What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[Newbeeneil]

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!

Once I read this I realised I couldn't remember what a standard OMF looked like as I have spent the last 7 years making various designs of UFE's.
If you send me details of your OMF's I'll see if I can redesign it.

 

[Wilco]

Just make a block of wood the size of an entrance reducer but deeper, router in 8mm hole/slot most of the way horizontally then have another meeting it coming down vertically.

 

[E&MBees]

Just make a block of wood the size of an entrance reducer but deeper, router in 8mm hole/slot most of the way horizontally then have another meeting it coming down vertically.

Is there a chance of it getting blocked by dead bees over winter if it’s that small?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is there a chance of it getting blocked by dead bees over winter if it’s that small?

It's always a possibility, but remember the slot is the whole width of the floor. I have a piece of wire coat hanger with a right angle bend in it that I use a couple of times to make sure the slot is clear if I'm not sure after having looked underneath the hive. It's never been a problem though.
@pargyle mentioned turning some wooden handles for them and selling them at one stage

 

[pargyle]

It's always a possibility, but remember the slot is the whole width of the floor. I have a piece of wire coat hanger with a right angle bend in it that I use a couple of times to make sure the slot is clear if I'm not sure after having looked underneath the hive. It's never been a problem though.
@pargyle mentioned turning some wooden handles for them and selling them at one stage

Yes ... I can do that - gizza job !

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is there a chance of it getting blocked by dead bees over winter if it’s that small?

It's always a possibility, but remember the slot is the whole width of the floor. I have a piece of wire coat hanger with a right angle bend in it that I use a couple of times to make sure the slot is clear if I'm not sure after having looked underneath the hive. It's never been a problem though.
@pargyle mentioned turning some wooden handles for them and selling them at one stage

I think Dani in this case though, the concern is that with this particular entrance the worry is down to the fact that both the horizontal and the vertical slots are only 8mm wide - in the UFE I shared it's only the vertical slot that is one beespace which then opens out to the two or three inch high lobby meaning any dead bees falling into the slot immediately falls clear.
I was one reason I steered away from designs based on the Kewl floor where both the vertical and horizontal slots are narrow (making more or less an 'L' shaped tunnel), started making mine with 3" sides and finally ended up with 4" deep 'lobbies'

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think Dani in this case though, the concern is that with this particular entrance the worry is down to the fact that both the horizontal and the vertical slots are only 8mm wide - in the UFE I shared it's only the vertical slot that is one beespace which then opens out to the two or three inch high lobby meaning any dead bees falling into the slot immediately falls clear.
I was one reason I steered away from designs based on the Kewl floor where both the vertical and horizontal slots are narrow (making more or less an 'L' shaped tunnel), started making mine with 3" sides and finally ended up with 4" deep 'lobbies'

Ah yes...sorry misunderstood. Yes the narrowest porch I have is the depth of a standard entrance block. Most of them are higher

 

[E&MBees]

I think Dani in this case though, the concern is that with this particular entrance the worry is down to the fact that both the horizontal and the vertical slots are only 8mm wide - in the UFE I shared it's only the vertical slot that is one beespace which then opens out to the two or three inch high lobby meaning any dead bees falling into the slot immediately falls clear.
I was one reason I steered away from designs based on the Kewl floor where both the vertical and horizontal slots are narrow (making more or less an 'L' shaped tunnel), started making mine with 3" sides and finally ended up with 4" deep 'lobbies'

Yes, that is what I meant.

 

[Kirbygrip]

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!

 

[Erichalfbee]

That’s from scratch though which is not what moobee asked

 

[Buzz Off]

Search Brynmair underfloor entrance or kewl floor by the Apiarist

 

[user 819]

Converting an already made omf is a bit of faff. One has to remove the mesh, add an inset baffle board/ vertical timber. Then remove the existing front rail and replace it with a deeper rail to create the 8 - 9mm entrance and finally cut the mesh to fit.
It is better to start from scratch, buy some 4 x 2 & 3 x 2 and make new sturdier ones, reuse the old mesh.

 

[Swarm]

After a massive clear out, I took note of and stacked wood usable for floors and nucs. I need more roofs so may consider a few of those 500mm plant trays, Abelo poly roofs gone from £25 to £33 so a bit of an extravagance now. Repaired seven sorry old roofs but there's limited life left in them.

 

[Hachi]

I've just made 8 Comrcl 5 frame wooden nucs for £6 each minus the celotex roof insulation. I refuse to pay £55 for poly nucs

 

[Moobee]

Once I read this I realised I couldn't remember what a standard OMF looked like as I have spent the last 7 years making various designs of UFE's.
If you send me details of your OMF's I'll see if I can redesign it.

Cheers, that would be great. They’re all on the hives right now but I bought them from NBS in the sale so will see if I can find some details….

 

[Moobee]

Once I read this I realised I couldn't remember what a standard OMF looked like as I have spent the last 7 years making various designs of UFE's.
If you send me details of your OMF's I'll see if I can redesign it.

So this is the OMF in question. I had thought you could remove the mesh on the bottom, trim it and add to the top and make the front bit into the UFE and keep the varroa floor as is? Probably sounds simpler than it actually would be to do…..

 

[Newbeeneil]

I'm sorry to say that looking at the OMF I think the depth of the sides would not allow enough room for a decent "entrance lobby" without adding extra timber to the sides.
As others have said it would probably be easier and more economic to just build an UFE from scratch and use the mesh if you don't want a solid floor.

 

[Erichalfbee]

So this is the OMF in question. I had thought you could remove the mesh on the bottom, trim it and add to the top and make the front bit into the UFE and keep the varroa floor as is? Probably sounds simpler than it actually would be to do…..
View attachment 29266View attachment 29267

I have done that but you need to deepen the whole floor by a couple of inches at least. It's a fiddle but doable

 

[drex]

I'm sorry to say that looking at the OMF I think the depth of the sides would not allow enough room for a decent "entrance lobby" without adding extra timber to the sides.
As others have said it would probably be easier and more economic to just build an UFE from scratch and use the mesh if you don't want a solid floor.

Kewl floors ( as per the Apiarist), have a shallow lobby. I am about to modify all my standard National Floors. Have thought it through and will be easy, using 1/4 inch ply as the ceiling ( bit with entry slot cut in) and the landing board. The lobby will actually end up deeper than the apriarist's original. The sides and back of the lobby will be 1 inch thick, cut to an appropriate depth and nailed onto the insides of the sides of the original floor. The ply will be nailed onto top and bottom of these.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Kewl floors ( as per the Apiarist), have a shallow lobby. I am about to modify all my standard National Floors. Have thought it through and will be easy, using 1/4 inch ply as the ceiling ( bit with entry slot cut in) and the landing board. The lobby will actually end up deeper than the apriarist's original. The sides and back of the lobby will be 1 inch thick, cut to an appropriate depth and nailed onto the insides of the sides of the original floor. The ply will be nailed onto top and bottom of these.

Yes I did consider that but I would never use thin ply in that situation as it is so difficult to stop it from delaminating. I now only use cedar for my floors after early attempts using pine and ply only lasted a few years even with the use of protective coatings.