DIVIDER QUESTION

[DANIEL QUINCE]

To follow MB recommendations and set my new packages in a 5-frame medium, IÂ’ll need to make a divider. How tight does it need to be to the sides inner cover and bottom? I assume any material will do, like plywood? Any other specifics that I should be aware of? Do I need to fill up the empty space with something and why?
Thank you
Daniel

[Michael Bush]

>How tight does it need to be to the sides inner cover and bottom?

If you want it to work later for dividing into TWO nucs you'll need it within 1/6".

If you just want to limit the space they have to take care of, it can be fairly sloppy. You could just make a follower and leave it 5/16" from all sides and then fill the other side.

> I assume any material will do, like plywood?

1/4" laun is easy to work with. I've made them from 3/4" boards.

>Do I need to fill up the empty space with something and why?

Yes. Because they will leak over to the other side and start drawing combs. You could just have foundation in there, that way they will start drawing those instead of wild comb.

[DANIEL QUINCE]

Thank you. I was planning on making it within 1/16 of the inner cover too (one side of the cover). That way they won't have access at all on the other side.

[wayacoyote]

Daniel,
I'm currently using removable shims on the bottom of my divider so that they can be used in different situations. You could do that with the top. If you made a thin shim to go on when you're under an inner cover, you could take it off when you're using it without an inner cover. (I don't have inner covers for my nucs.) But that's only if you NEED the flexability as I do. And if you dont' want to have to make a bunch for different situations, which I don't.
Good luck
Waya