# Cloake Board



## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

Does anybody know if anyone is making a 8 frame Cloake board yet? I have never seen a Cloake board except pictures of one on the internet. I was wandering if I could just slide a thin piece of sheet meatal inbetween my boxes, under a double screen board, if I cant find a 8 framer. I also think that I read on here somewhere that the double screen board inbetween the boxes was enough to make the bees up top think that they were queenless. And that you dont even need to slide the solid piece in the Cloake board, is anybody using this method? Thanks Steve


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

sfisher said:


> Does anybody know if anyone is making a 8 frame Cloake board yet? I have never seen a Cloake board except pictures of one on the internet. I was wandering if I could just slide a thin piece of sheet meatal inbetween my boxes, under a double screen board, if I cant find a 8 framer. I also think that I read on here somewhere that the double screen board inbetween the boxes was enough to make the bees up top think that they were queenless. And that you dont even need to slide the solid piece in the Cloake board, is anybody using this method? Thanks Steve


Cloake board 8 or 10 frame I do not know ???

https://kelleybees.com/Products/Detail/?id=33323332333033363330

How to use a Cloake board 

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-rearing/

You can use this with queen excluder under at if you like

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenrearing.htm#FWOF


BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## MattDavey (Dec 16, 2011)

If you don't want to make one, you could just use a sheet of newspaper on a queen excluder and poke some holes in the paper. Just like a paper combine.

The time delay would be enough for queen cells to be started.

Just make sure there are plenty of nurse bees in the box above and there is a top entrance the opposite side to the bottom entrance.

Matthew Davey


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

In my post above I meant to type queen excluder but I put double screen board instead. 
Jim I think that is a 10 framer
Mathew the concept of using the newspapper sounds good to me. Have you ever tried it?


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

Before I had an actual Cloake Board, I used an excluder, an extra solid bottom board and a sheet of 1/4 inch plywood to do the same thing. I didn't even cut the plywood to fit exactly. It's only there for 24 hours. There is more lifting though. I'm thinking that I put I turned the bottom bottom board backwards and closed it. Then put the excluder in between boxes and put the other bottom board on the top to create a top entrance. Then I put the plywood over the excluder on the day that I wanted the boxes separated. You could create a top entrance any way that you want. Or use three pieces of wood over the excluder to create a mid entrance like the Cloake Board.


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Brushy Mountain has a lot of 8-frame items.


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

Dave W said:


> Brushy Mountain has a lot of 8-frame items.



Not if but when the Plastic Queen Excluder in this Cloake Board breaks IMHO the Cloake Board is junk.Do not ask me know I know this.

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Cloake-Board/productinfo/632/

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/10-Frame-Plastic-Queen-Excluder/productinfo/685/



BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## MattDavey (Dec 16, 2011)

I've moved frames of brood above a queen excluder a few times and each time queens cells were made.

I actually didn't even use newspaper, just the excluder, but there was a honey super in between the brood frames and the actual brood nest in each case. I'm sure adding newspaper would guarantee queen cells being started, especially if the box it directly on top of the brood nest.

When I've only moved one frame of brood (probably only a a third or less brood) only one queen cell was made (done this twice). Looking at other threads, this is due to the numbers of nurse bees on the brood frames. When I moved several frames there were several queen cells.

Matthew Davey


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

MattDavey said:


> I've moved frames of brood above a queen excluder a few times and each time queens cells were made.
> Matthew Davey


I guess that's kind of the point here. You just want them to be your cells.


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## Beesrme (Feb 4, 2011)

sfisher making of cloak board is easy if you need instructions go to www.leedsbeekeepers.org.uk/modules.php?name=News&file=pr... This will give you complete instructions on how to use and build I have used them successfully myself.

It seems that this site is not working but I just visited this site myself in the last eighteen month. I wonder if you use if you use this address will it go thru

http:/www.leedsbeekeepers.org.uk and then look for the article on cloak boards. I tried to open this site up and it is not working. I know Sue Cobey from UC Davis in Calif. teaches the Cloak Method.


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

Beesrme I can get to leeds home page but when I searched cloake boards nothing comes up. Can you tell me where its at in their website. Thanks Steve


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## Beesrme (Feb 4, 2011)

Steve, I also went there and found a link back to Sue Colbey and the American Bee Journal year 2005 she wrote a two Part artcile about using cloake boards. So if you can find those two issuse that will give you the information you need. Making a frame to slide the metal sheet in and out of is simple enough, if I was two make them again I would adjust the height so they are at least 1 inch and when you cut the grove in don't make it to tight helps with opening and closing plus if you could find a wood bound excluder and glue it to the bottom it would help to make it more stable. Or I could fax you a copy if you have a fax it is only 10 pages. Tom


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

I do have some queen excluders that are wood bound. I think I will just try it with the queen in the bottom box, excluder, then a box in the middle, and then a box ontop of that with the cells in it, should work for me.


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## Beesrme (Feb 4, 2011)

Steve My question is are you trying to raise queens or just make increases? If the answer is make queens then leave out the middle box. Also have you read the cloake method? Tom


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