# Multipurpose Hive Lid/Base with Top/Bottom entrance



## MattDavey (Dec 16, 2011)

Here is my Multipurpose Hive Lid/Base with Top/Bottom entrance.



 It is a migratory style lid with an entrance so that can be also used as a base.

 The entrance is able to be reduced in width.

 Good insulation.

 A top and bottom entrance is useful for hive ventilation.

 A top and bottom entrance is useful when using a queen excluder.

 Can be used with a horizontal hive.


----------



## Kidbeeyoz (May 8, 2013)

I too have made up combinations that serve both lid and bottom board uses. To me it makes a lot of sense and standardises hive equipment.


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

I also have the combo board. I just used Advantech as the base with 3/4" spacer on the bottom side with a 3" opening. Then if you flip it over and use shims on the other side to provide a top entrance in the front, it's then a comb board. Works great and you've less equipment to store! My favorite "gadget!"


----------



## sunset77 (May 29, 2013)

I love it! It looks great, and works great! Nice!


----------



## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

Do you generally put both entrances to the same side? I would think it would help ventilation if you had one in the front and one in the back.


----------



## Jon B (Apr 24, 2013)

I think it looks great.


----------



## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Nice job Matt.


----------



## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

Similar to mine, just "taller" and not as stackable.


----------



## MattDavey (Dec 16, 2011)

rweakley said:


> Do you generally put both entrances to the same side? I would think it would help ventilation if you had one in the front and one in the back.


Not a problem to have one facing the front the the other the back, just means you work the hive from the side. It would also help with raising queens in the top (with queen excluder in the middle) so that virgin queens do not return into the bottom entrance and kill the old queen.

The extra height is to allow for the entrance. It also means the lid is thicker and has better insulation. Just may make the end of the inside board like a ramp from now on.


----------



## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

This is almost exactly what I use, except my openings are 3, 7/8" holes, which I can close with wine corks. When it's on the bottom, the entrance is on the right, and when on top, the entrance is on the left. This allows me to divide the deeps right down the middle with divider boards so I can have stacked four-frame boxes in pairs. So in one deep, I can have two 4 frame nucs with a lower entrance for one, and an upper entrance for the other.

Adam


----------



## KPeacock (Jan 29, 2013)

well, there is one more thing i have to make. I like this quite a bit!


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

KPeacock said:


> well, there is one more thing i have to make. I like this quite a bit!


True, but it eliminates so much more............


----------



## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

Why did you make it so deep?


----------



## MattDavey (Dec 16, 2011)

julysun said:


> Why did you make it so deep?


Two reasons:
With the shorter rim the entrance reducer had nothing to keep it in place, so when I took the lid off, the reducer would often stay behind or fall off. Also when putting it back on it was too easy to knock it and have it go too far in. So the extra height allows it to have the piece along the front and so it keeps the entrance reducer in place. The board on the inside also stops the reducer from being pushed in too far.

The other is that the lid is thicker, so it provides better insulation. This reduces condensation in the winter and stops the hive from heating up as fast in the summer sun. It is also a bit heavier, so less likely to blow off.


----------



## laketrout (Mar 5, 2013)

Here is a good read , I've read it before and kind of forgot about it , this might be what I'm looking for and worth a try .


JANUARY 28, 2009
Imirie Shim
The imirie Shim is the invention of the late George Imirie to which he attributes much of his success. There are a variety of uses but the most important is to add shims between extracting supers during the honey flow to provide upper entrances. They also add extra ventilation over the winter, more space for patties, mite treatments, or queens. Imirie shims are 3/4 inch thick with an entrance hole. DO NOT USE WITH FOUNDATION WITH THE IMIRIE SHIM. An Imirie Shim is never used anywhere on a colony except in between supers (never in the brood area). Put a Shim between the 1st and 2nd supers and another one between the 3rd and 4th supers; if you cut an additional entrance in the inner cover, the bees will have 3 entrances to use other than the bottom board entrance: 2 Imirie Shims + the entrance cut in the inner cover. This are easily made, see the DIY section for a plan. Also available HERE.

Here's what George himself said:
Proper Use of the Imirie Shim

Ever since my shim was endorsed and put on the commercial market, many users have contacted me by phone, E-mail, or letter asking me for advice about some problem with their beekeeping; and they use their purchase of the shim as a "justification" for contacting me. Let me say LOUD AND PUBLICLY that no one needs any justification to ask me for help with their bee problems provided that they are indeed attempting to UPGRADE their knowledge, and not to argue the merits of the BEST bee, annual or biennial requeening, or the use of Terramycin.

However, I have found that many of these inquirers are using the shim for some purpose that has little to do with its intended purpose and hence my reason for its use; and then I am chastised or insulted that the shim "does not work" or it "makes new problems". The ONLY purpose for the shim is to relieve brood chamber congestion by providing ingress and egress to the SUPER AREA and the shim should only be on a colony when supers are in place! It should NOT BE USED in the BROOD AREA! It should NOT BE USED as an upper entrance in the fall or winter. It should not be used between supers of FOUNDATION (which is far different from DRAWN COMB). The shim should never be in contact with a queen excluder!

The proper use of a shim is as follows: Use with supers of DRAWN COMB only. Put 2 supers over the queen excluder, then add a shim, add a 3rd and a 4th super, then add another shim, add a 5th super, install the inner cover that has an upper entrance made into the edge of it, and top this off with the telescoping cover and a brick..

The shim is 3/4" inch high, and hence its placement is defying the "rules" of BEE SPACE, and bees will build BURR comb on top of frames if the shim is used IMPROPERLY, particularly if it is used in the brood area. If the shim is placed between supers of FOUNDATION, the bees (having no construction blueprints) will build burr comb within the 3/4" inch space of the shim, and "weld" the upper super to the lower super with burr comb as they draw foundation.

Lastly, and this should be very instructional for some readers: If you are using DRAWN COMB in your supers, but you are still getting burr comb built in the shim space, the bees are really trying hard to tell you something, and that is: WE NEED MORE SUPER SPACE! It is hard work, time consuming, and requires a lot of nectar EATING for bees to build comb; and, hence, if your bees have plenty of drawn comb super space for them to temporarily unload lots of nectar for storage until they can ripen it into thick honey, the bees will not trouble themselves to build burr comb in the shim area between supers of empty drawn comb!

I have been using my shim for 30-40 years on all my colonies supered for extracted honey production with little or no burr comb construction; and it materially helps in the two things I designed it to do: Aid in swarm prevention because it relieves brood chamber congestion from forager bees, and increases honey production because foraging bees can enter and leave the colony via the shim entrances directly into the super area faster than using the bottomboard entrance.

Install shims when supers are installed, and remove shims when supers are harvested.

George Imirie Certified EAS Master Beekeeper


----------



## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Beautiful work, and nice concept, Matt. & Thanks for the Imrie Shim synopsis, LT. :thumbsup:


----------



## zhiv9 (Aug 3, 2012)

Don't you get a lot of burr comb with that extra depth?


----------



## MattDavey (Dec 16, 2011)

No burr comb for several years. I use a hive mat on top of the frames, which is just a piece of flexible vinyl.

I have only seen them build comb in the roof once, and it was because they were completely out of space to build comb. It was early swarm season.


----------



## zhiv9 (Aug 3, 2012)

I think it's important to mention that, without the hive mat the cover is way to deep.


----------



## laketrout (Mar 5, 2013)

I've been using quilt box's in the winter with a 2'' deep shim underneath for sugar bricks , the shim also has a 7/16 mouse proof hole ( small enough hopefully that a mouse can't get in ) for ventilation and a entrance, no inner cover needed and they can actually hurt ventilation and trap moisture - thanks to Mike G. for the info on the inner cover , the bee's love to hang out in the shim and I have never noticed any burr comb , I measured temps through the hole a couple times last year in 20 degree temps and the inside of the shim was 60 degree's every time !! I just haven't been happy with my summer set up so thanks for all the good info guys .


----------

