By all means use Cypress if you have access to it. If you have to buy go with Rossman as they have the best price on Cypress hives and related products. I would stick with all wax foundation. All dimensions are available in bee source!!
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By all means use Cypress if you have access to it. If you have to buy go with Rossman as they have the best price on Cypress hives and related products. I would stick with all wax foundation. All dimensions are available in bee source!!
I paint the edges of the boxes as well. They do stick somewhat, but hey, everything out there is sticky. I kind of like that they stick as it gives me a little (probably unnecessary) piece of mind that they are better sealed against wind, rain, critters, etc. It doesn't take but a second with the hive tool to separate them when you're inspecting.
Basically what I'm saying is, I'm not right, nobody else is right, because nobody is wrong. Do it whichever way you want to, and if you don't like it, do it the other way next time. Neither choice is bad.
After painting the edges of my hives and letting the paint dry, I rub some paraffin wax on them and it keeps the boxes from sticking to each other.
Reading this thread I note a concept hinted at but not directly stated: where you are located makes a big difference in terms of whether a slatted rack, screened bottom board or other specialized equipment will have any benefit. The best way to find out what equipment best suits your area is to talk with area beekeepers about what equipment they've used in the past.
It may be that no one in your area has worked with slatted racks (in which case by all means be the grand experimenter) but it may be that they've been widely tried and found not to be much help IN YOUR PARTICULAR AREA.
For me in Downeast Maine (coast) my bees don't have issues drawing and using frames fully so I have not felt a need to experiment with slatted racks, nor have I made a real effort to find out what others experiences with them have been.
AD, I think the OP is going to use screened bottom boards....are you using screened bottom boards, also? From what I've read (yelp, newbee relaying book learning :rolleyes: ) solid bottom boards don't benefit as much from slatted racks as do screened bottom boards in regards to encouraging the queen to lay towards the bottom of the bottom frames.
Ed
I have asked locals and have not found anyone who has used them. I think I will build them and put one give on one and one not . I will have two hives side by side and see if I see a difference. If I do and feel its better I'll ad it two the second. I understand other factors can be at play but with only two hives gives that's the best I could come up with.
http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4f73a9a8.jpg
Still have to do the slatted rack and paint then cover the tops with stainless steel.
>Thanks, MB. Looking foward to seeing you in St. Louis on Saturday.
It was nice to see you again.
>Your link shows a homemade box. What are your dimensions?
I don't have it handy to measure, but it is approximately 20" by 22" and 14" deep.
>Thickness of material?
About 1/8". Not sure what that is in gauge...
> Stainless Steel?
No.
>If I was to have one custom built, you thought yours was too shallow. Different size?
I would make it slightly deeper. I'd like to be able to do three mediums or two deeps and one on end in the middle and cover them all. With a little extra to keep it from running over that's probably at least 24" deep...
>How do you heat yours?
I have a regular gas range that is outside and I have a windbreak made of plywood around it to keep the flame from blowing out and the tank from getting too cold from the wind. Maybe somewhere other than Nebraska the windbreak might not matter so much...