# BEEMAX hive?



## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

Mitch and I are going to try a few this winter. Ask again in the spring!


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## ekrouse (Aug 26, 2004)

I've been using them. I started with both wood and polystyrene (BeeMax). The BeeMax survived the winter, the wood did not.

The BeeMax hold up very well, although cover is not as durable as the plastic ones I get from W.T.Kelley (although they don't fit the BeeMax). The plastic covers allow me to flip 'em over and stack hive bodies on them while I work the hives.

What I am doing now is using medium supers for everything brood and honey (standardized equipment. No more deeps). I use BeeMax for the Brood boxes (and overwintering) and wood mediums for the honey supers. I use Kelly covers on top of the honey supers in summer and a combination of Kelly and BeeMax covers on top of a wood ventillated box for winter. Everything sit on Screened bottom boards. I have never used chemicals in the hive (I use powdered sugar and sumac smoke for mites).

-Eric


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## Carl Holcomb (Aug 21, 2006)

ekrouse,Not trying to change the subject but what part of the sumac do you use in the smoker? Also is this the wild varity?


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## brent.roberts (Dec 31, 2005)

I am using the Beemax hives exclusively now. I am 25 miles north of Toronto so we get a pretty good winter here. Last year I used the DE hive. You can see it here:
http://www.beeworks.com/cdncatalogue/details/bee_hives.asp 
This hive has an excellent ventilation system. And I will add an inner cover to the Beemax that has is thick plywood with 1) a slot cut in to allow an upper entrance, and 2) some holes near the middle of the plywood to use a small feeder in the winter. See it here:
http://www.beeworks.com/cdncatalogue/details/rapid_feeder.asp 
Additional holes in the inner cover with screens will add more insulation.
I will use one extra super above the inner cover
that will give similar ventilation to the DE hive, which is an excellent system. Too bad the DE hive is incompatible with the rest of the world. It has some good ideas

Last winter I wrapped the DE hives with styrofoam and they fed readily all winter from the upper feeder in all but the very coldest days and in April there were many more bees than in October.

So I hope the Beemax will give me good insulation, winter and summer. In the winter I will close some of the upper vents with corks to help keep them warm and control condensation this way.

I don't think much of the screened bottom they offer. I am using the V hive stand that is excellent to keep ants etc out but the screened bottom in is is too small and it has a hopper like shape that the bees fill with burr come. A real problem is you want to re-arrange frames. I am still looking for the ideal bottom/stand combo.

Pretty happy with the Beemax hives. Glueing them up takes about 10 minutes each and you need to clean up the Urethane glue as it will foam out of the joints as it cures ... then paint them just like wood.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[ September 22, 2006, 07:24 AM: Message edited by: brent.roberts ]


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

When they were first introduced Betterbee said they didn't need to be glued, but did sell urethane glue for those who felt better about gluing them. I only have two full-size BeeMax hive bodies and one BeeMax super that I bought when they first came out. None of them have been glued and they've held together great.

[ September 23, 2006, 12:35 AM: Message edited by: Dick Allen ]


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have four of them. I glued them with exterior wood glue. They've held together fine so far. Mine are mediums. I bought them to try to overwinter small hives. The small hives didn't handle the condensation in them very well. I made a solid bottom board and it was always wet.

I haven't put a full sized hive in them.


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

Eric

Somewhat off topic but do you leave the SBB's open all winter?


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## ekrouse (Aug 26, 2004)

Hi Carl, Brent & Berkey...

Answers to your questions:

1) Carl. Yes the red sumac seed heads are the wild variety. I just clip off a bunch during the summer and let them dry in the sun so they don't get moldy in the bucket in which I store them. Here's link to pictures 

http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/sumac_staghorn/sumac_staghorn.html

2) Brent. I agree with you. I don't like the BeeMax SBB. the opening is too small. I make wood bottom boards with the hardware cloth the size of the hive inside dimensions (except for a couple of inches at the front for the landing board. One thing I started doing with the wood SBB that I copied from the BeeMax SSB is that the entrance is only 3/8" high, not the typical 3/4". I believe it helps the bees guard the entrance and makes it more difficult for mice and other creatures to enter.

3) David. Yes I leave them open all winter here in Central New York. The location of my bee yard is on the side of a hill, but in a bowl so it is somewhat sheltered from the worst of the winds. Also, I use trays about 3" under the SBB year round mostly to act as a baffle against direct winds. The trays are 14" x 18" so there is about 1" all the way around for air circulation through the ventilated top box (which is filled with hay to act as a top baffle). All hives sit on 16" high open stands.


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## Mabe (Mar 22, 2005)

Very happy with Beemax. No longer use wood. Glue stamp sized pieces of cork or formica chips to corners of inside of cover for airspace to eliminate condensation. We leave SBBs open all the time. We wrap in winter with breathable black landscape fabric. Very strong build up in spring. All hives made it through last winter.


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

Good info thanks guys!


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## brent.roberts (Dec 31, 2005)

Ekrouse
Last year I used the DE and with it wrapped I also had condesation problems. I have just made the inside cover board mentioned above and put it on.

I had been using the V-systems plastic bases and decided they are cute but otherwise useless.

I put the Beemax on screened bottom boards called Apinovar. 
http://www.reineschapleau.wd1.net 
This site also has some good information on the Flash method of mite treatment.

I put these bottoms on bricks. 

They fit the Beemax just fine and have a full size screen bottom. A falling mite has nowhere to land but on the screen and hopefully fall through. I made an small bar to plug the bottom entrance when it's cold enough for them to stop flying. There are small cracks around the top of the tray to provide enough air flow in winter. The attic I made is a medium Beemax super. Used a 1" hole saw on a 45 deg angle to make a more or less weatherproof vent hole - actually 4 or them, stapled screens to the inside.

Feeling pretty good about how this will work. I'll take some pictures in a few days and post them.

[ October 03, 2006, 09:10 PM: Message edited by: brent.roberts ]


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

Can anyone tell me what the dimensions are on a Beemax bottom board? ....the overall width, length, and thickness. I was considering making a hive stand for one,...I've ordered a hive but haven't received it, so I don't know the measurements yet. Thanks!


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## brent.roberts (Dec 31, 2005)

Denny
the outside dimensions bottom of the Beemax SBB are 23 11/16 x 20 3/16

the width all around is 1"

I have 3 nearly new ones up for grabs. Probably not worth the cost to package and ship to the USA

Correction ... got 4 of them.
Got a few of the VIZ plastic bottoms to get rid of too. I'm not recommending either of these though.

[ October 11, 2006, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: brent.roberts ]


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

Brent,....thanks for the measurement of the Beemax SBB. I've made some cedar SBBs for 3 hives, and they're similar to the Apinovar ones you use. I couldn't find any pricing for the SBBs in that Apinovar site,...are they selling them through dealers perhaps? I wondered what that little overhang ,or tray, is on one side of it.

Will you use your Rapid Feeder in the medium Beemax attic super? A candy board might be a good idea in there,too,...perhaps your inner cover could serve dual purpose.

Sounds like you're working out a good system taking the best ideas from various approaches and combining.


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## brent.roberts (Dec 31, 2005)

Apinorar are sold through FW Jones
www.fwjones.com at $ 25. Canadian. You have to call or fax them. The web site only has a welcome page. Call the Toronto office if you're interested. They speak English.

They are flush down the sides and back and have a landing zone on the front.

The trays can be loaded/unloaded from either side so I think you are looking at a partially extended tray.

Just this week I ordered a couple of the SBBs from Country Rubes. From the write-up I think they are the best thing out there ... at $35 US.

The rapid feeder fits easily in the Beemax medium.
I have 4 vent holes in the corners about 2" daim. I put a 2" on the center line towards the back a bit for the rapid feeder and a square hole about 4 x 4 near the front. I'll put pollen patties on that with a peice of flat stone to press it down.
Did that last year. As they ate it through the screen stapled to the bottom of the inner cover, the patty sunk and the ate the whole thing. That part worked like a charm. I did not have enough ventilation last winter, but got away with it.

This year I'll be able to plug the various holes in the inner cover and the 4 sloped holes in the "attic" to regulate the air flow.

I had a digital oven thermometer ( $19. at Lee Valley) feed into the top of the 2nd brood box, just under the inner cover, with the plug sticking out. Every once in a while I would take the display unit to the hive to see how the inside temp was doing. I was amazed how warm they kept it. About 80 t 85 on all but the coldest days. Bees feeding almost all winter. The guy I got the bees and hive from banned me from his forum for promoting such hypocracy.

[ October 11, 2006, 07:14 PM: Message edited by: brent.roberts ]


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

Brent,...thanks for the link to FWJones.

Yes, the Country Rubes SBB would no doubt work with the Beemax hive, too. I may just stick with the cedar ones I made using this plan...

http://www.beesource.com/plans/ipmbottom.htm 


Now I see , from your more detailed description, how you've designed the inner cover to take a pollen patty AND the rapid feeder, both. Very nice.

Good idea with that digital thermometer! I'll definitely try that.

Thanks for all the details,....this forum is really great!









[ October 11, 2006, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: denny ]


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

hey guys i just got a few of the beemax five frame nucs from better bee they are nice but the bees are really loud in those nucs you can hear them buzzing with out opening the lid. and it looks like they are chewing where the lid meets with the box. all the way around the box not just in spots. maybe are they not getting enough air flow? thanks Nick


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

swarm_trapper,
Yes, I would quess that the bees in your nucs aren't getting enough air. Maybe another hole would be good at the back , towards the top, with #8 screen glued to the inside of it,...so's it'll be just a vent hole. Can you open up the entrance holes more?


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

yea i bought the hive that i had to put the holes in i put in a 5/8 hole maybe is this too small ok ill try the vent hole at the back also. thanks Nick


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

I have a nuc, dial type excluder on the front. It is nice for removals. PRoblem when I dropped a smoker and a fire started, melting and deforming a corner. But it has been great for 4-5 years.


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

This forum,and in particular this topic about the BeeMax hives has caught my interest, so I decided to try and alter a BeeMax bottom board w/varroa screen so that it had a full screen for more accurate mite counts. 

Here's some photos that illustrate the alterations I made,....

Here's the bottom board in vice after making all the cuts & and smoothing with files. The polystyrene is easy to work....

http://i11.tinypic.com/2roqovb.jpg 

I put a cedar framework in (screwed & glued) to strenghten it and provide support for the mite tray,..this is bottom view....

http://i11.tinypic.com/2vb7wj4.jpg 

Here's top view from the rear, before screen was stapled on.....

http://i11.tinypic.com/49ivu43.jpg 

Here's the finished bottom board with mite tray partially slid in. The tray is 1/8" Melamine Tile wall panel from Home Depot....I put the grid of squares on with permanent marker to help do the mite counts.

http://i11.tinypic.com/3ztk9p2.jpg 

I don't think it's cost effective to make this alteration on many BeeMax bottom boards, but I have a small colony of feral bees that I cut out of a building about 3 weeks ago, and picked up a BeeMax hive to winter them in. I wanted to get a good idea of their varroa mite condition,so this is how I altered the bottom board. Turns out they have a very low mite count.









I'm now in the process of making a feeder board along the lines of Brent's description of his (above), which I thought was a great idea, allowing for Rapid Feeder and pollen patty through the same board. I'm going to use a 1" extruded polystyrene insulation board for the board itself,...with the BeeMax medium super with vent holes over that as an attic. I'll post some photos of the feeding board soon.

Thanks, Brent,...and to all for your great ideas! 

[ October 17, 2006, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: denny ]


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## brent.roberts (Dec 31, 2005)

For those in the north, who want to insulate their hives, the advantage of the beemax hive is obvious.
Elsewhere I had described making a plywood inner cover board with holes and screens for using a Beeworks rapid feed, ventilation, and pollen patty feeding. Above that a medium Beemax super with some sloped holes in the sides and window screen stapled inside, to complete the venting.

I was bothered by the plywood being the coldest part of the whole thing and the only place I want to lose much heat, should be controlled lose for venting to prevent condensation. This weekend the light came on. Take a second top cover and use it as an inner cover. Cut the holes in it for the feeders and vents. Good fit, drier than the plywood at the edges.

Since I started using the plywood inner cover I have been able to plug or open holes for more or less venting and there has been zero condensation.
Night time temps here are running about 32 to 35 Degrees with rain every day, so if we were going to have condensation, we have seen it already.


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

Based on Brent's idea,....here's what I came up with for an inner cover on my one BeeMax hive. I tried two different things.

One is a piece of 1/4" plywood with an outer border of 1" thick polystyrene insulation board. It has a screened square hole for pollen patty feed,and a round hole (which I've since enlarged to 3-1/2 for a quart mason jar). There are four 3/4" corner holes for ventilation.

http://i14.tinypic.com/2pry9n7.jpg 

here's a closeup of the bottom of pollen patty screen, which hangs down to the top bars for easier access for the bees....

http://i14.tinypic.com/2qtli7s.jpg 

and here's the same idea using a complete piece of 1" polystyrene insulation, with an area routed out 1/4" deep to set the rapid feeder on. Outside edge is painted with gold colored exterior latex paint.

http://i13.tinypic.com/2pqkutw.jpg 

Currently the bees seem to prefer the quart mason jar feeder, as they can access it pretty much on the top bars. They don't seem to want to climb up & over the cone of the rapid feeder. So I'm using the plywood inner cover (with 1" polystyrene edge) right now. I have an empty (with vent holes) medium BeeMax super above this which houses the feeder, and perhaps some loose insulating material (wool such as Boris uses) could be added in there, too.

[ October 28, 2006, 02:04 PM: Message edited by: denny ]


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## Mabe (Mar 22, 2005)

This summer we experimented with using custom made window screens as inner covers with the Beemax hives (We had a lot of extra material left over from apartment maintenance supplies). They were great! Ventilation was excellent, and you can peek into the hives anytime you wanted without veil, etc. Each screen has 1/8" thick spacers glued to the corners on the top to elevate the telescoping cover to allow air flow through and out the top of the hive. 

We also bore 3/4" holes in the front of each box. Close them when desired with pipe insulation foam. 

"Tarheit" sells a great ventilating/insulating inner cover that he will build to fit Beemax. I'm going to try some for winter and will let you know how they do. 

Mabe


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## brent.roberts (Dec 31, 2005)

Nice work Denny. One of the concerns I have is that any divider board, inner cover or whatever that I have put into a hive, and that has a rim around the outside, increases the bee space on top of the frames and that leads to more comb building where I don't want it. I try to keep mine flush with the top of the super it sits on. Let us know how this works out with yours.


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

Thanks Brent,...and yes, I can see what your concern is about the possibility of the bees building burr comb if there's any more than "beespace" on the topbars. I'll let you know if they build burr comb up there over the winter.

One way to have made it with the 1/4" plywood being flush with the bottom of the polystyrene rim, would be to glue the plywood into a 1/4" deep by 1/2" wide rabet around the inside/bottom edge of the polystyrene rim,....then it would be flush with the top of the hive body which it sits on. Maybe the next one I'll make that way.


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