# I weighed my hives today....not at all what I expected



## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

Wow, that's some kind of winter if you need more than 3 deeps!! Good luck!


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

What did they weigh and what did you expect?


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Hi Brandy, the third deep is for spring buildup, I actually only need 2 deeps for winter here where I live. The hives are averaging between 120 to 150 pounds at this time which is winter weight, I was going to pull the third deeps and extract them this year but it doesn't look like that will happen unless we have a good fall flow, the current weight indicates that I only have 2 deeps of honey and the mediums on top haven't been drawn yet.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Mark, I was hoping that the third deeps had capped honey but the weight indicates that there is only 2 deeps of honey, the 6 hives ranged between 120 and 150 pounds each.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

You have less than two deeps of honey and I would think in your area you could winter on 100 pounds of honey pretty safely.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

WWW said:


> This is a follow up on a thread I started yesterday,


A picture is worth a thousand words...
There is one modification you can do. If you make the angle clip stick out as far as your front entrance does you will not have to make any calculations or fiddle with the pivot point. Assuming the bottom board is supported right out to the front which it does not look like it is. You realize only using a 16 inch span of the block will make it tip over easier?

I am kinda wondering why your stand is so high.


----------



## grozzie2 (Jun 3, 2011)

I had a couple of double deeps weigh in just over 80 last fall, they made the winter, barely. This year I'm going to feed them up to between 100 and 110. I put the scale under one hive in April, it was 72 pounds at the time. I've since added 3 supers for a total of 40 pounds, and it weighs in at 155. You can see the daily (hourly) changes here:-

http://www.rozeware.com/hives

That chart is adjusted for the gear I add, so it's showing that the colony has gained just over 40 pounds since we started, not counting the 40 pounds of supers that went on. Hoping for some nice weather now while the blackberries bloom, so far they haven't put on any weight with the berries, weather has been cool and rainy 

I like the way you've done that scale, may do something similar myself, easy way to get more accurate numbers on a bunch of colonies. The live scale hive gives me a good insight as to wether or not the rest even need to be checked, a quick and easy way to do the rest would be useful.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

WWW said:


> Mark, I was hoping that the third deeps had capped honey but the weight indicates that there is only 2 deeps of honey, the 6 hives ranged between 120 and 150 pounds each.


It's only July 28 here. Seems like the should be plenty of time for your hives to gain weight before goldenrod. Basswood hasn't bloomed here yet. I don't think you should give up hope.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Mark, Yeah the hives are still bringing in nectar but until now I had no way to know how much gain or loss I was experiencing. I don't think we have Basswood in this area but I am sure there are other plants continuing to bloom, I seen a number of bees on Joe Pye weed today and the early Sumac is looking good. Thanks for the encouragement I will hope for the best.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Brian, Yes my blocks are getting really lopsided lately, they have been a concern for me since spring but I wasn't able to do much about the problem due to a vehicle accident that I was in, I received the short end of the stick on that one, it was a T-bone directly into my drivers door which left me missing work for 16 weeks while I healed up from a busted up shoulder, I will get those blocks fixed hopefully by next spring. I like the blocks up high like that because the hives were easier for me to work and the skunks left them alone but with going to a 3 deep brood chamber I will need to consider lowering the hives down to 1 block high and I might just do away with the blocks all together and build a more stable stand system.

I see what you mean about the modified hook, I will have plenty of time ahead to change designs as needed to suit my needs, thanks for all your input.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Brian, I forgot to mention that I realize that I have a bit less than 2 deeps of honey, I guess I could have worded my response a little better.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Grozzie, thanks for the link and I hope your hives pick up and do well. If you did build a weighing scale similar to mine you would not regret it, to inspect those hives would have taken me a number of hours but I was able to determine whether to extract or not in a matter of seconds with the scale. I purchased the scale new from Ebay for $19.95, one of my better investments.


----------



## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

sqkcrk said:


> *It's only July 28 here*. Seems like the should be plenty of time for your hives to gain weight before goldenrod. Basswood hasn't bloomed here yet. I don't think you should give up hope.


It's June 28th here.......I didn't realize that the time difference was that great between NY & KS. 

EDIT...fixed it.


----------



## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Tim KS said:


> It's June 29th here.......I didn't realize that the time difference was that great between NY & KS.


Mark's working' too hard again.


----------



## tomkat (Apr 27, 2014)

Michael where did you get the scale and how much did it cost.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Michael Palmer said:


> Mark's working' too hard again.


You guys a whack. My computer and my cell phone both say June 28. Who am I supposed to believe, you or my clocks?

It's not even July 4th yet, so basswood isn't blooming. Plenty of time between now and asters for a crop of honey to be made.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

tomkat said:


> Michael where did you get the scale and how much did it cost.


Michael? I though WWWs' name was Bill. I have been working too hard.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

WWW said:


> I purchased the scale new from Ebay for $19.95, one of my better investments.


Bill


----------



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

What is the brand name of the scale? Thanks.


----------



## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

grozzie2 said:


> I had a couple of double deeps weigh in just over 80 last fall, they made the winter, barely. This year I'm going to feed them up to between 100 and 110. I put the scale under one hive in April, it was 72 pounds at the time. I've since added 3 supers for a total of 40 pounds, and it weighs in at 155. You can see the daily (hourly) changes here:-
> 
> http://www.rozeware.com/hives


Grozzie2 - nice looking weight data! I'd love to learn how you weigh your hives. Any photos?


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Bee Bliss,
It is a Hanson Viking scale.


----------



## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

grozzie2 said:


> I had a couple of double deeps weigh in just over 80 last fall, they made the winter, barely. This year I'm going to feed them up to between 100 and 110. I put the scale under one hive in April, it was 72 pounds at the time. I've since added 3 supers for a total of 40 pounds, and it weighs in at 155. You can see the daily (hourly) changes here:-
> 
> http://www.rozeware.com/hives
> 
> ...


That weight graph is great. It will be interesting to see if you get other growth peaks later in the tear and if an August dip will occur with a dearth.

Please continue to post this graph as the year progresses.

How did you set that up? Instructions for dummies please...speaking of myself and electronics


----------



## grozzie2 (Jun 3, 2011)

WBVC said:


> Please continue to post this graph as the year progresses.
> 
> How did you set that up? Instructions for dummies please...speaking of myself and electronics


The link I posted earlier in the thread is actually a live link, updated with new graphs twice an hour. To follow it over time, just make a bookmark, and go back to it.

I've had a lot of folks asking me about how to set it up, the 'for dummies' version. As it sits right now, there is no 'for dummies' version, but I'm planning on making that up over the summer / fall. My current setup relies heavily on a bunch of equipment I have here for my business, which most folks wont have kicking around. The scale I'm using is also fairly sensative to temperature, so I've got some complicated math in the system to correct for temperature thru the day, based on a temperature probe set up the same way.

But I will say this, so far we have had some enlightening information come out of that setup. Example, the colony has NEVER gained any weight on a day when the day high temperature was lower than 22C. It has never failed to gain significant weight on a day when the temperature went above 25C. On days when the temps run between 22 and 25 for the day high, graph runs sideways with no significant gain or loss for the most part. Yesterday was a warm day, and it started heading up again, gained back almost all we lost during the last 2 weeks of cool / rain. Today is forecast to be a cooker, and the blackberries are in full bloom, I expect to see a significant gain by the end of the day.

To date, the best day has been in the range of 8lb gain in one day, and much to my surprise, that came a couple days before we saw the first blackberry bloom.

fyi, I did try send a little more info in a pm, but, it tells me your inbox is full and I cant send that till you make some space in there.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

grozzie2 said:


> the colony has NEVER gained any weight on a day when the day high temperature was lower than 22C. It has never failed to gain significant weight on a day when the temperature went above 25C. On days when the temps run between 22 and 25 for the day high, graph runs sideways with no significant gain or loss for the most part. Yesterday was a warm day, and it started heading up again, gained back almost all we lost during the last 2 weeks of cool / rain. Today is forecast to be a cooker, and the blackberries are in full bloom, I expect to see a significant gain by the end of the day.
> 
> To date, the best day has been in the range of 8lb gain in one day, and much to my surprise, that came a couple days before we saw the first blackberry bloom.


grozzie, 
This is a fascinating insight into how temperatures affect the bees, thanks for sharing.


----------



## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

Very nice weight setup..... Really like your design..... Simple and functional......:applause:


----------



## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

Have you weighed them directly to check theory vs. reality?


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Thanks Bob J.

Cg3,
This is the only way I have to weigh the hives at this time, however in an earlier thread that I started, a post was made by "AR Beekeeper" where he stated that he weighed an entire hive and the same hive from the rear and doubled the weight and found only a 1 to 2 pound discrepancy between the two methods. Here is a link to that thread.... http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?300346-Weighing-hives-from-the-back-how-accurate


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Edited due to duplicated post


----------



## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

I understand what you're doing but wondered if maybe you could, say, put a box at a time on a bathroom scale then add it up to check if the theory pans out. I'm a skeptical type when it comes to internet advice.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

cg3;
I have not weighed my hives on a bathroom scale but I do have one, the hives are fairly large w/ 3 deep brood chambers and a super on top, I don't want to open one just for the purpose of weighing it for a comparison. For right now I will take AR Beekeeper at his word, I have no reason to doubt him, however in the future when I do have one of the hives torn apart for inspection I will weigh it with a floor scale just to appease my own curiosity.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

One could always buy a platform scale for each hive and take readings regularly. I bet there are digital platform scales that could be hooked up to link to a computer and minute by minute readings could be recorded. I bet someone is or has already done it.


----------



## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

Maybe a dumb question, but since you are only lifting one side, how do you convert that to total hive weight? Sorry just saw the earlier post.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

WWW said:


> cg3;
> I have not weighed my hives on a bathroom scale but I do have one, the hives are fairly large w/ 3 deep brood chambers and a super on top, I don't want to open one just for the purpose of weighing it for a comparison.


Bill if you want to take the time you could build a lever system using that very same scale. All you have to do in make a sling out of rope or ratchet strap. Use rope to make a loop that attaches where your hands would be and at the bottom of the post that is on the ground. Then take a stick and twist the loop until it picks up the hive. When the weight on the scale stops increasing you have the full max weight of the hive. Have someone else steady the hive. The bottom leg has to straddle the hive or get directly under it.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Brian;
I am trying to picture what you are describing but it is eluding me, I just cannot see it in my mind, however, yes the scale would be capable of weighing the whole hive.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Well I can't draw a picture anymore because I had to get a new computer and the old software went by-by.

If you stand to the side it would have an "H" shape laying on it's side. The top lever would be hinged the bottom would be fixed. On the top lever you have a hook on one end that connects to the sling (strap around the hive). The other end of the lever has the loop of rope that goes straight down to the bottom bar. Do you understand what I mean by placing a stick in the loop of rope and twisting it? It will draw the lever down with great force picking up the hive. I wouldn't spend a lot of money doing this. You only need to do it once or twice to prove to yourself that doubling the weight of what you are doing now is close enough.

Because you have a concrete block stand you will have to straddle that instead of just a single leg laying flat on the ground in the middle of the hive. Picture this: An "H" frame laying on the ground with it's legs on each side of your concrete block stand. Take your rig as it is and fasten it to the cross member making the "H" in the middle. If you try to pick up the whole hive by a ratchet strap around the center of the hive the post will be pulled in towards the hive. So you tie ropes (cables) from the H legs on the ground to the top of the post preventing it from moving in towards the hive. Now can you picture how to tie the loop around the lever and down to the H shape to pull the lever down and raise the hive?


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Brian;
I am seeing what you are saying now however I am not that eager to lift the hive at this time, perhaps someday I might but I have too many other things going on right now. As it stands I am happy with the weight recorded from using the lever and scale on the back side of the hive.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Most people don't even do that so you are way ahead of the game.


----------



## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

hilreal said:


> Maybe a dumb question, but since you are only lifting one side, how do you convert that to total hive weight? Sorry just saw the earlier post.


Assuming equal weight distribution within the hive lifting one side and pivoting it on the back side edge should give you a reading that is half the total weight....


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I wouldn't trust that. When I stand on the bathroom scale on one foot it doesn't read half my weight.


----------



## therub (Mar 15, 2013)

sqkcrk said:


> I wouldn't trust that. When I stand on the bathroom scale on one foot it doesn't read half my weight.


sqkcrk - try standing on a bottom board with one edge on the scale and one edge on the floor. That should be a closer analog.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Mark;
It depends on how far the hive is tilted, if what Bob J is referring is lifting the hive only enough to get a reading on the hanging scale then he would be correct in his statement, however if he is referring to tilting the hive at a 45 degree angle the weight would end up being total weight on a platform scale, same as you standing on one foot.

I think he was most likely referring to a hanging scale.


----------



## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

WWW said:


> however if he is referring to tilting the hive at a 45 degree angle the weight would end up being total weight


If you went a little farther it wouldn't weigh anything at all.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

What about the weight being born by the person holding it so the hive doesn't fall? We had a whole Thread on this. I don't recall how that turned out.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

cg3 said:


> If you went a little farther it wouldn't weigh anything at all.


If using a hanging scale then yes indeed it should register zero when the hive is tilted at a 45 degree angle.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Mark; 
I suppose if the hive was at a fine balance point at a 45 degree angle on top of a platform scale then the amount of pressure needed to hold it there would be very minimal. Michael Palmer uses a platform shipping scale to weigh his hives in this same manor.


----------



## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

WWW said:


> Mark;
> It depends on how far the hive is tilted, if what Bob J is referring is lifting the hive only enough to get a reading on the hanging scale then he would be correct in his statement, however if he is referring to tilting the hive at a 45 degree angle the weight would end up being total weight on a platform scale, same as you standing on one foot.
> 
> I think he was most likely referring to a hanging scale.


Thanks Mark.... That is what I was thinking (just lifting enough to get a reading) and I do have a hanging scale and am strongly considereing a setup like the OP.....;- )


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

WWW said:


> Mark;
> I suppose if the hive was at a fine balance point at a 45 degree angle on top of a platform scale then the amount of pressure needed to hold it there would be very minimal. Michael Palmer uses a platform shipping scale to weigh his hives in this same manor.


I forget, does he weigh both sides? Adds the total and divides by two?


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

He lifts one side of the hive, slides the scale under and then lifts the other side to balance the hive at a 45 degree angle on the scale for a total weight. 

Check out post #7 http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?272498-Beehive-scale


----------



## Belewsboy (Jun 6, 2012)

The lever operated scale is the way to go. I can check both sides of a hive in less than a minute. And rarely does one side weigh the same as the other. I weigh both sides, record and move on to the next hive. Once I'm at my laptop I add both sides together and plot the result on an Excel graph. I find it quite interesting.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> I wouldn't trust that. When I stand on the bathroom scale on one foot it doesn't read half my weight.


Sure it will if you do it right and I suggest that you do it right. It will enlighten you. Borrow someones scale and put one foot on one scale and the other foot on the other. If you get both scales to read the same I will bet you lunch that the number is 1/2 what you weigh. Take me up on it.


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

Here is my two cents. I have a digital scale I bought from Cabalas, if you lift the hive and wait 3 seconds it beeps and the weight is saved. I have four hives. I weighed the hives back first then fromt, so here they are. 1 45.8 f. 44 b. 2 33.2 f 31.1 b, 18.5 f 19.6 b, 39.9 f 40.5 b. hives 1 and 2 were started May 3, hives 3 and 4 on June 7. Most of the bees from the 3 package joined the 4 hive and so one is week and one is strong. I am using SSB and 8 frame mediums. The bottom board, inner cover and telo weigh 10 lbs and each medium with plastic foundation also weigh 10 lbs. This fall how heavy should I aim for my hives to be minus the weight of the equipment to likely survive the winter? I am about 60 miles north of the Michigan Ohio line. Currently, hive one is 39.8 lbs, 2 is 24.5, 3 is 8.1 and 4 is 30.4. By the way hive one has swarmed twice already and is still my best hive. If anyone is interested the scale was $43. and is terriffic.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Thanks Mike;
This information is excellent insight into the 1 to 2 pound weight variance occurring between lifting the hive from the back only and then lifting and weighing the whole hive.

Thanks very much for responding.


----------



## schmism (Feb 7, 2009)

hilreal said:


> Maybe a dumb question, but since you are only lifting one side, how do you convert that to total hive weight? Sorry just saw the earlier post.


It might not be an accurate weight of the hive, but it will be repeatable. if the weight goes from 150 to 200 you know that the hive put on 25% more weight


----------



## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

sqkcrk said:


> I forget, does he weigh both sides? Adds the total and divides by two?


Mark, I never got my invitation to the tailgater party, did send a request. Some of your replies on this post want to send me there.......G.......:lpf:


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

schmism said:


> It might not be an accurate weight of the hive, but it will be repeatable. if the weight goes from 150 to 200 you know that the hive put on 25% more weight


Uh, don't you mean 33% more weight? 50 lbs being one third of 150lbs?


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

biggraham610 said:


> Mark, I never got my invitation to the tailgater party, did send a request. Some of your replies on this post want to send me there.......G.......:lpf:


Try again. As a grandfathered member I don't know how one establishes membership. But people have joined lately. So I know it works.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

MichiganMike said:


> This fall how heavy should I aim for my hives to be minus the weight of the equipment to likely survive the winter? I am about 60 miles north of the Michigan Ohio line.


Mike, Assuming your hives are 10 frame double deeps I would think you would want them to weigh at least 150 pounds each including equipment weight. Perhaps someone from your locality with can chime in here and shed more light on this subject.

If I was as far north as you are and my hives were not at least 150 pounds then I would be feeding syrup through the summer to get them there.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

The weight requirement of a hive is dependent on two things, the size of the hive and the location.

Its would be nice to have a chart of latitudes and volume size of hives with corresponding weights however latitude is only one aspect of location. There is the local climate issue.
I shoot for 100 pounds of honey for my location and they have made it on less. Having too much has not been an issue. It has produced some rip roaring hives in the spring.


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

Brian, when you say 100 lbs of honey I assume that is not total weight and it represents the colony and its stores the wood ware is not included. That sounds like a good first year goal for me and likely would be right at the 150 lbs that Bill suggested. I use only 8 frame mediums as I am getting up there in age, 70 in Oct. and am expecting to winter with 4 boxes on each hive.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Yup same as me, four or five boxes. There may be five boxes on the hive but only 4 are used. With a SBB wide open in the winter they don't use it much until spring expansion. I think they store pollen in the bottom as emergency brood feed and as an insulator in the winter. I could be all wrong, what do I know.


----------



## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

MichiganMike said:


> Here is my two cents. I have a digital scale I bought from Cabalas, if you lift the hive and wait 3 seconds it beeps and the weight is saved. I have four hives. I weighed the hives back first then fromt, so here they are. 1 45.8 f. 44 b. 2 33.2 f 31.1 b, 18.5 f 19.6 b, 39.9 f 40.5 b. hives 1 and 2 were started May 3, hives 3 and 4 on June 7. Most of the bees from the 3 package joined the 4 hive and so one is week and one is strong. I am using SSB and 8 frame mediums. The bottom board, inner cover and telo weigh 10 lbs and each medium with plastic foundation also weigh 10 lbs. This fall how heavy should I aim for my hives to be minus the weight of the equipment to likely survive the winter? I am about 60 miles north of the Michigan Ohio line. Currently, hive one is 39.8 lbs, 2 is 24.5, 3 is 8.1 and 4 is 30.4. By the way hive one has swarmed twice already and is still my best hive. If anyone is interested the scale was $43. and is terriffic.


Is this the scale? Cabelas 330 lb Digital Scale


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

That type of scale would be a lot less bulky for sure, nice.


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

Bob J said:


> Is this the scale? Cabelas 330 lb Digital Scale


Yes, that is the scale. I added a double hook to it and thats all I needed. Used it again today.

Mike


----------



## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

MichiganMike said:


> Yes, that is the scale. I added a double hook to it and thats all I needed. Used it again today.
> 
> Mike


Awesome! Thanks Mike!


----------



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Just kicking this to the top as there are good pictures and suggested weights for wintering hives. That time of year is rolling around! Lots of other good posts to from WWW (Bill in Ohio)


----------



## NonTypicalCPA (Jul 12, 2012)

What are you guys using on the bottom board as a lifting point? My last attempt attached to the face of the bottom board wouldn't handle the weight and pulled out.


----------



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

I set the bottom board on a couple of thin pieces of wood leaving enough space to slip the hook under the side of the bottom board. The bottom board rails are usually strong enough for this.


----------



## NonTypicalCPA (Jul 12, 2012)

Thanks, I will try that.


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

I made a short two minute video of how I use my scale, here is the link. https://youtu.be/kdyYdDIogZ8


----------



## JeronimoJC (Jul 21, 2016)

MMike, that's fairly easy. If the distance from the lifting location to the pivot point was the exact same distance on both sides then your numbers would be exactly the same. In that case, you would only need to lift from one side and multiply times two. 

Another thought was to use springs under the box and compare deflections from week to week. You'd have to use wedges when you are all done. Mike's method is simple enough though.


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

JeronimoJC said:


> MMike, that's fairly easy. If the distance from the lifting location to the pivot point was the exact same distance on both sides then your numbers would be exactly the same. In that case, you would only need to lift from one side and multiply times two.
> 
> Another thought was to use springs under the box and compare deflections from week to week. You'd have to use wedges when you are all done. Mike's method is simple enough though.


My goal is to track the change and get a reasonable estimate of stores. Absolute accuracy is not necessary. If I go into winter with an indicated weight of 180 and in April the hive weighs 130 I can assume it used about 50 lbs of stores. It works for me.


----------



## NonTypicalCPA (Jul 12, 2012)

Thanks for the video.


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

JeronimoJC said:


> MMike, that's fairly easy. If the distance from the lifting location to the pivot point was the exact same distance on both sides then your numbers would be exactly the same. In that case, you would only need to lift from one side and multiply times two.


I am not sure I agree, my observations indicate that weight is not equally distributed across combs and weighing both sides is the most accurate. Others may do what they wish I merely am showing one why to weigh hives, take it for what it is worth.


----------



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

MichiganMike said:


> I am not sure I agree, my observations indicate that weight is not equally distributed across combs and weighing both sides is the most accurate. Others may do what they wish I merely am showing one why to weigh hives, take it for what it is worth.


Yes! I have seen ten pounds difference side to side; back to front can have even more difference. Average the two weights for better accuracy.

If you happened to weigh the lighter side only and doubled that figure you would come up with a twenty pound discrepancy compared to the estimated weight you would get by doubling the weight of only the heavier side of a hive.


----------



## JeronimoJC (Jul 21, 2016)

Ah, I didn't think of the weight not being equally distributed. Nice catch! In this case you are mostly correct. The only inaccuracy in your calcs is due to the longer leverage arm on one side. This is likely a minor thing though. This is also a non-issue if you are only using readings for comparative purposes.



crofter said:


> Yes! I have seen ten pounds difference side to side; back to front can have even more difference. Average the two weights for better accuracy.


Don't average the weights though. You need to add them. Again, if the distance from the pick point to the pivot point in each measurement is the same then you'll get a more accurate number. You can certainly average the side to side total with the front to back total. Maybe this is what you meant.


----------



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

JeronimoJC said:


> Ah, I didn't think of the weight not being equally distributed. Nice catch! In this case you are mostly correct. The only inaccuracy in your calcs is due to the longer leverage arm on one side. This is likely a minor thing though. This is also a non-issue if you are only using readings for comparative purposes.
> 
> Don't average the weights though. You need to add them. Again, if the distance from the pick point to the pivot point in each measurement is the same then you'll get a more accurate number. You can certainly average the side to side total with the front to back total. Maybe this is what you meant.


Averaging was a slip of the tongue. You missed the point about the weigh not being equally distributed in a hive, yet are going on about the very minor discrepancy that would result from difference in leverage arm. Mine was hardly a calculation. I am not surprised at Michigan Mike's response post #74.


----------



## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

Acebird said:


> You have less than two deeps of honey and I would think in your area you could winter on 100 pounds of honey pretty safely.


Something to remember he's weight all of the wood ware as well as the wax. I weight my hives the same as Mike Palmer with the outer cover off. I used two deeps and 1 medium. 150 - 160 pounds.
(This is 10 frame equipment) Remember I want to leave clustering space for the bees. On your drawn comb ..You can read about this in "The Hive & Honey Bee" a book by LL langstroth . I am in central New England. Southeastern Vermont maybe a half mile to Yankee nuclear



BEE HAPPY Jim 134


----------



## JeronimoJC (Jul 21, 2016)

Sorry to see this bothers you Frank. I admitted I didn't consider the weight being unequequally distributed in my earlier post. I did getter point, but perhaps you missed it (post 76 first sentence). As for the "minor" discrepancy I also pointed it out as minor. 

Cheers!

Update: Someone kindly pointed out another oversight on my part. I had to watch Mike's video again and noticed his leverage arm is the same length in both lifts. My bad, please disregard my leverage arm non-sense.


----------

