WANTED where to get a poly nuc

[nematode]

Where is the best place to get a poly nuc online? A national nuc hive.

 

[mystil]

With or without bees?

 

[fatshark]

P a y n e s do 6 frame national poly nucs and sell an eke to make a 14 x 12 box if needed. They have an integral feeder and a slightly odd entrance, but seem reasonable quality and value.

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fatshark

 

[nematode]

Without bees. I might have a small colony to try and get thourgh the winter instead of uniting. I am trying to decide if I should buy a poly nuc or just try the national hive they are in with two dummy boards backed with thick insulation and a bit of insulation on top of the crown board.

Thanks for the link.

 

[mystil]

P a y n e s do 6 frame national poly nucs and sell an eke to make a 14 x 12 box if needed. They have an integral feeder and a slightly odd entrance, but seem reasonable quality and value.

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fatshark

I have one of these and they work well. They do have afew design flaws though but nothing major.

 

[drstitson]

£12 for the eke is a joke though!!!

 

[moby]

I have one of these and they work well. They do have afew design flaws though but nothing major.

I also have a few of these which work well but have found that condensation collects in the feeder, which could eventually lead to some nasties breeding in the hive has anyone else had this problem?

 

[mystil]

I have not so far.

The main things I find is: the bees build brace comb in the feeder, You cannot feed without taking the whole lid off, you cannot do double brood and they are a PAIN to clean.

I only know P a y n e s do them. Not sure if they are produced anywhere else with a different design.

 

[Cazza]

The main things I find is: the bees build brace comb in the feeder, You cannot feed without taking the whole lid off, you cannot do double brood and they are a PAIN to clean.

QUOTE]

You are completely right. Does anyone make one with a detachable floor for combining and a hole for a top feeder. In other words a traditional design but in poly?
Cazza

 

[Juststarting]

QUOTE]

You are completely right. Does anyone make one with a detachable floor for combining and a hole for a top feeder. In other words a traditional design but in poly?
Cazza[/QUOTE]

MB ones do this but are langstroth so need to convert to national. I did this by packing out with celotex foam cut to shape and sealed with aluminium radiator tape. It was pretty easy to do (got better with practice - I've done three now).

have used them all this summer with no problem and am planning to overwinter a nuc in one (unless the suddenly take off and would do better in hive). I've used perspex crown board (bought and cut to size from B&Q) may put feeder hole in it depending on how I decide to proceed , and would use second nuc body as a sort of eke for feeder.

 

[oliver90owner]

I have 6 frame MB Jumbo Langstroths, converted to 14 x 12. They are suiting me. I can swap frames to a cedar nuc or Dartington carry-box for uniting. I have screwed on the floors of all of them.

RAB

 

[mystil]

All we can hope is that someone out there who produces them decides that the design is abit flawed and produces another one with less flaws.

Hopefully next year? I know when I have spoken to other Beeks in my area, they are having the same problems.

 

[fatshark]

You can fill the feeder on the Paines boxes without exposing the frames if you use a thin plastic/perspex crown board. I just slide it across and only expose the feeder ... easier than refilling a conventional frame feeder.

drstitson is correct about the eke though ... approaching half the price of the complete nuc . I'm currently building a sort of lipped eke which will take a slab of fondant or bag of syrup and/or Apiguard. I can then use the original roof and, if necessary, add a thick slab of polystyrene for the winter surrounding some fondant.

I've glued metal runners to mine using Gorilla glue - saves the frames being propilised to the poly and makes manipulations much easier.

I notice from the website that buying as many as 9,999 gets you an 18% discount