View Full Version : Slatted Board
Steve C
09-30-2006, 07:44 PM
Hello,
I spent the day making a Slatted board with the slatts running front to back vice side to side....
Question...
What is the Pro's and Con's of putting it on the top vice the bottom.....???
I saw where somebody was putting them on the top....between the box and innercover....
What is the theory on doing it top or bottom...???
Thanks....
Michael Bush
10-01-2006, 09:34 AM
The seldom (but still sometimes) fill the extra space under the rack with comb when it's on the bottom. They will be more likely to fill it with comb when it's on the top. A slatted rack violates bees space BIG time. If you were intending to put it on the top I would construct it to have correct beespace (between 1/4" and 3/8") both above and below it.
Steve C
10-01-2006, 02:47 PM
Yes.... I did do that...
Hmmmm...... I thought that is the way thay were all built....??????
Michael Bush
10-01-2006, 03:32 PM
A typical slatted rack has about an inch and a half on the bottom of the rack plus the 3/4" from the bottom board making a space of about 2 1/4" on the bottom total.
Michael Bush
10-01-2006, 03:33 PM
Here's a plan:
http://www.beesource.com/plans/slatrack.pdf
Steve C
10-01-2006, 06:32 PM
Hmmm......
I made mine 1" tall, with 3/8 between slatts, 3/8 on top, Flush on bottom.
so there is a 3/4" space from bottom of slatts to SBB bottom.
You just gave me another idea.... what if I were to put another 3/8 space inside of the slatts....
that way the bee's can have twice the space to hang out on, as in two story slatts....
You could double the area to hold even more bee this way...
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> Top of slatt with 3/8 between frame
--------------------------------------------------
|
------------------------------------------- |---
3/8 Space inside of slatt | |
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|
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Then the normal 3/4 to bottom of SBB, or
whatever bottom you have....</pre>[/QUOTE]
drobbins
10-01-2006, 06:39 PM
here's mine
http://www.drobbins.net/bee's/slats/slats.html
we want pics smile.gif
Dave
sierrabees
10-01-2006, 10:48 PM
Doesn't the slatted rack reduce the effectivness of a SBB?
drobbins
10-02-2006, 05:11 PM
sierrabees
in what respect?
so far as mite natural fall, the idea is to line the slats up directly below the frames
the mites are falling between the frames so they should fall between the slats
I also beveled the tops of the slats to help with this problem
as far a ventilation, the idea is it allows ventilation but reduces "draftyness"
who knows, that's the idea smile.gif
Dave
Ron Young
10-02-2006, 05:22 PM
Has anyone ever compared the same hive with and with-out the slatted rack. This is one item of beekeping that I have not made up my mind on as of yet. I am going to put together two new hives this winter, and I am leaning toward the slatted rack, but would like to know more.
M.B. What is the lkleyhood of the bees building bur comb on the slatted rack? I can imagine that would be a mess, and make finding the queen or queen cells a total nightmare? Is this a tool for the beginner, or do I need some beek experience first?
Michael Bush
10-02-2006, 06:33 PM
>You could double the area to hold even more bee this way...
But a standard rack has even more cluster space by not having that, but just more space on the bottom.
>Doesn't the slatted rack reduce the effectivness of a SBB?
Better bee makes theirs with the slats running the same as the frames and even sells a 9 and 10 frame version to match what you run in your brood chamber. IMO, a SBB doesn't make that much difference on mite fall. It makes some, of course, and it helps with things like powdered sugar or FGMO that cause more grooming, but all in all, I use SBB for the ventilation, which is the same reason I use the slatted racks.
>M.B. What is the lkleyhood of the bees building bur comb on the slatted rack?
I've used a lot of them over a long period and only had it happen a couple of times.
> I can imagine that would be a mess, and make finding the queen or queen cells a total nightmare?
The queen is very unlikely to move into an area that has comb that is only an inch or two deep. I wouldn't worry about that.
> Is this a tool for the beginner, or do I need some beek experience first?
You don't need any experience to use one.
DANIEL QUINCE
10-03-2006, 10:58 AM
What does a slatted rack do? Is it just a ventilation improuvement?
Michael Bush
10-03-2006, 06:14 PM
C.C. Miller came up with them so that when he did a cut down split the bees wouldn't swarm. His was just a rack that slid into a very deep botom board. Later someone came up with the idea to make it set on top of a regular bottom board. The idea was to create a cluster space and to provide some controled ventilation at the bottom of the hive.
I have seen a hive with a huge beard go back in the hive after adding a SBB.
I think most of the usefullness of a slatted rack is covered by a SBB. On the other hand you can leave a SBB open with a slatted rack above it with less drafts.
Nancy Putnam
05-24-2007, 12:15 PM
speaking of slatted racks!!
I am a new beekeeper as of a month ago.(installed April 27th) all is going fine (within reason I think!).
I looked up UNDER the hive last night and saw, through the screened bottom board, a BUNCH of bees gathered underneath the slatted rack nearer to the entrance...........and there was ONE bee on the outside just HANGING on (assuming it really wanted to be inside, not outside).
Am opening hives (i have 2) tomorrow to check on their progress. As of last week, they each had a queen, eggs and brood were present, honey stores were present, pollen etcetcetc. There were approximately 60% of frames filled. One hive (not this one with the interesting bunch o'bees) had about 3 complete or almost complete supercedure cells in the middle of a couple of frames.
I am hopeful that tomorrows check will show more growth and that it's time to add a second deep.
Wanting to know what the reason might be for all the bees on the slatted rack. maybe its a cool area to go? Maybe they are running out of room?
Any ideas?
THANKS in advance.......
Nancy
Aspera
05-24-2007, 01:42 PM
Doesn't the slatted rack reduce the effectivness of a SBB?
I have used the two together, and quite a bit of hive debris that normally falls through the SBB will get stuck on the slatted rack. If you are using SBB, the racks are also less useful for ventilation.
Sherpa1
05-24-2007, 02:03 PM
Last summer I added slatted racks from Betterbee to 2 hives that were bearding. These hives already had SBB's that were open. The bearding stopped immediately. I have not had any problem with the boards collecting debris. I think that the slatted racks are very effective in the south in the summer even if you already have SBB's.