What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[Wilco]

Started making candles for some stalls... Going to be busy with this all weekend and whilst its quicker to melt wax than in Autumn, it's also much slower to demoulding!

 

[E&MBees]

Started making candles for some stalls... Going to be busy with this all weekend and whilst its quicker to melt wax than in Autumn, it's also much slower to demoulding!

View attachment 40864

I must get started making candles too. Have found a silicone mini cake mould set that might stop tea light cases distorting and the wax from cracking. Will report back as I know others have reported difficulties getting tea lights to work.

 

[JamezF]

Removed a single super of capped honey from the charity apiary earlier this week and extracted it today with a view to having some honey available at the local town show weekend after next. We appear to have more than 30lbs from that one super which is really pleasing. I'm trying to think of how the cappings might best be used to generate more cash for the charity too. Perhaps I can make a single tea light and auction it off

James

 

[Sutty]

Removed a single super of capped honey from the charity apiary earlier this week and extracted it today with a view to having some honey available at the local town show weekend after next. We appear to have more than 30lbs from that one super which is really pleasing. I'm trying to think of how the cappings might best be used to generate more cash for the charity too. Perhaps I can make a single tea light and auction it off

James

Seems an awful lot from 1 super if it's a national shallow!! I usually get 8-10kg (17-22lb).

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Seems an awful lot from 1 super if it's a national shallow!! I usually get 8-10kg (17-22lb).

best I've had from one National shallow was in the region of 31 lb, if thwere is a bonkers flow on, and you are a bir tary in supering they can really pack it in, pushing so much stores in that you are left with half a beespace between frames apart from the last 2 inch ark as they work out of the space.

 

[North End Bees]

Seems an awful lot from 1 super if it's a national shallow!! I usually get 8-10kg (17-22lb).

17-22lb sounds very light. What spacings are you using?
I usually get 30-33lb with 9 frames spacing.

 

[Sutty]

17-22lb sounds very light. What spacings are you using?
I usually get 30-33lb with 9 frames spacing.

My spacing is narrow (sn4 frames), I've been considering widening them.

 

[JamezF]

If it makes a difference, I used pre-drawn Manley frames

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What spacings are you using

spacings has very little effect on yield of honey

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If it makes a difference, I used pre-drawn Manley frames

James

so ten frame spacing, as I said, it makes very little difference, the dabblers just believe it does.

 

[North End Bees]

spacings has very little effect on yield of honey

It does have an effect. On a flow the bees will pack 9 frames to just barely bee space, often 33lb. With a box of new foundation I use 11 frames and there's definitely less honey.

Last year I did experiment with this, after reading that Murray said he now used 11 frames. I wrote the number of frames on the tubs, the 11 frame buckets came out about 10% lighter.

Murray says he hasn't noticed a difference with 11 frames but I think that's just because, being commercial, he's prioritising convenience.

That saying, spacing on its own won't make the difference between getting 20lb and 30lb yields. Maybe the frames aren't being spun out fully?

 

[Garry R]

It does have an effect. On a flow the bees will pack 9 frames to just barely bee space, often 33lb. With a box of new foundation I use 11 frames and there's definitely less honey.

Last year I did experiment with this, after reading that Murray said he now used 11 frames. I wrote the number of frames on the tubs, the 11 frame buckets came out about 10% lighter.

Murray says he hasn't noticed a difference with 11 frames but I think that's just because, being commercial, he's prioritising convenience.

That saying, spacing on its own won't make the difference between getting 20lb and 30lb yields. Maybe the frames aren't being spun out fully?

Bound to be less honey in 11 frames surely as there is more space taken up by their side bars etc. The advantage of 9 frames is that over 5 supers you use a full super of frames less ie 5x11 against 6x9 frames. However you really should start with 11 and the following year move them to the wider spacing. I like Manleys but a number of extractors don't take them without a modification as I found out!!

 

[North End Bees]

However you really should start with 11 and the following year move them to the wider spacing.

Should? Or can if you want?

 

[Garry R]

Should? Or can if you want?

Possibly OK in a heavy flow but in normal conditions I think the 11 frame arrangement would lead to less brace comb and more even comb. Any comment on this?

 

[North End Bees]

Possibly OK in a heavy flow but in normal conditions I think the 11 frame arrangement would lead to less brace comb and more even comb. Any comment on this?

Yes, that's why people often use 11 frames for foundation. But I was just saying that you don't have to space to 11 when drawn. Pros and cons.

 

[JamezF]

Without giving it too much thought I'm not sure the space taken up by the woodwork of the frames is that much of an issue because the bees presumably wouldn't store honey there regardless. What will make a difference is the space between the capped comb as (assuming I'm with it this morning, which is not guaranteed) there will be a couple(?) of bee spaces extra in an 11-frame setup than with ten frames. As a proportion of the overall harvest for the frame I'm not sure how much that is, but I suspect not a huge amount. Wild guess at perhaps 1lb? Unless you're a reasonable size operation the difference is quite possibly insufficient to take priority over working with a setup convenient to the beekeeper.

Manley frames are a bit of a squeeze into my nine-frame extractor. The "basket" is divided into three blocks of three frames and I have to put the outer two frames in before the middle one otherwise there's no room to wiggle the third one in. I have thought about nibbling the lower corners off the sidebars before making up the frames just to give a bit more space.

James

 

[Garry R]

Without giving it too much thought I'm not sure the space taken up by the woodwork of the frames is that much of an issue because the bees presumably wouldn't store honey there regardless. What will make a difference is the space between the capped comb as (assuming I'm with it this morning, which is not guaranteed) there will be a couple(?) of bee spaces extra in an 11-frame setup than with ten frames. As a proportion of the overall harvest for the frame I'm not sure how much that is, but I suspect not a huge amount. Wild guess at perhaps 1lb? Unless you're a reasonable size operation the difference is quite possibly insufficient to take priority over working with a setup convenient to the beekeeper.

Manley frames are a bit of a squeeze into my nine-frame extractor. The "basket" is divided into three blocks of three frames and I have to put the outer two frames in before the middle one otherwise there's no room to wiggle the third one in. I have thought about nibbling the lower corners off the sidebars before making up the frames just to give a bit more space.

James

Nibbling is what I have done to get round the tight fit

 

[Wilco]

Continued candle making. Welcome to Narnia.


SWMBO wants the kitchen back...

 

[The Poot]

Continued candle making. Welcome to Narnia.

View attachment 40897
SWMBO wants the kitchen back...

Brilliant

 

[Erichalfbee]

Continued candle making. Welcome to Narnia.

View attachment 40897
SWMBO wants the kitchen back...

They look really good.