[Drew Martin]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has ran a Cloake Board setup on double deeps 5 frame nucs? If so i was trying to locate some plans to build one or even buy one. I haven't had much luck, only can find ones that you would put on a 10 frame deep.


Thanks

 

[Yuleluder]

I havent tried the cloake board method on deep nucs, but I have done alot of queenless deep nuc cell builders this year. All you would need to do is cut a queen excluder down to the proper width and mount it onto a frame that could serve as an entrance. Maybe something like 3/8-5/8 width for the frame, that would allow enough space for the bees to get into the hive when you close off the rear entrance.

 

[Drew Martin]

Thanks for the reply Yuleluder. That is what i imagined doing just trying to get a mental picture of what trying to build here! :scratch: I found few pieces of scrap laying around to try and get an idea. Doesn't look to pain full to make, just take some laths and frame in a queen excluder and make some kinda rabits on the side rails so you can slide piece of plywood or sheet metal in.

I'll play with it this coming up weekend. If anyone else has any ideas love to hear.

Thanks again.

Drew

 

[Yuleluder]

Before assembling the frame I would dado the pieces so you could slide a piece of 1/4" wood or something similar between the queen right portion and the excluder. Make the frame a couple of inches longer then a deep so it creates a nice little landing board. A cloake board is a fairly simple device, but as with anything concerning bees remember bee space, 3/8".

 

[denny]

I made a Cloake Board based on a design used by John Kefuss which I saw in an article about him in the ABJ. It looked like he used a 5 frame deep cell builder above 2 deeps, separated by the excluder & Cloake assembly. I assume they were queen right starter/finishers.
I run all mediums, so I made a 5 frame medium cell builder over two 8 frame mediums (queen right starter/finisher). I put an empty 5 frame box above the 5 frame cell builder to house feeder jar and pollen patties.
The slide is made of old heavy guage galvanized metal, and the frame is made of one piece exterior plywood cut into a "U" shape.....the underside of the plywood is relieved around the 3 inner/bottom edges to accept the metal slide. I didn't have an 8 frame excluder, so I just used a 10 frame one, leaving the extra few inches sticking out rather than cutting it down.
Here's some photos showing details .....you can click on the picture to make it even larger

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/foxlbee/KefussCloake1.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/foxlbee/KefussCloake2.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/foxlbee/KefussCloake6.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/foxlbee/KefussCloake4.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/foxlbee/KefussCloake3.jpg

 

[Drew Martin]

Denny Perfect! :applause:

Thanks so much for sharing those pictures of that Cloake Board design. That really helped out a lot. Got me on the right track! Now i can try this with Nucs and on Deeps. I have plenty of scrap to make the frame out of n/p there. Just need to pick up some sheet metal. Rather go with the metal divider than 1/4 plywood.

Appreciate it!

Drew

 

[denny]

Drew....I'm glad to hear that helped. I know for me it sometimes takes some pictures to help figure the details out. That article which inspired me to make this design is in the January, 2010 issue of the American Bee Journal,...by M.E.A. McNeil, titled "John Kefuss: Keeping Bees That Keep Themselves". There are pictures of his Hybrid Cloake Board within that article. I think the metal slide which sticks out like a tray helps the bees coming out the bottom/rear to orient to the top/front when the slide is in.
Anyway,....have fun and good luck with it!
Denny

 

[BerkeyDavid]

Awesome thanks for sharing!