# U or W pallet clips?



## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

Think "ants". U clips leave just enough room between the boxes to allow those nasty little buggers in between and they will eat away at your boxes, not to mention cause you problems if you plan to truck you bees to the almonds. With the W clip you have room between them that will allow for no ants and air flow on the truck.

If you are wanting to give them a little extra insulation for winter, half inch blue DOW board can slide down between them for winter and removed when you need to prior to movement.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

I use U clips and have no ants or rot in between. The gap in W collects all sorts of debris.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

The answer to this depends on where you run the bees. Been on pallets 22 years now and this issue comes up all the time. Seems like the biggest issue is the issue of "Rot" between boxes in wetter climates. With u clips you will have a higher propensity to get rot "in the middles". If you are running California and Colorado I think either would suit you well on the rot question. Even though we use W clips I agree with the comment about less garbage collecting in the gap on U's. That extra half an inch will also keep equipment from sliding when they are not "glued" together well.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Our bees sit on pallets with U clips. A couple things I've noticed this year (first year using pallets) is I found ants in between some of the boxes. Just so happened these particular hives were full of honey and very strong. The other thing I noticed is the one gallon feeders we keep in the hives, some of them were plum full of water. I have a fealing the rain ran off the lid of the neighbouring hive and poured into the other. We haven't had to much rain but it did pour hard one time. Id like to find a tarp cover that could lip over the migratory lids and cover the whole pallet.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

beesohappy said:


> The other thing I noticed is the one gallon feeders we keep in the hives, some of them were plum full of water. I have a fealing the rain ran off the lid of the neighbouring hive and poured into the other.


Simple solution. Put the feeder one frame a half inch away from the wall or just put one frame on the outside of the feeder and the other 7-8 on the other side... 1.F,2,3,4,5,6,7,and (8) if they are new or you want them tighter than a ...........)


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I like the way the U clips press the boxes together as they are pushed into the clip. It holds the brood boxes tight on the pallet. 

But disadvantages are ants, termites in older boxes.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Honey-4-All said:


> Simple solution. Put the feeder one frame a half inch away from the wall or just put one frame on the outside of the feeder and the other 7-8 on the other side... 1.F,2,3,4,5,6,7,and (8) if they are new or you want them tighter than a ...........)


I've been considering running 8 frames and a gallon feeder in my 10 frame boxes. Is this what your suggesting as well?


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

I have been using W clips but I also have 3/4" boxes that I made myself and I really would prefer 7/8" boxes, I can't use the W clip with a 7/8 box, they don't fit properly, my supplier went out to check the W with a 7/8 and you need a hammer to get them in it LOL, so I will be switching over to U clips because they are more universal.
Rot shouldn't be a problem if you have your boxes properly painted or wax dipped.


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

Here's a different spin on pallets. Set up for telescopic covers. 









No rot or ant problems between supers. Cheap clips!!! Can move complete hives from pallet to pallet and yard to yard.

More cost. Wider pallet as add 3 inches and less hives per load. ??Don't know if load is less stable - supers don't touch but telescopic lids do.


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

Thank you everyone for your advice. For I think U clips will fit best for my operation. As it's very dry here along the Front Range of Colorado. 

Thanks, Rich


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

For the folks that use U clips do make width of the pallet 3/4 inches narrower? 

The plans I'm looking at have a 33 inch width.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

I make all mine a smidge over 33. Clips centered. That way the pallets catch on loading drop down and tend to have less "rip" from the overhang of any "fat" boxes. Not all are 16.25 dead on.


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

Thanks Honey-4-All: Saved from another pending mistake!

Thanks, Rich


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Keep in mind not many people do this as far as I know. If your cuts lend to better wood usage if you short the 33 you will shoot yourself in the long run if you cheat on the short side. Pass quickly on a inclination to do so. 

When I mean a smidge I mean between a 16th and 3/64ths. An 1/8 will work but seems to be a little bit more than necessary. With to much "underlap" you provide a little ledge for the rain to run down, sit on and creep in. I prefer to have that ledge than ripping them upwards on a dropdown or ripping some up when pulling out.


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

I noticed on the older pallet plans called for 1/2 rim material. I was looking at using 1x1 and 1x2. Does that work well?


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Not sure what you mean by "rim" material. ???????


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

The wood the hive body sits directly on.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

The bee space on the landing board... AKA the dirt and debris collection area. 

People use everything from 5/16 to 1/2 unless it includes some over the top additions like built in screened bottom boards. 

Best use what fits your needs. Keep in mind that those darn mice and blasted robbers are not a beekeeper best friend when deciding on the opening size.


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

Thanks for the help!


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Mine are U clip 32.3/4. I like to keep things tight. If your strapping front to back the W boxes might shift a bit so if your going to use W make the lids a bit wider than 16.25".


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

I make my pallets 32 1/2 x4' with u clips. Just for fun I made some pallets for the shop bees out of redwood and stainless deck screws.


















every day pallets I dip in asphalt. Every time a pallet comes in it gets rebuilt and redipped. I made enough pallets for 5k hives have not made that goal yet. I cut my plywood a little shy to get 3 decks out of one sheet.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

davidsbees said:


> Just for fun I made some pallets for the shop bees out of redwood and stainless deck screws


I made the same mistake twenty years ago thinking they would "last".

Boy was that a joke.....

They may be pretty rolling off the assembly line but the pretty holes that got knocked in them right quick because of the soft nature of the redwood ruined the facade of the shine quite promptly. 

I ended up with a bunch of acne laden pothole faced hags instead of beauty queens. They might make great show pieces for a bee museum but assembling any more for every day use is NEVER going to happen again on my watch.


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