I just saw the thread on Ross Rounds and it reminded me of something I need to do. I have a bunch of equipment for Basswood sections and was wondering if anyone still uses these and could give me some advice? I remember these being sold when I was a kid working in a grocery store. I always liked the presentation they made, wood with wax and honey. I don't currently make any comb honey but I get requests for it. I have some kind of section press. cases of sections and foundations, and plenty of supers. It's all Kelley and I know they still supply this equipment. I would appreciate any instruction someone could give me.
Basswood Sections
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The best instruction I can give you is go with what your customers want.
I've done the basswood boxes, the ross rounds and plain old chunks of comb in a wide-mouth pint jar with extracted honey poured around it.
Easily, 90% of my sales go for the pint jar, 9% will take a ross round and then there's that 1% that go for the basswood box.
All the best,
Grant
Jackson, MO
I've done the basswood boxes, the ross rounds and plain old chunks of comb in a wide-mouth pint jar with extracted honey poured around it.
Easily, 90% of my sales go for the pint jar, 9% will take a ross round and then there's that 1% that go for the basswood box.
All the best,
Grant
Jackson, MO
Last time I looked Walter T. Kelley still sold the equipment for baswood sections.
check out this shows putting sections together
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YujIjFKMu2s&feature=PlayList&p=72D38C98F5E36B4B&index=21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YujIjFKMu2s&feature=PlayList&p=72D38C98F5E36B4B&index=21
I have seen this equipment in the Kelley catalog but I am unsure of assembly and management. As I said, I have a bunch of this that I acquired from the buy out of a local beekeeper after his death. According to his son and the amount of equipment, a large portion of his harvest was basswood sections. I've seen excerpts from the Killlion's book that talks about 1/4"x1/4" sticks placed crossways and resetting these after you mount the springs? And painting the exposed wood of the sections with paraffin???? And does the foundation slide in after the sections are assembled and placed in the holders? Do you let the bees get started on this before you put on a queen excluder? I appreciate any help. Thanks!
HEY FRIEND! DID YOU GO TO THE LINK? 1930 beekeeping? shows putting them together
Ihave same delema.Ordered whole setup from Groeb Farm.They don't have son of bee instructions!Iassembled 3/8 thick bottoms as a frame,and added ears to rest in super.Had 1/2 space under excluder which they filled nicely(big mess) let us know if you figure it out.
I have just placed the Basswood section box directions on our website. You will find it under the education tab. www.kelleybees.com
Thank You
Thank You
It's not hard to put them together, just make sure you wet the joints first. The foundation you use is a think unwired type, I know you can put one sheet of foundation into 4 sections with a special tool (Kelley sells them) but I just cut the foundation into the correct size and install them one by one.
Then it's just putting it all into the super (one that has the tin strips on the bottom). There's holders for the boxes, separators to go between the rows and springs to hold everything tight.
That's the easy part. The hard part is getting the bees to use the blasted things. I haven't mastered that part yet, I'm going to try to crowd them this year (single deep) to force them up.
I really want to make this work. The State Beekeeper up here called it a lost art, I kind of like that sort of challenge!
K
Then it's just putting it all into the super (one that has the tin strips on the bottom). There's holders for the boxes, separators to go between the rows and springs to hold everything tight.
That's the easy part. The hard part is getting the bees to use the blasted things. I haven't mastered that part yet, I'm going to try to crowd them this year (single deep) to force them up.
I really want to make this work. The State Beekeeper up here called it a lost art, I kind of like that sort of challenge!
K
The hives in the video are called WBC the initals of the man who designed them, they were at one time the most popular hive in UK, but there are still seen occasionaly.
As to fitting foundation, the foundation used here in UK is super thin and are made ready to fit the section,the sections are made up all except the last flap on the top then the foundation is slid in and the rest of the top is then closed jamming the foundation between the 2 halves. This is important as if it is not held it will buckle as the bees begin to work it, and must always be at the top when fitted in the crate.
I has already been said that getting the bees to fill them without swarming is the biggest problem.
Good Luck
As to fitting foundation, the foundation used here in UK is super thin and are made ready to fit the section,the sections are made up all except the last flap on the top then the foundation is slid in and the rest of the top is then closed jamming the foundation between the 2 halves. This is important as if it is not held it will buckle as the bees begin to work it, and must always be at the top when fitted in the crate.
I has already been said that getting the bees to fill them without swarming is the biggest problem.
Good Luck
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