# My observation hive, best design? I think so.



## ToeOfDog

How much does it weigh right now? How much do you expect it to weight when it is drawn out? My future one will be upstairs


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## wvbeeguy

Look good, keep us posted as bees work it, thanks


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## rv10flyer

Better than watching a big screen! Looking good. Show us some bees bringing in all that pollen, next week anyway.


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## Tim KS

How is all those frames going to slid when the bees begin to stick propolis in every crack & crevice? :scratch:


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## I'llbeedan

I have five 4X4 side by side Observations that are similar. the spacing's are a bit different but they all do a nice job. 

Tim, as long as there is space toraise the frames a bit. getting them out is never a problem.


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## Michael Bush

I would not want to carry it outside to work it... and I like a one frame thick hive so I can see what's happening.


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## rookie2531

Michael Bush said:


> I would not want to carry it outside to work it... and I like a one frame thick hive so I can see what's happening.


That's the very best thing about this design. I never have to carry it outside. I can grab one frame at a time and take it outside. Any frame I want and never not one bee escape inside the house


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## rookie2531

Toe, I don't know exactly how much empty, but guess about 20-30 lb. And guess somewhere around 100-125 if full, but it doesn't matter because the most I will be carrying is one frame. The whole hive will stay permanent and I will only take one frame module out at a time. 

WV, will do.

Rv, yes as cold weather hit us this week. And way better than t.v

Tim, you are correct. And that is something that I wonder about too and will keep everyone up to date as it grows and glues.


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## Harley Craig

tha't pretty slick! Cute kid LOL!


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## rookie2531

--copied


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## Specialkayme

At work, so I couldn't watch the video with sound. Also didn't have a spare 30 min to watch all of it, so had to spot check a few spots here or there.

Neat design, but from personal experience sliding mechanisms in an observation hive usually don't work out too well. If you keep everything coated with Vaseline, it helps considerably though.

I'll have to take your word on how bee proof all of those mechanisms are. I sure wouldn't want to try it out myself.


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## rv10flyer

Specialkayme said:


> If you keep everything coated with Vaseline, it helps considerably though.
> 
> I'll have to take your word on how bee proof all of those mechanisms are. I sure wouldn't want to try it out myself.


Well that should make for good coversation and laughs in the DCA this year,"Hey, where did find that stuff?"


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## humm

I've thought about building something similar myself. I see so many positives in the design, and it seems workable, but I see it being a bit problematic with the bees gluing the sections together. Maybe a narrow slide should be kept in the slots between sections to keep the gap plugged up so the bees won't be as apt to fill the gap in. If the slides had a flange you could get a hold of with piers to pull them out without too much trouble, I think that might work. Trying to get sections apart by prying up would not work so well once they get stacked high and heavy.

Another problem I see with the 1 frame width and the fixed glass is that it looks like cleaning the glass would be tough with the space being so narrow between them. Anybody see that as much of a hassle?

I like it though. I want to try it myself. I would like to try both a 1 frame width and a 3 or 4 frame.


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## Specialkayme

humm said:


> Another problem I see with the 1 frame width and the fixed glass is that it looks like cleaning the glass would be tough with the space being so narrow between them. Anybody see that as much of a hassle?


I guess it depends on the material. If he's using actual glass, it wouldn't be hard to stick a scraper down in there to scrape the sides. But then again, glass usually isn't the preferred method of construction in an observation hive due to breakage and weight issues. If he's using lexan, I think it would be very difficult (if not impossible) to clean. 

Personally, I had 1/4" safety glass cut for my observation hive. A little bit on the expensive side, but it cleans like glass and is as secure as lexan. Down side is weight. 

Ultimately, Pick your poison. 

Mine, for those interested 

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv54/JustinWKay/IMG_20110131_073224.jpg

And how I built it: http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=30161.0


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## rookie2531

That was an awesome thread to read kayme! Looks great. I like the lazy Susan design, but felt mine was too tall to add it, plus with everything else going on, during my build, sometimes wondered if all the extra work involved was worth it compared to the free design build on this site. But after its done, I think it was.

There are only a few joints that are glued. Everything else comes apart and is replaceable, including the panels. I used plexi because of cost and ease of cutting myself. If they become scratched up and unclear, I can easily slide them out and slide new ones in.
I also made extras so I won't have to have a frame of bees waiting for me to repair their house. Lol

Humm, time will tell on the cracks getting full of prop. (And already thinking of Vaseline as kayme mentioned) As far as the bottom frame being heavy from all the others stacked on it. It doesn't work that way, that's why the cracks are there. Each frame rest it's weight on the hive support bracket and the only weight the bottom one has on it is the weight of that one frame inside it. Hope that makes sense.


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## rookie2531

Harley Craig said:


> tha't pretty slick! Cute kid LOL!


Thank you.


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## humm

As far as the bottom frame being heavy from all the others stacked on it. It doesn't work that way said:


> Yeah, I caught that, I was just commenting that they couldn't be pried apart. Is there anything you would do different?
> 
> Did you finally get the new bees to get accepted?
> 
> Nice job, by the way, and I hope you make some more videos for us.


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## rookie2531

humm said:


> Yeah, I caught that, I was just commenting that they couldn't be pried apart. Is there anything you would do different?
> 
> Did you finally get the new bees to get accepted?
> 
> Nice job, by the way, and I hope you make some more videos for us.


Oh, sorry. I do now think you understand more than I gave you credit.

New bees are not accepting her and have made 1 Queen cell. I have been sliding the screen open and letting about 20 bees in to her every few hours. They are old winter bees that have spent a lot of time with their old Queen and I think that is making them more stubborn. I posted a video update on my Facebook page, but Facebook won't allow me to copy paste it. YouTube from now on. I will post another update when I kill the cell.

Thanks, I hope I don't stat neglect to hives in the yard due to watching this thing full time.lol


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## Graperunner

when I kill the cell.
[/QUOTE said:


> If the nuc that you used was struggling why not kill the queen and save the cell?


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## rookie2531

Graperunner said:


> If the nuc that you used was struggling why not kill the queen and save the cell?


Queen struggled because I gave her zero resources last summer. She is the only survivor of a very harsh experiment. Plus, even if I wanted to keep the cell, I can't. There are zero drones in my local.


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## rookie2531

I made a mini hive to take to meetings and farmers market and who knows, maybe kids school.


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## humm

How much space did you go with between the glass?


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