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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #5441  by NigelP
 11 Jan 2020, 17:19
You are not wrong Patrick...if in doubt bonfire.
In fact second frames being cheap as chips why prat around sterilising a load of wood work, probably cheaper, time and effort wise to make afresh.
My comment was a bit tongue in cheek, as this seems to be a stock reply to any second hand kit. Whilst not bad advice, what it doesn't do is allow anyone to think....well hang on...not all second hand frames need to be binned. Of course being able to make that decision only comes with experience and there is only one way you can get that experience by buying stuff and seeing what the seller has to say.
AFB is a pretty rare beast.
 #5447  by Neilkristopher
 12 Jan 2020, 10:00
Thanks again for the advice. Some different opinions here but for an absolute beginner like me I will definitely be buying new frames and foundation. As you’ve said Patrick, part of the excitement for me as a novice is to see the comb and population of the bees grow.

Andrew, with regards to your post about treating British cedar in Cornwall, is that because of the rain we get down here and would you therefore recommend Canadian cedar instead?
 #5454  by AndrewLD
 12 Jan 2020, 14:43
Neilkristopher wrote:
12 Jan 2020, 10:00
Andrew, with regards to your post about treating British cedar in Cornwall, is that because of the rain we get down here and would you therefore recommend Canadian cedar instead?
I think we may forget sometimes that someone new to beekeeping doesn't yet have the knowledge to understand the full implications of their decisions and so I tend to go black and white on things like second-hand stuff. I would always err on the side of safety in that situation..............

The reason Canadian Western Red Cedar is a popular but expensive choice for beekeepers is that it is a less dense wood (good for insulation) and the natural oils in it are not only good for weather proofing but are also anti-bacterial. So there shouldn't be any need to treat it. Make up a WRC hive and apart from the glorious smell it sooon strip all the oils from your hands. English Cedar is not the same, doesn't have the same smell or oils. In my garden nothing that is wood escapes a light veneer of green "mould?" over winter and so untreated wood is out of the question except that my Canadian WRC escapes the mould and still looks good. My untreated English cedar, whilst not green is not doing as well....
As Cornwall is so exposed to the Atlantic on both sides I am thinking it's a bit damp down there in winter (certainly was every time I have visited in winter) so I would treat because you are only starting and what happens if after the first winter you need to treat - you cannot do it with bees in the hive!
 #5455  by NigelP
 12 Jan 2020, 14:51
Buy some poly hives, saves all this faffign around and treating.... :D
 #5456  by AndrewLD
 12 Jan 2020, 15:16
Cripes :o Forgot my own advice - perhaps I should have said that of course you don't treat the inside of the hive just the outside :oops:
 #5459  by Patrick
 12 Jan 2020, 16:23
Ha Nigel, I thought your tongue permanently resided in your cheek!

Getting on for half my boxes are from departed or retired beekeepers and I am quietly pleased they are. Hopefully when I hang up my smoker another beekeeper will be keeping bees in them too. I know some of my kit is at least 60 yrs old and probably a bit more. No reason to think with care it will not be good for another 40. 👍
 #5492  by Alfred
 15 Jan 2020, 18:58
The OP should look at maismorees "Rock Bottom " hives real good value to get going.

Ive got some post-war Steele and Brodie hives ,one currently in use and one awaiting repair.
Labour of love for me but perhaps not for a absolute beginner-youve got enough on your plate.
Also got some 6 month old maismore poly and two of their cedars
Add that to the stuff Ive made myself,its a good mix.
 #5647  by Spike
 01 Feb 2020, 16:11
Clear crownboard is OK. Plastic will scratch, glass can be scraped without damage.
 #5653  by Alfred
 02 Feb 2020, 09:46
Spike wrote:Clear crownboard is OK. Plastic will scratch, glass can be scraped without damage.
Glass?without damage?me?
:lol: :lol: :lol:
I'm on first name terms down at A+E -walking scar tissue.