# U or W clips Pro's and Con's



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

(Searches for words or acronyms of 3 characters or less simply don't work with vBulletin, so one has to improvise. )

I found these by searching for "pallet clips": 
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?306808-U-or-W-pallet-clips
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?219802-Migratory-Pallets
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?306793-Migratory-pallet-questions
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?194141-Hive-orientation-for-4-way-pallet


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> (Searches for words or acronyms of 3 characters or less simply don't work with vBulletin, so one has to improvise. )
> 
> thank you so much for the links. Unfortunately after reading all of that still u vs w is the same for me. Now the 6 way is of interest. Need to figure out how to find some plans to look at. There was a pic that showed them being loaded from the side. Is that the way they all are?


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Stick with the 4 way pallets with the u clips. Like you said easy tying down with 4 straps.

I do not work 6 way pallets, nor do most for all the reasons you mentioned in your other post. 

The way I see it, it boils down to this. Are the savings made during transportation to and from California-Washington worth the extra hassles of handling colonies on 6 way pallets? 

I suppose that you might run into weight issues with the extra hives on the truck after a good almond flow, negating the benefits of being to put extra hives.

If you go with a 6 way pallet you gonna use a w or u clip? lol

Jean-Marc


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

I have not experienced the rotting yet but, I am sure I will. The Ants are not a big issue due to all the water up here but, yes I have found the small ones in my configuration.

I will just stay with the 4 way U clips as you mentioned. I have been making them since I have lots of free ply from my daughters Cheer gym. But, if I was going to buy more I would get them from Shasta Mills in OR they have this coating on them that makes them so strong they are probably bullet proof for sub 40$. It costs me maybe 10 for the 2x and clips to make them myself. Time is the issue but, still a savings.


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Buy the bullet proof ones for $40,with a coating to make them last years. I still have my first ones I made in 2000. They have some nasty forklift scars but no rot. I got good value out of them and continue to. Now I prefer to spend my time beekeeping and feeding bees, then I usually have good bees to work with. I leave the pallet building to the pros. I figure the time it takes to make a pallet, I can likely make a nuc. The profit from the nuc pays for the fancy pallets. It boils down to a choice of how I want to use my time. Pallet building can be a good winter project, but I prefer travel in warm climates.

Jean-Marc


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

jean-marc said:


> Buy the bullet proof ones for $40,with a coating to make them last years. I still have my first ones I made in 2000. Jean-Marc


They are awesome. He only makes them certain times of year. last time I went through he did not have any so I was forced to make some. But, his are way better then mine. I will be getting another batch later this summer. I really need more.


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## johnny2 (Feb 6, 2017)

I make mine from 1x1/8 hot rolled steel each clip is 6 inch before bending ,I drill a hole for the nail before bending. the cost was $15 for 2 20ft lengths, that gave me 80 clips. not counting the the time to go get the steel it took about an hr and a half to do all of them. I have some w clips and some boxes are thicker so they wont drop in to them (I dont care for that), the manufactured u clip seems too thin and bends easily,that may just be the ones that I have but it is what has happened. what I like about the ones I make is the have the w space for when the pallet is in the yard an can be slid tight for shipping or cold weather


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## ApricotApiaries (Sep 21, 2014)

I started with w-clips because my mentor had u-clips and issues with ants/rot. On the recommendation of another beekeeper, I have been building my lids 1/4 inch wide so they meet in the middle and fill in the space. This way there is no "lean" when I strap them down. I do still have a bunch of narrow lids out there that I am cycling out, but as long as the majority are wide its fine. Works pretty well. 
While I don't have generally have ant issues, once in a while Ill find a family of mice in the space between the hives. And once a year or so I need to clean out the leaves/debris that collects in the space.


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