Porch for national

[mintmoth]

I like the porch idea on the WBC hive I acquired last month, so I'm wondering if it's possible to fit a WBC porch to national hives. Has anyone tried this? I've looked at the porch offered by Don Honey and it seems very similar to a WBC porch but more pricey.

I like the entrance slide idea and not having to fiddle about changing entrance blocks to alter the entrance.

 

[enrico]

Not quite sure what you mean but I have always found if I start fiddling I get into trouble if I use a brood box for other than the bottom brood, either I can't use it for any other purpose or something doesn't fit, like the roof!
E

 

[Curley]

The DONDOR as pushed by the latest BBKA news - £25 at present - does seem a lot but then it looks like quite complicated woodwork. A good underfloor entrance (look up the JBM underfloor entrance on this site) will give you a bit of a shelter and you can adapt JBM's plans to add a landing board. Entrance blocking and reduction can be achieved with a relatively simple sliding entrance block. The whole thing - with a stainless OMF can be done for a lot less than £25

 

[Poly Hive]

In essence, it is all pretty simple, and the complications start when people start bodging.

KISS


PH

 

[drex]

I agree. Rarely do I find that I alter the entrance very often on the one WBC I was given. A lot of money for little gain.

 

[alldigging]

the original tickner edwardes hive has a porch .. let me see if i can get a photo here

 

[Karsal]

Don't we over complicate things as beekeepers. Never seen a porch on a wild colony in a tree and they manage well without one!
Next we will be adding a conservatory on the back of the hive next. LOL!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you can adapt JBM's plans to add a landing board.

why would you need to? the entrance has a landing board built into it, there being nearly three inches between the two inch deep landing area and the bottom of the hive floor - they're bees, they don't need the same approach and landing distance of a boeing 747. in fact I now no longer have the extra half inch or so overhang that the bottom board has in the picture - I only leave that in the drawing for those that don't have a table saw so they can use standard width timber for all part.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I love those underfloor entrances but I have noticed bees in a tearing hurry to get out when there is a flow and they don't half hit the floor with a real bump, often upside down.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

. Never seen a porch on a wild colony in a tree

Or a landing board

 

[mintmoth]

Since I didn't go to a boy's school, and therefore had no carpentry lessons, and am not in possession of any woodworking tools, I can't build JBM's underfloor entrance, much as I really like it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Since I didn't go to a boy's school, and therefore had no carpentry lessons, and am not in possession of any woodworking tools, I can't build JBM's underfloor entrance, much as I really like it.

I didn't go to a girls school either - didn't stop them giving me cookery and needlework lessons though
Similar floors both OMF and solid are available from Beehive bits - they call it the concealed entrance floor, I've seen it and it's basically the same as mine although the 'entrance' doesn't stretch the whole width of the hive - looks like the wider entrance you get on a standard entrance block. Cheaper than the 'new design' I've seen offered on fleabay.
If you want to splash out, Big T's do a slide in underfloor insert based on mine which fits their adapta hive stand system.

 

[Millet]

I didn't go to a girls school either -

You should have done you make a cracking Drama Drag queen..

 

[mintmoth]

I didn't go to a girls school either - didn't stop them giving me cookery and needlework lessons though
Similar floors both OMF and solid are available from Beehive bits - they call it the concealed entrance floor, I've seen it and it's basically the same as mine although the 'entrance' doesn't stretch the whole width of the hive - looks like the wider entrance you get on a standard entrance block. Cheaper than the 'new design' I've seen offered on fleabay.
If you want to splash out, Big T's do a slide in underfloor insert based on mine which fits their adapta hive stand system.

Lucky you, JBM. I would have jumped at the chance to do woodwork and metalwork instead of housecraft and needlework. I'm carp at needlework, hated it.

Beehive bits - that's a site I've not come across before, but it has exactly what I was after, which is a sliding entrance similar to a WBC one, that saves taking entrance blocks in and out to turn them. And cheap as chips. Thanks JBM!

http://beehivebits.co.uk/sliding-entrance-158-p.asp