New BB arrived

Hi all

My new brood box( +roof, crown board and OMF) has arrived from Th*rnes, purchased in the sale and it looks fine. T's have provided nails but no instructions but there is plenty of stuff around here and elsewhere on how to put it together.

Personally I had thought of screwing and gluing before I started reading about the thermal nightmare that a threaded screw is.
Definitely not trying to start a rumble but is gluing alone really enough?

Also the wood is described as English Cedar (not the gold standard Western Red Cedar) - I've read on the site about painting, treating, oiling and thought I might wait to see how it ages but there are a few knots - solid as anything but definitely knots. Is it worth putting knotting on these?

Any thoughts very welcome

Hengest said:

Personally I had thought of screwing and gluing before I started reading about the thermal nightmare that a threaded screw is.
Definitely not trying to start a rumble but is gluing alone really enough?

Also the wood is described as English Cedar (not the gold standard Western Red Cedar) - I've read on the site about painting, treating, oiling and thought I might wait to see how it ages but there are a few knots - solid as anything but definitely knots. Is it worth putting knotting on these?

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Best to nail or screw and glue, the timber is western red cedar, just UK grown and could have larger growth rings if it has not been selected, it may also have some sapwood (being seconds) which is not durable, so some wood preservative would be a good idea if this is the case, no need for knotting unless painting, and as long as the knots are small live knots they should be no problem.

Ts have PDF assembly instructions on their website.

I have just assembled mine. Only the roofs and floors were Ts. The BB and supers from P Hives in Derbyshire as I use top bee space and Ts don't do that in the sales.




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Official instructions are available for download
http://www.thorne.co.uk/image/data/assembly-instructions/National Brood and Super.pdf

But I've preferred to do it a slightly different order
http://www.bees-online.co.uk/downloads/National_instructions_individual.pdf

I've used screws on the box corners and nails to fasten the side walls to the side rails. (No glue!)

Whichever order (and however you fasten) the essential thing is to get the beespace right (to the mm - all along the box).
Play around on a dry run before fastening properly!

itma said:

Official instructions are available for download
http://www.thorne.co.uk/image/data/assembly-instructions/National Brood and Super.pdf

But I've preferred to do it a slightly different order
http://www.bees-online.co.uk/downloads/National_instructions_individual.pdf

I've used screws on the box corners and nails to fasten the side walls to the side rails. (No glue!)

Whichever order (and however you fasten) the essential thing is to get the beespace right (to the mm - all along the box).
Play around on a dry run before fastening properly!

Click to expand...

i use maisomers method but pin the comb joints with the thinest nail downdards through brood comb finger then top bar tenon then brood rather than pin the top bar tenon into the brood and also use Gator Glue

i also use a rachet strap to hold it all square while nailing and use two frame bars on the bench to get the top frame space right

Also remember that the maisemore have the wooden frame rests cut onto the side top but thornes are square so to follow maisy's instructon you need to fit the frame runners first

Clear as mud,isn't it ,

Hivemaker. said:

Best to nail or screw and glue,

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Are you sure HM?

Erichalfbee said:

Are you sure HM?

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Yes, I'm sure, whichever one is preferred.

out of a dozen beginner's attempts at making them up, (we are doing it next Saturday) i suspect a few will be so bad we will have to prise them apart and start again

1) maisy sides resversed *(back to front) and or (upside down),
2) sides pushed down so no bottom bee space
3)top and bottom bars handed ( tried to use one like that and it looked fine and took me a few moments to see what was wrong
4) no runners fitted or nailed at 90 degrees
5)frame runners level with top of Box
6)frame runner nailed on bottom of side bars

its is aways the most well nailed and glued that is wrong, i must be a really rotten teacher

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21943&page=36

Hivemaker. said:

Thank you for the picture D, i notice you used a combination of screws and nails to fix the parts together, did you know that you will likely get greater heat loss using screws, as opposed to nails.

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Erichalfbee said:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21943&page=36

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Yes, caused by over exposure to the looney tune magazine, but back to normal now.

I use screws but I put them in with a hammer does that make it OK?

But seriously, I screw all my supers and broods after gluing and cramping them together - stainless steel screws two at an angle into the ends of the sides, I don't put anything in through the rails unless there's a bit of a gap due to warpage and they need pulling back . Not intending on changing either.

I assemble mine Australian style, upside down with two top bars under the frame rails, no need to mark before assembly and it keeps the the frames flush with the top, dry wall screws and stainless steel pins topped of with a bit of polyurethane glue

Thanks all for taking the trouble to reply

-some good ideas and links there ! That's Saturday afternoon sorted!

REDWOOD said:

I assemble mine Australian style, upside down with two top bars under the frame rails, no need to mark before assembly and it keeps the the frames flush with the top,

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What a neat idea , will remember that one.
Simon

simonwig said:

What a neat idea , will remember that one.
Simon

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if they are Big T's, remember to fit the frame runners or castles first