# Multiple Snelgroves In One Stack?



## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Ok,first I will admit that I have become enamoured with the Snelgrove board. I am just thinking ahead on some issues,nothing pressing. I am wondering if anyone is using multiple SBs on one "stack"? If so,curious about why,your motives and goals. J


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Like two queenless boxes one above the other with a division board below each one so you could make two splits? I have thought about a divider in a single deep so two queens could be accommodated but that screws up the selective diversion process to the lower colony. I believe Enjambres tried something along this line but gave up on the idea.


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

That was one of my thoughts Frank. I keep getting stuck on the doors also. The board would have to be re designed with a division as well as sets of doors on each side. I wonder if the division board has a hole with qe covering it if that would allow equalization of the brood chambers so they are basically divided but act as one. I know people run 2 nucs with common supers above with no fighting.
I have a small apiary because it has to be protected by an electric fence. It gets crowded in swarm and split season so I like the space saving aspects of the SB. J


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Fivej said:


> That was one of my thoughts Frank. I keep getting stuck on the doors also. The board would have to be re designed with a division as well as sets of doors on each side. I wonder if the division board has a hole with qe covering it if that would allow equalization of the brood chambers so they are basically divided but act as one. I know people run 2 nucs with common supers above with no fighting.
> I have a small apiary because it has to be protected by an electric fence. It gets crowded in swarm and split season so I like the space saving aspects of the SB. J


Rather than complicating the snelgrove board, why not take several frames with the resulting cells and make them into separate mating nucs. Those will not need the diversion doors as you will want to keep the foragers as they develop. They _could _be placed above the box that was elevated above the Snelgrove board.

To put it another way, you may not need a full featured snelgrove board for cell starting and mating queens. The diversion doors are more for swarm control while maintaining the bottom box strong withdiverted foragers so honey production is not crippled. That would not work so well if the upper box was divided.

Adding more layers above soon makes height issues for someone vertically challenged like me. It is a curse when you want to go down into lower boxes. If you complicate it by say having three or more queens that need separation it is a bit challenging to maintain this as you unstack and restack. If robbing was a threat it could be *very* challenging!

Creating clever complication and handling it well can be quite empowering; or exasperating. I have several such T shirts from having been there.


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Sorry for not responding sooner. I thought I did but apparently something messed up.
So far my ideas have been exasperating and the tall stack and step ladder is getting old.
Thanks for your thoughts. Know if anyone has used the SB on a horizontal hive? J


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## RudyT (Jan 25, 2012)

Snelgrove in his book discusses doing this with a three way division of the upper box.


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Thanks Rudy. I will have to get the book. He has probably done everything I have thought of. J


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