Rhombus Clearer Boards

[pargyle]

I've made a few clearer boards over the years .. all using Rhombus bee escapes.

My standard 'go to' design is one where I cut the rhombus clearer into two and have a hole in two diagonally opposed corners.

Like this:

https://www.theapiarist.org/clearer-boards/

It's always worked for me but ..

I bought a couple of these Paynes Poly Crownboards when they first came out:

https://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/polystyrene-national-hive/poly-crownboard-with-porter-escapes/

and yesterday I made up a clearer board using one of these .. but .. for the frist time I've used the Rhombus clearer in one piece and I've located it across the width of the board rather than diagonally across the board.

Anyone got any preferences for the way they set up Rhombus clearer boards.

 

[deemann1]

I put mine in centre of board pointed to corners and works great I dought it really matters

 

[enrico]

I use two side by side across the board. So I have two on each board. Bit of an overkill but works really quickly. Just out of interest, if you leave them on too long they seal all the holes in the face ( not the escape holes) anybody got some good tips on cleaning these out. Takes hours with a sharp point!
E

 

[pargyle]

I use two side by side across the board. So I have two on each board. Bit of an overkill but works really quickly. Just out of interest, if you leave them on too long they seal all the holes in the face ( not the escape holes) anybody got some good tips on cleaning these out. Takes hours with a sharp point!
E

Yes .. they seem to act like propolis collectors if you leave them on for more than a day .. I left one on for three days last season (just couldn't be helped) and they were totally bunged up with propolis .. took them off and washed them in hot washing soda solution .. came up like new.

 

[Erichalfbee]

These are mine
A home made maze
A blue escape bought for pennies from Bee Equipment
Two Rhombus escapes into a deepened Canadian clearer

 

[Poly Hive]

Mine are the same as yours pargyle and Mobus taught to make them that way as he said the bees go round the perimeter looking for the exit so it made sense to put them there and not the middle.

PH

 

[pargyle]

These are mine
A home made maze
A blue escape bought for pennies from Bee Equipment
Two Rhombus escapes into a deepened Canadian clearer

All my other ones are the same as your last photo .. they work really well .. don't know why I'm reinventing the wheel ....

 

[Erichalfbee]

All my other ones are the same as your last photo .. they work really well .. don't know why I'm reinventing the wheel ....

Coz you like to tinker
I’m not sure about clearer boards made of poly
My wooden ones get a bit sticky with propolis that I have to clean off or I end up having to lever them off. Maybe I just have sticky bees

 

[enrico]

Yes .. they seem to act like propolis collectors if you leave them on for more than a day .. I left one on for three days last season (just couldn't be helped) and they were totally bunged up with propolis .. took them off and washed them in hot washing soda solution .. came up like new.

Thanks
E

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

I use as in your first picture - diagonally and I've found them very effective. I'll keep an eye out for propolis as I do leave them on if work intervenes...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've made a few clearer boards over the years .. all using Rhombus bee escapes.

My standard 'go to' design is one where I cut the rhombus clearer into two and have a hole in two diagonally opposed corners.

I make all mine like this, although I acquired a few with just a central hole and an intact single rhombus a few years ago (with the smaller 30mm hole) there is no difference in the time it takes for them to clear.
Two years running now, in my rush to go around bringing in supers I've managed to forget to collect one and the clearer boards have been left on for weeks - still no sign of bees getting back up to the supers though

 

[Swarm]

I used to cut them and make pretty patterns and combinations but I've found they work equally well as they are sold so now I can't be bothered, I just add some 2x1 around the frame for bee room.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I used to cut them and make pretty patterns and combinations but I've found they work equally well as they are sold so now I can't be bothered, I just add some 2x1 around the frame for bee room.

I worked out it's actually cheaper to buy Apiguard ekes from Maisies in the sales than buying and cutting 2x1 timber

 

[pargyle]

That's a good tip ....

 

[Newbeeneil]

These are mine
A home made maze
A blue escape bought for pennies from Bee Equipment
Two Rhombus escapes into a deepened Canadian clearer

Your home made maze looks like a design from the Cushman website but I can't see how the bees actually get out? I assume there must be tunnels under the outside of the maze at the corners?

BTW I use the same mazes but with gaps at the corners and rhombus ones as well!

 

[pargyle]

Your home made maze looks like a design from the Cushman website but I can't see how the bees actually get out? I assume there must be tunnels under the outside of the maze at the corners?

BTW I use the same mazes but with gaps at the corners and rhombus ones as well!

The timber strips are over the top of the maze to hold the mesh in place ...the gaps in the maze continue under those strips...

 

[Newbeeneil]

The timber strips are over the top of the maze to hold the mesh in place ...the gaps in the maze continue under those strips...

Ah I see now! I use staples to hold my mesh down!

 

[madasafish]

Ah I see now! I use staples to hold my mesh down!

+1

With a nail gun (Lidl) takes no time at all...

 

[mdotb]

I’ve made up a couple of rhombus boards, single hole in the centre, much in the style of the OP photo. Have found them to be effective (e.g. cleared all bees when returned after 24 hrs from 2 boxes, and perhaps 2 dozen bees remaining attempting to clear 4 boxes on one hive after 24 hours).

Since that works for my needs, I can’t claim to have done any comparison with other arrangements of the rhombus; I do find it slightly better than porter escapes (the only other clearer board type I’ve used) although even those have worked for me better than many report. But I don’t imagine you’ll have fundamental problems with them working in one central piece rather than two in the corners.

Of course your mileage may vary...

 

[Popparand]

I gave up on Porter escapes because I found them useless. So I bought a crown board with a central rhombus escape that works like a dream. Also, if you unscrew the rhombus escape the central hole is just right for a feeder. I love multi-purpose kit!