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After reviewing a bunch of ideas, and pricing materials, I'm thinking that I will at least build a prototype sort of hive wrap like I will describe below. Ideally this could help the hive manage severe weather (here in Michigan we get it seemingly often), be easy to store in the off season, easy to apply, and relatively inexpensive.
First off, the lowest cost, easiest availability insulation for me here is just simple kraft-faced "pink", R11 for inside 2x4 stud walls. Normally sold for 16" on-center stud spacing. XPS for 2" is about $36 for a 4'x8' sheet, so that's a bit pricey, and only about R10 at maximum. If you can install the pink stuff in a way that doesn't crush it flat, they claim R11, it can be rolled down and compressed, and the weight is only a fraction of XPS.
Here is the setup:
- Cut one section and one "strip", for a combined 20" width, about 20" long, and tape them together long-ways with masking. Then cut another identical set (one for the left side and one for the right side)
- Cut 2 more sections in a similar way, this time 16.25 + 3.5 + 3.5 = 24.5" width, one 20" long, and the other only 19" long (shorter one for the front)
- Tape together a wrap sheet from 15# felt paper with sides at 20, 20, 24.5, and 24.5" wide, all 20" long. Tape the inside and outside of each seam with aluminum tape
- Create creases where each corner will be, being sure to account for the overlaps of the fiberglass
- Using tile adhesive, rubber cement, hot melt, or some other adhesive to bond the paper kraft facing of the pink to the inside of the felt wrap
- Fold up the bottom 1" of the front of the felt on the front "short side", to create a bit of an overhang for the lower landing board
- Cut out a space for the upper entrance, and line the "inside walls" of the cutout with another piece of felt paper, to form a bit of a "snorkel"
1. Set up with a standard closed bottom board, and either 2 high deeps or 3 high mediums
2. Add a "sugar shim" for a candy board with included 1/2" screen, and preformed hole in the miiddle, so it can be reused for "mountain camp" feeding later on if necessary
3. Add the inner cover, with entrance on the bottom side above the sugar shim
4. Add a medium super set up as a quilt board, with wood shavings or burlap like normal, 1/8" hardware cloth screened 2" hole in the middle
5. Cover the top overall with a section of 2" XPS, big enough that it covers the whole thing by at least an inch or so overhang all around (maybe flush on the side for pushing hives together)
6. Cover the top of the XPS with another sheet of felt paper a little bigger, and fold the edges down, to help protect against UV breakdown over the winter
7. Top the whole deal with a 12" patio block, then a ratchet strap for good measure
8. New wrap should only go up until just below the vents on the quilt box, and the sides should go down all the way to the hive stand and rest on the sides
9. New wrap is held together with a length of aluminum tape, along a back corner
10, A hole can be drilled through the cover near the lower edge, in line with the dowel plugging the OAV port in the bottom board. To treat the hives, just pull the dowel and treat like normal
Sorry for such a long description, but any comments and questions would be welcome. Hopefully I'll start the first prototype in the next few days
First off, the lowest cost, easiest availability insulation for me here is just simple kraft-faced "pink", R11 for inside 2x4 stud walls. Normally sold for 16" on-center stud spacing. XPS for 2" is about $36 for a 4'x8' sheet, so that's a bit pricey, and only about R10 at maximum. If you can install the pink stuff in a way that doesn't crush it flat, they claim R11, it can be rolled down and compressed, and the weight is only a fraction of XPS.
Here is the setup:
- Cut one section and one "strip", for a combined 20" width, about 20" long, and tape them together long-ways with masking. Then cut another identical set (one for the left side and one for the right side)
- Cut 2 more sections in a similar way, this time 16.25 + 3.5 + 3.5 = 24.5" width, one 20" long, and the other only 19" long (shorter one for the front)
- Tape together a wrap sheet from 15# felt paper with sides at 20, 20, 24.5, and 24.5" wide, all 20" long. Tape the inside and outside of each seam with aluminum tape
- Create creases where each corner will be, being sure to account for the overlaps of the fiberglass
- Using tile adhesive, rubber cement, hot melt, or some other adhesive to bond the paper kraft facing of the pink to the inside of the felt wrap
- Fold up the bottom 1" of the front of the felt on the front "short side", to create a bit of an overhang for the lower landing board
- Cut out a space for the upper entrance, and line the "inside walls" of the cutout with another piece of felt paper, to form a bit of a "snorkel"
1. Set up with a standard closed bottom board, and either 2 high deeps or 3 high mediums
2. Add a "sugar shim" for a candy board with included 1/2" screen, and preformed hole in the miiddle, so it can be reused for "mountain camp" feeding later on if necessary
3. Add the inner cover, with entrance on the bottom side above the sugar shim
4. Add a medium super set up as a quilt board, with wood shavings or burlap like normal, 1/8" hardware cloth screened 2" hole in the middle
5. Cover the top overall with a section of 2" XPS, big enough that it covers the whole thing by at least an inch or so overhang all around (maybe flush on the side for pushing hives together)
6. Cover the top of the XPS with another sheet of felt paper a little bigger, and fold the edges down, to help protect against UV breakdown over the winter
7. Top the whole deal with a 12" patio block, then a ratchet strap for good measure
8. New wrap should only go up until just below the vents on the quilt box, and the sides should go down all the way to the hive stand and rest on the sides
9. New wrap is held together with a length of aluminum tape, along a back corner
10, A hole can be drilled through the cover near the lower edge, in line with the dowel plugging the OAV port in the bottom board. To treat the hives, just pull the dowel and treat like normal
Sorry for such a long description, but any comments and questions would be welcome. Hopefully I'll start the first prototype in the next few days