How to open OH after propolized:

[Boardrida20]

Hi All,

My OH is packed to the brim. I was going to re home the bees but am having trouble getting the propolized frames free from the glass. The hive has groves the glass slides down in from the top with a cover that does the same. Does heating it help or do i just need to pry the crap out of the glass to try to get it up?

Thanks!

[ruthiesbees]

heating it should help soften the propolis up so you can remove the cover

[brushwoodnursery]

heating it should help soften the propolis up so you can remove the cover

Yes, I've used a hair dryer (carefully, slowly) just enough. I haven't broken glass yet but it's always on my mind.
Board, I hope it went well. Can you post pics of your OH?

[Boardrida20]

Ok so I finaly got the time to open her up. Tried to put a hive tool under the glass and lift but it wasnt budging. Took a heat gun to it just briefly moving over the spots that needed it. Worked like a charm. I have a dent puller suction cup from HF that I use to lift the glass. Aleays hard not to ball them at the top when lifting the glass but i just went really slow. Found the queen and placed her in the new hive then got to shaking bees infront. They were packed in pretty good so i did a artificial swarm and left the almost capped cells in the hive. I almost just let them swarm so we could watch it but figured I'd start a nuc instead. Thanks for the tips

[Michael Bush]

A heat gun? I would never build an OH where the glass is in grooves... I don't see any practical way to remove the glass...

[Boardrida20]

Yea just close enough to get the glass warm and not take all day. I kept putting my hand on the glass to make sure it wasnt to hot.

I agree about the window it was off the plans here for a 2d and 1 m hive. Was my first year beekeping and it took 1 2x4 and 1 2x6 planed and 2 panes of glass. I put a frame with like 10 swarm cells on it. That kept the kids busy for a few days when they all hatched Im going to build a different one this fall most likely but loved having it over the winter to watch them all and scratch that itch.