Any advice on these hives please?

http://www.caddon-hives.co.uk/national.html

They seem to be very reasonably priced hives as I am looking to change to 14x12's next spring and shook swarm early on? I was wondering if anyone has experience of this company and what the quality might be like?
In anticipation

Rich

you have a pm

Not a clue as to the quality, etc of them.

You only need a simple eke to convert your boxes to 14 x 12. Certainly don't need hives (as your post suggests, is your line of thought).

Can't recommend Th8rne for this one -they charge nearly 21 quid for a conversion eke (poss + del), but there may be some suppliers on the forum who would supply a good cedar product at a fair price.

I knock mine up using standard PSE (nominal 100 x 25?) No need for fancy joints for an eke to go under the existing box. I rebate the sides to take the ends and make 'thinner than the normal' bevelled rails which are cut to butt-joint to the sides and are there to secure the eke, to the box above, and to give the required footprint to fit the floor. Don't even need a bee space at the bottom, if not planning to use them as an upper box.

Squareness and size just need to be checked at assembly, that is all really. I knock up, say, ten at a time, as it takes little time to take one out of store and assemble the parts, and the cost of the stored wood is peanuts, really.

RAB

this loks like an ad or push to me

Not an add or push. Just asking advice? It's a bit of a minefield out there for a newbee like myself and getting rather expensive in my first year!

Thanks for the advice RAB. I only have 1 good/new hive and the others are really not worth converting as they are very old. Been repairing them as much as I can but they are a bit rotten in lots of places! It just seems to make sense on getting decent stuff and using the old stuff for the odd swarm. Never intended to have 4 colonies this year;-) Should have just had the one but you know how it is

Rich

In that case, perhaps go poly?

I will be considering (after a current trial with the new MB National, as a 14 x 12) of perhaps purchasing poly broods (and maybe some supers) and 'topping and tailing' with timber. I am already using top bee space, so they would seem to 'fit the bill' for me, but we shall see...

Regards, RAB

I've used them. No problems and I think they offer good value for money.

Ply nucs

On a similar theme, I've already got my all-singing and dancing cedar hive ready to start (and when 'Er Indoors isn't looking ill get a second flat-packed).

I reckon a nuc would also be a good buy, but in view of the ever-increasing cost, I was thinking of a cheap and cheerful ply one from flea-bay.

Any good beekeeping reasons to avoid that? (Other than snob value!)

The polystyrene hives are sounding attractive also and in budget! I think Paynes do a nice one that is compatible with most of the wooden stuff too so can use what I have already. I have a few foamy model planes so I know how tough this stuff is! Maybe this is the way to go? There seems to be good reviews on the poly hives on the forum. I'm leaning I'm leaning to the poly;-)
Thanks hivemaker Pete for getting in touch. Will let you know
Rich

dickndoris said:

... I think Paynes do a nice one that is compatible with most of the wooden stuff too so can use what I have already. ...

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Lots of people are waiting to hear reports of the Paynes hives - but they have not yet actually gone out to customers.
Expected very soon though.

Dusty Rhodes said:

I reckon a nuc would also be a good buy, but in view of the ever-increasing cost, I was thinking of a cheap and cheerful ply one from flea-bay.

Any good beekeeping reasons to avoid that? (Other than snob value!)

Click to expand...

No, but you will need to treat the ply. Cedar doesn't need protection.

I bought a WBC from Caddon a few years ago - made from an alternative to cedar. I had to cut a varroa floor in it (maybe he does these now) but it was and is fine.

Dusty Rhodes said:

On a similar theme, I've already got my all-singing and dancing cedar hive ready to start (and when 'Er Indoors isn't looking ill get a second flat-packed).

I reckon a nuc would also be a good buy, but in view of the ever-increasing cost, I was thinking of a cheap and cheerful ply one from flea-bay.

Any good beekeeping reasons to avoid that? (Other than snob value!)

Click to expand...

You can knock up nucs from skip-diving very cheaply. And if you have one of those (probably Chinese) fire-guards that everyone sells and falls apart easily, the mesh can be used for a varroa floor. Or the poly one mentioned is also OK.

caddon hives

dickndoris said:

http://www.caddon-hives.co.uk/national.html

They seem to be very reasonably priced hives as I am looking to change to 14x12's next spring and shook swarm early on? I was wondering if anyone has experience of this company and what the quality might be like?
In anticipation

Rich

Click to expand...

Hi,I have had hive parts from them,they have some parts in now waiting for me to collect (4 14x12 brood boxes 4 varroa floors 2 roofs 1 complete hive)I have no complaints about the gear i have had from them and price is good and father and son nice guys,just down the road from me at my Scottish retreat

Thanks for all the replies guys. I have gone and ordered 2 14x12 paynes poly hives to try as the cost is good and compatible with the wood stuff.
We will see how I get on? ;-)

Rich

I think that the wooden hive suppliers are going to struggle to compete with the plethora of polystyrene alternatives now available.

Hebeegeebee said:

I think that the wooden hive suppliers are going to struggle to compete with the plethora of polystyrene alternatives now available.

Click to expand...

wood looks better and has craftsmanship they will always have sale for that. the good ones will float and baduns will sink as life should be....

sorry dickndoris didnt mean any offence

hives

how easy are they for the ever pesky woody wood pecker polystyrene,cedre,ply ,cant coment on the polystyrene as have not got any but i would presume easy ? cedre i have some two with nice neat holes drilled through this year ply (marine) five have been tried but no success marked box but no damage

Last winter was long and the woodies got very hungry for Chris B's Poly Langstroths. They had a bit of a field day and caused a lot of damage in several apiaries.

It's rumoured that he's installing flak batteries this winter - or maybe he said flat batteries? oh well . . . tap tap, tap tap, bszzzzzzz!