# Rossman hives don't stack up!



## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Help! I feel like an idiot. I can't even get the hives to stack right. I'm going to be a terrible mother!

I bought from Rossman: stand, screened bottom board, hive bodies, inner cover, telescoping cover. I know I've put everything together correctly. It's not rocket science and, anyway, each component looks like the picture. 

But when I go to stack them, it just doesn't work. Because of the slant (landing zone?) on the stand, the bottom board hangs off the back by about an inch and a half, which means so do all the bodies. It looks great from the front, but I thought it would be flush in the back, like pictures in books. I can't tell for sure from the pictures of complete hives at Rossmans, but it does look like they are flush in back. I'm concerned about this big gap in the rear where bees could enter.

Any suggestions? 

ETA: In the pictures I can find, where the hives are actually in use, it seems the stand has simply been dispensed with. Which is what I guess I will do, since the hives will be elevated making the stand kind of useless. (I didn't think of that before I bought it!)


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

the bottom board should be flush with the boxes in the back.

the "slant" should extend in front of the boxes (like a tongue sticking out). the slanted landing board is not necessary.

deknow


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Hey Deb,

The bottom board sits on the slanted portion and the back of the hive should line up with the bottom board. So it goes from the bottom up...slanted board, bottom board, first hive body...etc.


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Yes, the bottom board itself is flush with the boxes, So the bees couldn't enter the into the hive from the back.

But the bottom board and the boxes, when sitting on the stand, stick out in back, rather than being flush in back with the stand. I can see it wouldn't hurt anything from the bees' standpoint if the whole thing is on an 18" stand (but then why use the stand, eh?). But if the hive was actually sitting on the ground then I can see the bees might enter in the back and wonder where to go from there.

It's just that I wondered if there's some reason for it I should know about. And, frankly, it's not as pleasing to my eye as it would be if it were flush. I guess it's just that there doesn't seem to be any reason for it except...it's a poor job??


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Are we allowed to post pictures?


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

debraC,

Yes...

Put it on Photobucket or another server and link to it.


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Okay....


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Keep it a medium/modest size or it will be removed.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

it should look something like this:


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Stand









Stand and bottom board









Stand, bottom board, super


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Front view









Back view


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

Ooopsie! See the slanted board on the end? You are going to have to unnail it, turn it around and reattach it.  There shouldn't be that triangular space between the bottom board and the edge of the slanted board. That's what is "pushing" the bottom board away from being flush with the back side.  I only had a short glimpse of the photos though, before you deleted them for editing. The size looked fine to me.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

...your slanted landing board is on backwards.

deknow


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Okay, thanks guys! Guess it _is_ rocket science. Ha ha. Or at least...I'd like to think that rather than the alternative (that I really _am_ an idiot!)


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Heeeeeyyyy. It works! Unfortunately, so does the wood glue. But at least I see how it works now, and I get get a new front board. :doh:

I hope I've given you all your laugh for the day.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

If you're wondering about that space between the bottom board and the stand in the back, some bottoms have that, some don't [I think most do] That is for those beekeepers that flip them over and turn them around for winter, usually. The side rails on three sides are narrower and that gives a smaller entrance then. Not many beeks bother to do that anymore, I don't think.

If you think it's going to be a *major *problem to get the slanted board removed, [if you used glue also] you may have to cut it some how so that the top edge will be flush against the edge of the bottom board.

I don't have my woodenware handy to see if that would work though!! Don't take my word for that!!

Good luck!


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Thanks. I wasn't able to remove them without breaking one of them. I thought about just cutting at the top, but my skills with power tools don't extend that far. I know someone who will cut a new front board for me (I can't do that, either).

Well...I've learned so much. Mostly how to post pictures. Not so sure I've improved my hive building skills, though.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

Oldbee said:


> If you're wondering about that space between the bottom board and the stand in the back, some bottoms have that, some don't [I think most do] That is for those beekeepers that flip them over and turn them around for winter, usually. The side rails on three sides are narrower and that gives a smaller entrance then. Not many beeks bother to do that anymore, I don't think.


OT (but worth noting), on the surface, one might think that the smaller entrance is for winter, and the larger for summer.

On the contrary. The smaller entrance maintains proper bee space, so if the bees don't build comb on the bottom bars of the bottom box of frames.

In the winter, the bees are unlikely to be building comb on the bottom bars, and the smaller entrance is more prone to clogging with dead bees...so the larger entrance is used.

I agree, very few beekeepers I know bother changing the orientation of the bottom board.

deknow


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## PCM (Sep 18, 2007)

debraC said:


> Thanks. I wasn't able to remove them without breaking one of them. I thought about just cutting at the top, but my skills with power tools don't extend that far. I know someone who will cut a new front board for me (I can't do that, either).
> 
> Well...I've learned so much. Mostly how to post pictures. Not so sure I've improved my hive building skills, though.


t:

Your Smart;

I can put hives together, but for the life of me can't figure out how to down size pictures [reduce] from photo-bucket !!

PCM


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I always wondered why there was so much space at the bottom board.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

Good point deknow. I have notice that the bees build bridge comb, or ladder comb in this case. Fortunately the bottom box is not too often moved or switched around in summer. At least I don't.

debraC: After looking at the first photos again, [page one] I noticed it is a screened bottom board , so that space in the back must be so that a debris or sticky board can be manipulated from the back rather than the "busy" front entrance. I have some SBB but haven't used them yet :doh:. I think they have a metal rail to hold the debris board though. [I don't have Rossman woodenware]


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## kbfarms (Jan 28, 2010)

never mind


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Oldbee said:


> After looking at the first photos again, [page one] I noticed it is a screened bottom board , so that space in the back must be so that a debris or sticky board can be manipulated from the back rather than the "busy" front entrance.


I think you're right. Now I remember seeing an option of a small hive beetle trap that goes under the screened bottom board and is accessed from the back of the hive. I didn't get one.


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

PCM;595002 said:


> from photo-bucket !!
> 
> PCM


Arrow on pic, click edit/resize, adjust size, click save. Do 1 pic at a time


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## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

Debra

There is another solution to this problem. Dont use the stand. You really dont need it. If you are going to put hive on the ground you can just put it on blocks or something. Just thought Id mention it. I instead use two cinder blocks and 4x4x8 posts for a stand.


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## bbbthingmaker (Sep 26, 2010)

debraC, Everybody makes mistakes. Smart people admit it and ask for help. If you lived closer I would cut another piece and fix this for you. For a carpenter type person it would be no big deal. Maybe you have a friend that does woodworking? 
Good luck.
Dave


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Chunk the stand, or I can make and send you a new one if you want the stand.


mike


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

WI-beek said:


> Dont use the stand.


What's in the picture is like what I decided, but I didn't think of it until after I bought them. Now that I have them, I kind of want to use them. I'm nothing if not stubborn!  But in the end I'll probably ditch 'em.

They do make the hives look so cute and homey, though.


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

bbbthingmaker said:


> If you lived closer I would cut another piece and fix this for you. For a carpenter type person it would be no big deal. Maybe you have a friend that does woodworking?


Aw, thanks! I work with a lady whose husband will likely be happy to cut the piece for me. Even if I don't use the stand, I hate that it's now broken so I'll probably fix it just on principle.


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## debraC (Mar 9, 2010)

Kingfisher Apiaries said:


> Chunk the stand, or I can make and send you a new one if you want the stand.


Thanks so much. I have options, so I'm good to go!

I do appreciate how very helpful everyone has been. And not one 'LOL!' among you! So kind!


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

I could type a LOL if you want! 
On beesource, the only stupid question is the one that you do not ask!!!

Mike


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Some are made to have it stick out on the back so you can heft the hive to see if it's heavy enough for winter... the bees won't care.


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