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  • Bee Hive building & a place to share howto's on equipment
Bee Hive building & a place to share howto's on equipment
 #6294  by rottijim
 09 Apr 2020, 11:16
So, what I've done is to chisel out the lip of the side wall to somethinng closer to the correct measurement. It's a bit uneven but has been well sandpapered and at least the frames now sit roughly where they should. The cedar is quite workable and didn't split.

I couldn't face unnailing the box and besides I don't have new nails to replace them.

The moral of the story is to honour thy father, thy mother and thy chisels. This one had been much abused opening paint tins etc but it forgave me and did what I asked of it. I'm sure that bees are used to uneven surfaces in the wild and they'll get used to it, once I get them. Maisemore say mid May - can't wait now.

Thanks for the help on here - gave me the confidence to have a go.
 #6295  by Patrick
 09 Apr 2020, 11:38
Nice one.

Assume you have also been able to refit the frame "runners" - those are the thin edge strips that provide a thin contact point for the frame lugs to sit on? Lugs sitting directly on the hive recess are fine until you add bees - then they become concreted in with propolis! Not a space saving to make...
 #6296  by rottijim
 09 Apr 2020, 11:58
There are no runners with this package, Patrick. The lugs just sit on the recess.

https://www.bees-online.co.uk/detail.asp?ID=306&name=Rock-Bottom-National-Hive-14x12

I take your point about propolis. Should I get some runners and if so what would you recommend?
 #6297  by Chrisbarlow
 09 Apr 2020, 12:18
Maisemores boxes from memory have a lip on the wood that replaces the need for runners. You don't need runners
 #6298  by Patrick
 09 Apr 2020, 12:46
Aha. Ok, i am not familiar with that package - I am assuming since it comes with Hoffman 14x12 Deeps, that the castellated spacers supplied are for the 2 supers. Until you maybe chiselled them down (flat) to buy space, did the rebates have a backward slope to them, so the frame lugs would have sat on their apex?

If so, either replicate the back slope with your trusty chisel, or take it down a bit more and tack / staple a thin strip of plastic onto the inside face of the box, so it protrudes over the rebate edge and the frame lug is suspended slightly. If it lies flat on the rebate and the bees propolise it,it will be a pickle to lift when the weather is warm and a bleedin' lug breaker when its cold! Bees are variable as to their tendency to propolise, some love making everything a gluey mess.

Proper frame runners are great but may not be economic to send for on their own. Personally I prefer the metal to the plastic but having said that, most of my boxes came with plastic ones and they are fine

https://www.thorne.co.uk/index.php?route=product%2Fsearch&filter_name=frame+runners

Sorry if I am over complicating it, but its a lot easier to sort now before you have bees installed!