# slatted bottom rack?



## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Usually people put their first post in the "Welcome Forum," but since your first post is here let me start off by saying: Welcome to the site!

I like how your post is in the form of a letter, very original.

I don't have any photos to share with you, because I don't have any slatted bottom racks. Why do you want to build some?

Personally, I just view them as another item to break/replace and another cost that can be eliminated.


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## Michael1964 (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi, Specialkayme, 
I had been studying hive design and thought that it would be a good idea to try the slatted bottom rack with the screen bottom board in every effort to be successful with bee keeping. I wanted to make sure that any new IPM or improvements that are found to be helpful, I at the least wanted to plan for.

I know that the slatted bottom rack is not a requirement, but I have the time and wood to correct


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Might I ask if this is your first year beekeeping?

I don't ask condescendingly, I'm just trying to make sure that I give you the best advice possible. The more I keep bees, the more I think it's all about KISS. The more things I add on, the more possibilities I give the bees for something to go wrong.

Something to keep in mind, not to discourage you in the least, but just make sure you read up about it, and are sure that it's the direction you want to take it. If you have a dozen hives and you want to try one slated bottom rack to experiment with, that's one thing. If you have only one hive and you try it, the results could be totally different. I don't want you to get discouraged and quit this fantastic hobby too soon.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I built some last winter to try this year - 










Mine are basically just a very shallow hive body with the slats laying in the frame recess. Of course you could fasten them in if you wanted to.

I've only used them since this spring so I don't have any first hand experience with how they work over the winter - but they clearly reduce bearding. More of the bees hang out inside under the rack instead of on the outside of the hive. It pretty much eliminates the building of burr comb on the bottom board too. I don't consider it an essential piece of equipment though. Yet.

On the other hand,* if* an $8 slatted rack ever prevented a single swarm (and the subsequent loss of a spring honey crop for that hive) in it's entire useful life it would more than pay for itself.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Let me start off by saying I've never used them, so take whatever I say from there. 

But I wouldn't exactly say that it STOPS bearding, it just moves it inside the hive. Instead of bearding on the outside, you built a box for them to beard in.

I don't see how it could prevent swarming personally. Nothing has changed, just giving them extra room to cluster. I can throw a dozen medium bodies on to a hive, and eventually they still will swarm. But then again, I've never used them 

David - those supers look like they are made out of plywood, correct? What type of plywood? How do you like them?


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

Slatted rack: yet another useless something somebody invented and nobody needs 

Okay; the concept of the slatted rack was this: It was added to the bottom of the hive and in the summer it gives the bees that would normally have to beard out side the hive a place to hang out in the hive that was not comb, but also not space that comb could be drawn. Some how that is supposed to reduce swarming. So it really isn't reducing bearding, it is just keeping the bees inside where you can't see the beard. Those bees are still not on the combs and not being productive.

Its second use is for wintering. It puts additional space at the bottom of the hivebody, moving the cluster upwards, if only slightly, and acts as a baffle, of sorts, to reduce drafts on the cluster. A more effective means to accomplish this end is to add and empty honey super below your hive body. Just make sure to have mouse guards on the entrance.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Michael1964 asked for pictures, I had pictures.

I don't know how you can say if they reduce swarming or not - how can you tell if a swarm was prevented? In the spring though when it is still cool enough that the bees crowd in instead of hanging out the theory is that it reduces crowding in the brood nest. Who knows? I'll say this - a box of empty foundation on the bottom of the stack reduces bearding too - and would probably have at least as much effect on spring swarming as a slatted rack. I don't like to keep too much drawn comb on right now because it gives the beetles too many hiding places.

Anyway - they *are* plywood boxes - it's 23/32 BC exterior grade which costs a big chunk of $30 a sheet. I get about 7 boxes (8 frame mediums) from a sheet so about $4.50 per. They are dovetail jointed on account of I have a dovetail jig. They are very strong, a little heavy and so far the ones that I have that are 3 years old look like new - except dirty. I don't think they are as thermally efficient as solid wood, and they tend to get some mold in late winter. But I've never lost a hive over winter so I don't guess it matters. I haven't had any significant problem with delamination, or swelling and of course no splitting or knot holes. I have some that are far uglier made out of advantech too. I have a few made out of baltic birch plywood also - that's the Rolls Royce of hive material there - heavy, pretty, solid as a rock. Way too expensive, but I had scraps. It seems to be completely impervious to weather.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

we use the slatted rack style used by killion (honey in the comb) he felt it was a valuable tool to reduce swarming. I use this basic design with a screen center on the bottom. cleats are added to fit on a pallet of my design. a 2 inch entrance is used for cluster space. the late norm sharp of ny used this same design years ago without the screen. one time a loaded truck broke down on way to cranberry pollination in mass. the bees were on the truck with a screen for two days in hot weather before being repaired. no bees were lost and he gave credit to this bottom board. as always 10 beekeeper will give 10 different answers to the same question.


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## ShaneVBS (Aug 22, 2011)

build more hives and get more bees. I dont know anyone that uses them. And i never understood the purpose. It just adds more for them to crawl around to get to supers, I feel it slows them down a little. I have yet to hear someone ask for them in store also.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

David LaFerney said:


> Anyway - they *are* plywood boxes - it's 23/32 BC exterior grade which costs a big chunk of $30 a sheet. I get about 7 boxes (8 frame mediums) from a sheet so about $4.50 per. They are dovetail jointed on account of I have a dovetail jig. They are very strong, a little heavy and so far the ones that I have that are 3 years old look like new - except dirty. I don't think they are as thermally efficient as solid wood, and they tend to get some mold in late winter. But I've never lost a hive over winter so I don't guess it matters. I haven't had any significant problem with delamination, or swelling and of course no splitting or knot holes. I have some that are far uglier made out of advantech too. I have a few made out of baltic birch plywood also - that's the Rolls Royce of hive material there - heavy, pretty, solid as a rock. Way too expensive, but I had scraps. It seems to be completely impervious to weather.


I've been looking at plywood in an attempt to make some mating nucs and some regular nucs. I've come to the conclusion that I don't know squat about plywood, and got very confused at all of the different types.

So would you say 23/32 BC exterior grade is what I should get?


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Brushy mountain sells an un-assembled one for about $12. It might pay to buy one to see how they are made.
Here's a link to the photo 
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/10-Frame-Slatted-Rack/productinfo/672/


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## Michael1964 (Aug 4, 2011)

Hello, Bee Source Forum, 

Thank you all that have read the post and replied. 

Dear, David LaFerney,
Thank you so very much for the photos. So very much appreciated. Looks to me like these slats are just pretty thin strips. It looks like the ones that BrushMT sells maybe has a 3/4 or 3/8s strip. Just based on the photos...

Dan, Thank you, I was tempted to order one just to see how they were made, but I think I almost have it. "i think".. I am pretty sure I will order one of the top hive feeders to get the idea on those. I am sure I can make one similar to theirs. Which I have some questions on these top feeders as well, but I will hold off on those until I get ready to start construction on them....

Here is one question I am just dying to ask. I was looking at a top hive feeder at a local beekeeping store. Well it appears that the inside (tank) of the feeder is sealed with silicone. That does not seem to be a good idea... Would you use silicone or beeswax to seal these things?


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## StevenG (Mar 27, 2009)

Michael,
Regarding the feeders, use parrafin, it's cheaper than beeswax. Test them. If they leak, then use silicone around the seams. Or, buy the black plastic feeder inserts, and make your own feeder boxes using them.
At any rate, have fun, and welcome to the forum!
Regards,
Steven


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## PCM (Sep 18, 2007)

Here is a couple of pictures of my combination SBB & slatted rack;

I am a ACTUAL USER of these on all 8 of my hives, I like them !!





Course everybody do their own thing !

PCM


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Specialkayme said:


> So would you say 23/32 BC exterior grade is what I should get?


Yes it's probably the best option that is widely available.


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

I have used slatted racks with #8 hardware cloth on the bottom as a bottom board on some hive with top entrances this year. They have worked fine so far. I plan to leave the bottom open for the winter but put a skirt around the bottom to create dead airspace under the hive.

Tom


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