wooden apidea??

[winmag270]

not seen one of these before......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mating-Hi..._Pet_Supplies_Bee_Keeping&hash=item3f11aabb3d

I always thought they only came in poly.....

 

[victor meldrew]

not seen one of these before......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mating-Hi..._Pet_Supplies_Bee_Keeping&hash=item3f11aabb3d

I always thought they only came in poly.....

Looks well constructed and should last for years as can be over wintered in the shed . Brill .
Looks to be aimed at the tbh enthusiast but obviously would suit all
VM

 

[oliver90owner]

For a given (sensible) thickness, poly must be better. Think of the difference, what with the changeable conditions earlier in 2011. I would not want to pay out thirty quid, when a warmer alternative is available for those early queens; and not wish to see melted wax (if left in the bright sunshine in mid-summer). I reckon, IMHO, poly is a better choice for all-round use for tiny colonies like these.

RAB

 

[RoofTops]

A wooden Kieler. What will they think of next?

 

[Hivemaker.]

A wooden Kieler. What will they think of next?

I believe that should be the other way round.


This type of polystyrene hive was originally crafted in wood and has inwardly sloping sides to reduce, or eliminate, the attachment of combs. The angle of the sides is 76°

Various manufacturers, at different times, have made these mating hives in expanded polystyrene foam. as far as I am aware the components are compatible with each other, at least as far as interchangeability of frames is concerned. In addition to the types mentioned in the title there is a type that has the legend "Friedrich Wienold" under the lid... I believe that this was the first polystyrene version of this type of mating hive that was produced.

http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/kirchhain.html

Michael collier of cornbrook be farm in Shropshire runs some 1000 wooden mating nucs,he considers the poly apideas and swi-bines to be rubbish.

 

[Poly Hive]

That was the first one yes, and they are far from rubbish. But lets not worry over a mere prejudice hmm?

PH

 

[susbees]

I have environmental issues with full size poly hives (and will likely be working on possible sustainable alternatives as my long overdue MSc thesis (if I can extend the built environment to include bees....!)), but agree that for mating the polys are great. And will be working for aforementioned bee farmer this season so can get a better feel for Michael's wooden mating nucs then.

 

[Hivemaker.]

And will be working for aforementioned bee farmer this season so can get a better feel for Michael's wooden mating nucs then.

He said to me about three weeks ago that he was just starting to make another 500 wooden mating nucs,so you should be kept busy.
We are currently also making a large number of nucs to the same design,but ours will also have an inner cover,too many bees squished without this in my view.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I fancy running a few of these next year in wood.

 

[beebreeder]

Just a few words, frames complete in wood, Kielers are good if you have the time to cut the attachments away each week, same applies to the Pic at the head of this thread

 

[Poly Hive]

Never had that happen with mine that I can recall. The little combs have a beespace around them. Mind though mine are poly ones and the original design. Over 20 years old now.

PH

 

[susbees]

He said to me about three weeks ago that he was just starting to make another 500 wooden mating nucs,so you should be kept busy.
We are currently also making a large number of nucs to the same design,but ours will also have an inner cover,too many bees squished without this in my view.

Yup. And, well, yup.

 

[Headnavigator]

I have a neat home-made wooden apidea I bought at last year's auction; I intended to make a few copies when the shed gets a bit warmer, but it occurs to me that it's maybe a bit foolish to invest effort in what for me is an untried design.
Can anyone point me in the direction of some plans they've actually used and proved? The links I found on 'search' either don't work or haven't taken me to anything relevant.

 

[RoofTops]

I have a neat home-made wooden apidea I bought at last year's auction; I intended to make a few copies when the shed gets a bit warmer, but it occurs to me that it's maybe a bit foolish to invest effort in what for me is an untried design.
Can anyone point me in the direction of some plans they've actually used and proved? The links I found on 'search' either don't work or haven't taken me to anything relevant.

Not sure what you mean by an untried design? If you have a wooden copy of an Apidea then it should work just as the originals do - although I find them too small as do others.

A wooden Kieler/Warholz or whatever should be easier to make as it only needs top bars, although it does require some angle cuts and bevels.

If you want to make them I suggest you buy one of the ones inthe OP and just copy it. These mini-nucs work well.

Alternatively, you could pay half the price for a poly one. Which was what was behind my initial reaction. This seems like a case of reinventing the wheel but I would accept if someone has a need for several hundred they could possibly make them cheaper out of wood - especially if they don't cost their time. However, if someone wanted 500 poly Kielers they should be able to get them at about 8 Euros each plus VAT.

 

[drstitson]

surely angled cuts not needed? 4 rectangles of ply and 2 side strips for the body.

 

[RoofTops]

I was talking about copying the thing shown in the OP, which has angled ends - and a little more economical in wood as a result I guess. The angled sides also have the ledge for the frame cut in so they are horizontal as far as I can see. This is possibly not essential but does ensure the bars sit in the correct place. Alternatively, you could simply have a square edge and the top bar would sit on the uppermost corner - but would not then be secured against end to end movement unless something was added to provide this or the underside of the top bars notched.

 

[Headnavigator]

Not sure what you mean by an untried design?

Thanks for your replies; only 'untried' inasmuch as this will be my first attempt at queen-rearing. I get your point though, I could spend a small fortune trying to make the perfect item when it might be smarter just to start with a couple of poly ones off the shelf, much as I theoretically prefer wood. I'm only doing it for myself as a learning exercise and to gain experience, not with any commercial intent.
Trying to 'run' with the wooden copy, I guess!

 

[fatshark]

There's a discussion on the Beesource forums about wooden mini nucs, together with a custom made solution with four mini nucs fitting into a super (for drawing the comb). What I can't see in the pictures is any way for the queen to get in and out ...

The boxes are simple cubes, so no angles. It's not discussed on the Beesource forum, but there might be a way to overwinter such mini nucs within a super over a full colony, to benefit from the heat.

I'm sticking with my Kielers ...

 

[region2]

 

[RoofTops]

Looks like a perfect example of a beekeeper thinking too much and ignoring how the bees actually behave.

With straight sides the bees will stick the comb to the sides, as they do in a Warre. If this is the intention then fine but I suspect the combs are meant to be removable.

Not surprising then there does not seem to a picture of the actual thing in use.