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Thread: Poly smiths/ national mix

  1. #11
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poly Hive View Post
    Does that logic not apply to any hive?
    No. We have wooden hives made by various sources going back 60 years which are still inter-changeable with the stuff being turned out by Thornes, no 'modding' to the brand new equipment required.

    Quote Originally Posted by Poly Hive View Post
    13 frames btw and they worked pretty well, though not as good I have to say as when used as Langstroths.
    We also use 13 frame BS hives. Not as good as the dadants in many respects but we've developed our own 'ways' for getting the most out of them.


    Quote Originally Posted by Poly Hive View Post
    There is always a reason not to do something eh? And the bees DO do better in poly. But you have to try it to find that out for your self. PH
    As I've stated, clearly, my comment had nothing to do with how bees perform in or out of poly.

    Lets be clear on this too, IF I was using national kit I would already have a lot of the Swienty national boxes in use, probably their top feeders too, because that stuff would be inter-changeable with the existing wood. As it is, to invest in poly hives at present would require investment in building floors and roofs as well as buying the poly boxes all to be done on a very limited budget. But would I be able to go to a shop in 50 years time and buy basically the same kit, needing no 'modding'? Possibly, but far less certain than with wood built to acknowledged specs.
    Last edited by prakel; 06-01-2015 at 10:00 AM.

  2. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by nemphlar View Post
    Similarly I only have a dozen hives and it's difficult to draw conclusions cedar against poly, poly does seem to help the nucs and working from that principal I think it may help when scaled up. I also find they will have brood In early spring hard up against the side wall in the poly but more central in cedar.
    I don't have damp in the poly with OMF, where damp was always an issue in cedar.
    I've too much smiths kit to change over and I still think langstroth are too big for general use in the west, so I'll be reaching for the kingspan to adapt the cedar smiths
    Hi Nephlar
    I agree with you at the end of the day Smiths are very easy for the beekeeper to operate with
    Poly Nucs are ever so handy for transporting bees and the Paynes ones are nice and dense
    When it comes to normal everyday beekeeping Smiths are tough,light if cedar,long lasting, immune to chemicals water flame(within reason)
    Floors are easy to make crownboards are flat ply (top bee space) and excluders, though framed and expensive, are solidly made
    You can strap them down hard and they are compact for transporting
    I believe the bees may like poly hives but so do rodents and high winds and Mrs Drone Ranger says "No more hives!"

  3. #13
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Drone Ranger View Post
    Mrs Drone Ranger says "No more hives!"
    Then don't get her any, buy them for yourself instead.

  4. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by prakel View Post
    Then don't get her any, buy them for yourself instead.
    Its ok for you prakel in the Jurassic era to say that
    Oh how I long for the days of my youth carelessly skipping over the tundra chasing the Dinohyus
    Time flies by, and now theres hardly one to be seen except on the tills at Asda
    These days I don't get to leave the cave (unsupervised)

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    [QUOTE=The Drone Ranger;28698]Hi Nephlar
    I agree with you at the end of the day Smiths are very easy for the beekeeper to operate with
    Poly Nucs are ever so handy for transporting bees and the Paynes ones are nice and dense
    When it comes to normal everyday beekeeping Smiths are tough

    A classic and still appropriate scottish hive heading for the exit door pity

  6. #16
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    Just received a Sweinty poly national brood box to check against my smiths poly s . Apart from a spacer for the lugs they are the same size.

  7. #17
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    Switched the last of my cedar smiths into a modified national poly today, probably my best performer this year 12 frames full of bees crammed into 11. A good performing queen I think is more important than hive type, keeping the bees in the hive with the snelgrove board might have helped

  8. #18

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    The wasps are still eating my Paynes Polynucs and now the mice are joining in
    I rubbed the outside with a hot chilli pepper (take that you little bistro)

    Anyway Cedar Smiths are still better in every way
    No painting, no snacking, no modifying
    And they will outlast you
    Come to think of it the poly might outlast me anyway
    Poly, horrible, horrible stuff mostly appealing to the cheapskate in me

  9. #19
    Senior Member busybeephilip's Avatar
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    I got two of these paynes things to try out, (a moment of weakness overtook me), I can see that they are very vulnerable to rat/mouse attack and if a rat decides to get in there will be no way of stopping it. But I can see their uses for setting up nucs that will be forwarded to their new owner with nice shiney new box included.

    like DR I think I'll stick with wood

  10. #20

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    I dont think it will matter if you use poly or wood if the mouse/rat wants in they will chew their way in, but I'll stick with my poly's and use the few wooden when I have to.

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