View Full Version : Michel Bush....
Beesilly
05-10-2008, 07:59 PM
If you don't mind, could you tell me the demensions of your medium horizontal hives? I want to make one, but I can't seem to figure out how big/small I should make it.
Thank you!
Beesilly
Michael Bush
05-12-2008, 10:18 PM
My long medium is a one by eight (which is 7 1/4") not ripped. It is 48 3/4" long by 19 7/8" wide (outside measurements). The bottom is nailed onto this and there is no bottom board (hence the 7 1/4" instead of 6 5/8"). The frame rest rabbets are 3/4" deep and 3/8" wide.
Michael,
I will have to try one of these soon.
3/4" frame rabbets instead of 5/8"?
Oh, you use migratory covers...this gives a bit more bee space on top...is this your reason?
Roy
My long medium is a one by eight (which is 7 1/4") not ripped. It is 48 3/4" long by 19 7/8" wide (outside measurements). The bottom is nailed onto this and there is no bottom board (hence the 7 1/4" instead of 6 5/8"). The frame rest rabbets are 3/4" deep and 3/8" wide.
Michael,
It occurs to me that this cross between TBH and standard medium frames may be ideal for a friend who is on a budget.
I assume the medium long is intended to be filled with brood with supers above...a TBH/medium frame hybrid...
Could you confirm several questions:
1. "48 3/4" long"- I conclude that you cut a standard 1"(3/4") x8"(7 1/4") x8' (96") in halves, then 3/8" rabbet each end piece...this would equal 48 3/4". Yes?
2. I assume the bottom is merely butted to the bottom edge and nailed or screwed. Any material recommended for the bottom? I think I saw that you sometimes have used plywood...
3. The 3/4" rabbet for the frames gives more bee space with migratory covers?
4. I have no mediums to spare my friend this year, but have a couple of standard deep nucs. Could I simply make an adaptor to allow deeps to fit into the medium long with the added extension above until the bees extend into the medium long? Think it too late in the year to start something like this? I could always use the follower board to stop, and take up where they left off next year...?
5. (Why not put BOTH nucs in with adaptors on opposite ends?!)
6. Avoidance of lifting. The whole purpose of mediums and TBHs to begin with...no heavy supers to lift. Smaller batches, more frequent obesrvations (better excuse to go play with the bees...). BUT, I see yours are almost on the ground, the stooping is harder on my knees than lifting...mounting them at the usual TBH height would be handy, but more likely to blow over if not anchored well, at least until they fill up some.
Am I on track with the idea?
Roy
My long medium is a one by eight (which is 7 1/4") not ripped. It is 48 3/4" long by 19 7/8" wide (outside measurements). The bottom is nailed onto this and there is no bottom board (hence the 7 1/4" instead of 6 5/8"). The frame rest rabbets are 3/4" deep and 3/8" wide.
Michael Bush
06-23-2008, 07:19 AM
>3/4" frame rabbets instead of 5/8"?
Oh, you use migratory covers...this gives a bit more bee space on top...is this your reason?
Yes. I was shooting for a full 3/8" beespace. It works better when I do top bars also, so they can patrol and keep out the ants and it leaves a little air space (with the solid top bars) to keep the heat from affecting the attachment of the comb so much .
>It occurs to me that this cross between TBH and standard medium frames may be ideal for a friend who is on a budget.
I assume the medium long is intended to be filled with brood with supers above...a TBH/medium frame hybrid...
You can run it as just a long hive if you have time to check on it frequently. You can use the supers if you don't want to check on it frequently.
>1. "48 3/4" long"- I conclude that you cut a standard 1"(3/4") x8"(7 1/4") x8' (96") in halves, then 3/8" rabbet each end piece...this would equal 48 3/4". Yes?
Yes. But that wasn't my real reason. It was so that three migratory covers would fit or three boxes on top would fit.
>2. I assume the bottom is merely butted to the bottom edge and nailed or screwed. Any material recommended for the bottom? I think I saw that you sometimes have used plywood...
I have used plywood on one and #8 hardware cloth on the others with a plastic cardboard insert to keep the draft out.
>3. The 3/4" rabbet for the frames gives more bee space with migratory covers?
Yes.
>4. I have no mediums to spare my friend this year, but have a couple of standard deep nucs. Could I simply make an adaptor to allow deeps to fit into the medium long with the added extension above until the bees extend into the medium long?
Of course. 3" will do.
> Think it too late in the year to start something like this?
If you just take frames of bees and put in it, no. If you're doing a split, it might work or might not depending on how quickly they build.
> I could always use the follower board to stop, and take up where they left off next year...?
How cold are your winters?
>5. (Why not put BOTH nucs in with adaptors on opposite ends?!)
I would hope they would build up more than that by winter.
>6. Avoidance of lifting. The whole purpose of mediums and TBHs to begin with...no heavy supers to lift. Smaller batches, more frequent obesrvations (better excuse to go play with the bees...). BUT, I see yours are almost on the ground, the stooping is harder on my knees than lifting...mounting them at the usual TBH height would be handy, but more likely to blow over if not anchored well, at least until they fill up some.
Correct. But make a stool out of a nuc box and you won't have to bend over.
>Am I on track with the idea?
Sure.
Michael,
The extra beespace...great idea.
>You can run it as just a long hive if you have time to check on it frequently. You can use the supers if you don't want to check on it frequently."
Best of both worlds...
>>1. "48 3/4" long"- I conclude that you cut a standard 1"(3/4") x8"(7 1/4") x8' (96") in halves, then 3/8" rabbet each end piece...this would equal 48 3/4". Yes?
>Yes. But that wasn't my real reason. It was so that three migratory covers would fit or three boxes on top would fit.
Duhh...out-smarted myself on THAT one.
>>2. I assume the bottom is merely butted to the bottom edge and nailed or screwed. Any material recommended for the bottom? I think I saw that you sometimes have used plywood...
>I have used plywood on one and #8 hardware cloth on the others with a plastic cardboard insert to keep the draft out.
I LIKE the screen idea. Covers the entire bottom? If stapled on the botton, how does one "insert" the cardboard in the fall? An additional rail system with dado?
>>4. I have no mediums to spare my friend this year, but have a couple of standard deep nucs. Could I simply make an adaptor to allow deeps to fit into the medium long with the added extension above until the bees extend into the medium long?
>Of course. 3" will do.
This is TOO easy...
>> Think it too late in the year to start something like this?
>If you just take frames of bees and put in it, no. If you're doing a split, it might work or might not depending on how quickly they build.
I'm done with the splits for this year...I want some honey too if I can get it.
>> I could always use the follower board to stop, and take up where they left off next year...?
>How cold are your winters?
Tennessee's Walden Ridge...not too cold ever, hardly ever much snow.
>>5. (Why not put BOTH nucs in with adaptors on opposite ends?!)
>I would hope they would build up more than that by winter.
One never knows...until they try.
>>6. Avoidance of lifting. The whole purpose of mediums and TBHs to begin with...no heavy supers to lift. Smaller batches, more frequent obesrvations (better excuse to go play with the bees...). BUT, I see yours are almost on the ground, the stooping is harder on my knees than lifting...mounting them at the usual TBH height would be handy, but more likely to blow over if not anchored well, at least until they fill up some.
>Correct. But make a stool out of a nuc box and you won't have to bend over.
Hmmm....I don't know about THAT one...sitting on a short stool/nuc...
...this would put -what I still consider to be two of my most useful and essential body parts- in close proximity to the open hive...
My knees, I mean...
I few concrete blocks would be a good investment for me here...maybe help with the screen cover too...
Just one more thing: ever have a screenless hive fill up with water? Do you drill and small drain holes since rain could blow in under the cracked migratory cover?
Roy Barger
Dayton, Tennessee