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?
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!
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.
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
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
Sent from my LIFETAB_S1034X using Tapatalk
If you are using Payne's poly nucs Smith frames are a good option to avoid squashing bees where there are no frame rails
Sent from my LIFETAB_S1034X using Tapatalk
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.
Yes, the result of bad eductaion; continuing to instill the idea that the lugs are frame handles.
Bookmarks