on topic, treated two swarm boxes and made a national brood which will be painted tomorrow.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The new floor for the PPPP poly ...

That's a really good idea.
I have two of these floors spare....unpainted though.....yet.
I have ordered a poly super in the sale to play around with top bee space.

 

[Swarm]

That's a really good idea.
I have two of these floors spare....unpainted though.....yet.
I have ordered a poly super in the sale to play around with top bee space.

Be aware mind, the PPPPP poly is near enough 500mm as opposed to 460mm usual National dimensions. I used 3"x2" as the main frame to match the poly thickness. It's quite chunky but I think it's a neater job than the poly floor and it does away with any mouse guard problems. Also it means a super will fit under the brood chamber, no locating lugs and sealing it up is a doddle.

Does the MB hive have frame rails? Removing the rails in a PPPPP will give you top space. I think Swienty's set up is no rails and it's supposed to be no problem but I find it hard to remove frames from PPPPP poly nuc. I suppose it's just a fat finger issue.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks for the tip re floor.
MB has plastic rails.
I have two P poly nucs and don't have a problem removing frames.
Will have a look see when it arrives

 

[BeeJayBee]

I think Swienty's set up is no rails ....

I don't know about Swienty Nationals, but their Langstroths do have frame rails.

 

[Swarm]

I don't know about Swienty Nationals, but their Langstroths do have frame rails.

Hello BeeJoyful,
I'm recalling some question about applying something (a varnish?) to the shelf in the National version. I think I can remember ITLD saying he doesn't do this and has no problems. But regardless, I'd be interested how Erichalfbee gets on using the P type with top space.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'll let you know.
By the way....just had a look at Swienty's site and the pic of their Langstroth shows no rails, just a poly ledge

 

[Hombre]

Merry Christmas Erica,

I can't see clearly from the picture, but if that is a slot below the ledge, the rails on a Swienty Langstroth box are L shaped plastic sections that rub-into the slot to produce the rail vertical surface extending above the ledge.

Hopefully a useful comment that might forward the discussion.
The idea and simplicity of the Swienty rails is rather neat I think.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Merry Christmas, Hombre
Yes you are right

Now...if they sold the rails separately you might be able to mount them on a paynes box with just the tip showing which might give top space.
I shall email them to see if they do and meanwhile look around the shops for similar l shaped plastic

 

[ugcheleuce]

Today I made my first brood box from insulation-grade styrofoam sheets.

Tomorrow I'll put it outside, put a plank on it, and load about 50 kg of bricks on top of it to see if it would have carried the weight of a full hive. I'll also leave it out all winter to see how the duct tape fares against the weather. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

I learnt today that styrofoam is very, very sticky. I also learnt that the best way to cut it is by using a handsaw. I suppose a hot wire would have worked too, but I don't have one. A hot knife is no more effective than a cold one. I also learnt that you can't be very accurate with dimensions. The hardest part of the entire build process was wrapping the inner parts with plastic film.

The hive is 530 mm square, and I used 40 mm thick styrofoam. You'll notice that there is no beespace above the frame ears -- that is deliberate, so that the frame rests also carry weight. Cost per brood box: EUR 3.00.

The polystyreen sheets weigh 11 kg per m3. The polystyreen hives bought at bee stores weigh 90-120 kg per m3.

 

[BeeJayBee]

... the rails on a Swienty Langstroth box are L shaped plastic sections that rub-into the slot to produce the rail vertical surface extending above the ledge. .

Yes you are right

Now...if they sold the rails separately you might be able to mount them on a paynes box with just the tip showing which might give top space.
I shall email them to see if they do and meanwhile look around the shops for similar l shaped plastic

I'm fairly sure Paynes sell the frame rests/rails separately, but if you're really stuck you can buy some L-shaped plastic (sold as corner protection or plastic beading) and cut it to the right length. If you can't find any you can get some 3-sided plastic, cut it along the middle side with a hacksaw, then to the right length. This sort of stuff >> http://www.tubeway.co.uk/easyfix-diy/plastic-extrusions.html