Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Polyhive supers frame spacing

  1. #1
    Senior Member Kate Atchley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    near Kelso, Scottish Borders
    Posts
    411

    Default Polyhive supers frame spacing

    Once comb is drawn in shallow wired frames for supers, I find using metal spacers the easiest way to space the frames.

    Has anyone used them in Swienty or Lyson polyhive and, if so, how did you fix them in place?

  2. #2
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Ardnamurchan & Fife
    Posts
    1,693

    Default

    Gorilla glue provides a reasonable fix if you're not too clumsy. However, in the end I abandoned the spacers altogether and find the bees propolise the frames in place pretty quickly and almost as securely.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    North Yorkshire
    Posts
    135

    Default

    The standard metal castellated spacers are slightly too long to fit into the Abelo or Swienty National poly-hives, they need cutting to fit.
    Like Fatshark I prefer to space by eye and the bees soon fixed them in place.

    As an aside the swienty poly-hives only take 10 brood frames and there is no bottom spacing in the ones I've got which means they can't easily be used for double brood without crushing lots of bees when you stick them back together. I just use my swienty ones for storing spare brood frames etc these days.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Kate Atchley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    near Kelso, Scottish Borders
    Posts
    411

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fatshark View Post
    Gorilla glue provides a reasonable fix if you're not too clumsy. However, in the end I abandoned the spacers altogether and find the bees propolise the frames in place pretty quickly and almost as securely.
    Ummm ... my bees don't propolise heavily so the frame spacing is best sorted some other way.

    I'll try Gorilla glue ... got plenty of that.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Kate Atchley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    near Kelso, Scottish Borders
    Posts
    411

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Thymallus View Post
    The standard metal castellated spacers are slightly too long to fit into the Abelo or Swienty National poly-hives, they need cutting to fit.
    Like Fatshark I prefer to space by eye and the bees soon fixed them in place.

    As an aside the swienty poly-hives only take 10 brood frames and there is no bottom spacing in the ones I've got which means they can't easily be used for double brood without crushing lots of bees when you stick them back together. I just use my swienty ones for storing spare brood frames etc these days.
    I find the metal spacers will bend easily enough if I can't be bothered to cut them! And I run double brood with Swienty boxes (but prefer Lyson) without apparent massacre of bees. Perhaps they are later versions of the boxes.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Norfolk East Anglia, South Scotland
    Posts
    962

    Default

    I have two MB (Paradise) brood boxes (Nationals) they too have the wrong spacing so can't be used as double brood without crushing bees. So they are just used as large nucs for overwintering colonies in which work well. I sold my Paynes poly and am yet to make the leap to another flavour; wood seems to work for me - with castellations in the supers. No need for spacers.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    North Yorkshire
    Posts
    135

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Kate Atchley View Post
    I run double brood with Swienty boxes (but prefer Lyson) without apparent massacre of bees. Perhaps they are later versions of the boxes.
    Is there a rebate on the bottom of your brood box sides? If so they might be a later version. Mine are just totally flat and old....and useless for double brood. Well not totally useless just have very thick walls to be aware of.

  8. #8
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Hives in the Vale of Evesham
    Posts
    17

    Default

    I use 9 Manley frames though will probably change this winter to 8 plus one spacer SN1 frame. 9 works well until they get propolised and start forcing the dovetail joints apart.
    WBC super castellations are 3mm too long for a Swienty new (from 2015?) design super according to Thorne's and a quick check this morning. 383 vs 380mm.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Kate Atchley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    near Kelso, Scottish Borders
    Posts
    411

    Default

    Ummm ... my Swienty boxes are flat on the base. Not sure why I'm not finding loads of crushed bees. I often use cloths which encourage the bees downwards so are good for clearing them out of the way when replacing boxes.

    ... and I have some Manley frames but find them heavy and awkward in the extractor so will not be buying more of them.

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    North Yorkshire
    Posts
    135

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Kate Atchley View Post
    Not sure why I'm not finding loads of crushed bees.
    ... and I have some Manley frames but find them heavy and awkward in the extractor so will not be buying more of them.
    Me thinks you are gentler than me sticking the brood boxes back together.....

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •