I'm just starting out and I'm looking at getting a Smith Hive, obviously you can get them from Thornes but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Caddon Hives? Or are there any other manufacturers/suppliers that people would recommend?
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I'm just starting out and I'm looking at getting a Smith Hive, obviously you can get them from Thornes but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Caddon Hives? Or are there any other manufacturers/suppliers that people would recommend?
A friend bought WBCs from Caddon and was delighted with the quality.
Seriously wouldn't waste my money on full priced Thorne's hives. I've only got experience of Caddon Nationals and they are perfectly fine. Decent quality timber and the parts fitted together well. I might avoid Mann Lake for Nationals. I bought a few of their brood boxes last year and over winter one of them has split along the grain and it's not even outside in use yet!
Hi aramoro
I use Smith hives
Most are from Thornes
Quite a few from the sale which goes on at the end of the season
I did buy some Baltic pine ones but that wasn't a good idea they warped a lot
There are lots of good things about cedar hives and Smiths in particular but there's no getting away from the cost implications
That's one reason why people are moving away from wood
The area to watch when assembling a Smith hive is the rebated top edge
The finger joints need to be snug but not too tight or that edge can split away
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Someone did point out the Thorne's stuff was quite expensive and looking it the Thorne's Smith Hive doesn't say what it's made from, though I assume Cedar as that's what's listed elsewhere, whilst the Caddon one is made of Red Cedar and they are local to me which is why I was leaning that way.Quote:
Originally Posted by drumgerry
Caddon say on their site " Unlike the national and WBC, these Smith hives may have a few Knots in the wood"Quote:
Originally Posted by Aramoro
I'm knot (sic) sure why that would be but £110 for a complete cedar hive with 2 supers is pretty good
The sweinty poly national can be converted to top bee space and fit smiths poly with some simple mods. They're a fraction of the cost
Or...if you're just starting out get Swienty poly Nationals and save yourself the bother! ;) (Smith short lugs are a pita in my opinion)
Not nearly so much a pita as bottom bee space and the short lug in this case will stop you crushing bees.
I've never really understood the secure grip argument unless you want to hold it in the palm of your hand
Agreed, they're hangers not handles.Quote:
Originally Posted by nemphlar
A bit of care stops you crushing bees. Never really got the top versus bottom bee space argument although I understand all the pro and con arguments so please don't repeat them for my benefit. You learn to work with what you've got. Can't imagine ever wanting to hold a frame of bees in the palm of my hand - national or smith. The point I was making is I find national frames less of a fiddle to remove and replace.
If you are using Payne's poly nucs Smith frames are a good option to avoid squashing bees where there are no frame rails
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I heard that Chainbridge Honey Farm now have their own Smith poly mould. Tip.
Short lugs are no issue for most of the World who use Langstroths and personally I find the long lug a pain but there you are, one size don't suit all.
PH
The Robson Green tv episode showed a poly super on the back of their truck, interestingly, it appeared to have the same footprint as the wooden smith boxes that it was stacked with.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poly Hive
Yes, the result of bad eductaion; continuing to instill the idea that the lugs are frame handles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poly Hive
A good view of them (I assume) here too:Quote:
Originally Posted by Poly Hive
https://youtu.be/KBoiAj20nDQ
Top bee space is simply more efficient when working numbers of hives. Denrosa dumped their National unit as it was more efficient to have rectangular hives than square ones due to how they stacked on their trucks. When working large scale the little factors stack up and TBS is one of them.
PH