National matchstick standard

Reading my October issue of the BBKA rag there is reference to raising the crownboad of a National beehive using a solid floor with matchsticks to allow for ventilation, the matchstick size is imperative as this prevents the bees from using propolis to stick up the gaps.
I have had year 4 children measure a number of different boxes of safety matches this afternoon as an exercise in size distribution and using vernier guages, and there is up to 1mm difference within a box and up to 3mm between boxes!

What size matches should one use on the National hive, I presume matchsticks are not a requirement for WBC crownboards?


James

one should never teach children out of date topics, it's so difficult to unlearn something incorrectly taught.
Matchsticks are to beehives, as asbestos is to housebuilding - obsolete.

Doesn't the fact that the bees try to seal up the gaps tell you anything?

Teach the children to wrap silver paper round the matchstick, put it in the fire and watch it explode......much more fun!
E

The ONLY reason they did not propolise the gaping gaps was because it was done too late for the bees to rectify the beekeeper's stupidity. If you were to place matchsticks in July, what do you think the bees would do? Yes, that's right, they would glue down the crownboard. Simple enough evidence?

Is there any basic difference, apart from the frame count, between a National and a WBC in that respect? I don't think so. Floor, brood, cover board, insulation, roof. Just a bigger gap between the cover board and the roof on a WBC.

Bottom ventilation is always best - warmer fluids (like air) rise. Perhaps you might teach them that simple physical phenomenon. It might be useful for later in life. A smoky flame, or even a bunsen burner at different angles would do; or perhaps a coloured crystal (like pot permanganate) dissolving as a beaker is gently warmed from below?

While measuring the variation of matchsticks' sizes might be a good practical session (not all matchsicks
are square, even) I agree with Wessexmario on the benefits of learning rubbish practices.

I notice you did not actually say you connected it with the BBKA rubbish, so it may be that it is only you that needs to learn the basic physical properties of fluids. Certainly the bees don't need to - they already know.

Here we go again !

REDWOOD said:

Here we go again !

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OMG ... Winter is definitely approaching .... WHO mentioned MATCHSTICKS !!!

pargyle said:

omg ... Winter is definitely approaching .... Who mentioned matchsticks !!!

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bbka !

I wish the BBKA would perform some quality control on its magazine content.

Much of it is out of date garbage,.

James Templer said:

Reading my October issue of the BBKA rag there is reference to raising the crownboad of a National beehive using a solid floor with matchsticks to allow for ventilation, the matchstick size is imperative as this prevents the bees from using propolis to stick up the gaps.
I have had year 4 children measure a number of different boxes of safety matches this afternoon as an exercise in size distribution and using vernier guages, and there is up to 1mm difference within a box and up to 3mm between boxes!

What size matches should one use on the National hive, I presume matchsticks are not a requirement for WBC crownboards?


James

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My call -

enrico said:

Teach the children to wrap silver paper round the matchstick, put it in the fire and watch it explode.

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So few matchsticks about, disposable lighters seem to have taken over. Children missing out again.

madasafish said:

I wish the BBKA would perform some quality control on its magazine content.

Much of it is out of date garbage,.

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should be delete delete delete...........but then there would be no magazine !

James Templer said:

What size matches should one use on the National hive, I presume matchsticks are not a requirement for WBC crownboards?

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Don't you know anything!
Pioneer matches for National and the smaller Swan match for the smaller size WBC brood box.

DEFINITELY no safety matches​

- far too modern an invention to feature in the mind of th average BBKA dinosaur!

alanf said:

So few matchsticks about, disposable lighters seem to have taken over. Children missing out again.

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I think you'll find the gap created by a disposable lighter is far too great

Wasn't there a story about a little Dutch boy who saved.............Oh no that was dyke he stopped from leaking. My mistake. Having said that perhaps someone from the BBKA would oblige and JMB could put the crown board on (very hard!)

For goodness sake!

Does nobody on this Forum have any class?

Matchsticks are so non-U.

People with style employ used cocktail sticks!

Look, in order to raise standards, I'll make this offer:

for anyone who provides the gin, I'll undertake to use it to make and dispose of decent martinis. I'll provide the olives at no further cost. I'll then send them the used cocktail sticks, post-free.

Can't say fairer than that.*

Dusty

*Well, I won't be able to say, "Fairer than that," after filling the first couple of orders.

How does the Stereophonics song go?
It only takes one match.....

Dusty you drive a hard bargain, lucky I have my own cocktail sticks in my box and clean out of gin at the moment

Matchsticks are so non-U.

2" round nails work just as well - is it too early to discuss condensation issues with glazed crown boards?

richardbees said:

Matchsticks are so non-U.

2" round nails work just as well - is it too early to discuss condensation issues with glazed crown boards?

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Wow they are big nails

richardbees said:

Matchsticks are so non-U.

2" round nails work just as well - is it too early to discuss condensation issues with glazed crown boards?

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That's clearly a newbie talking ... anyone who's been here more than a year should know that that's a NOVEMBER topic ... when newbies start looking through their clear crownboards that they have propped open on match sticks, cocktail sticks, disposable lighters or for all I know - lumps of 4 x 2 !! and find ... condensation ...