# Top Cover Design



## concrete-bees (Jun 20, 2009)

yeah you are seeing right - most comm are are just plywood maybe with a cleat but its just one more part that gets broke or missing also the flat plywood tops dont hang up on pallets when loading etc

as for the inner cover they serve a great perpose 

1. they hold a dead air space that helps keep hive cool in summer and warm in winter - a lot like your attic 

2. they have a hole that works great for feeding (pail style) 

3 they work with bee exits (if you have a day to wait) most want faster results 

4. they are great for a feeding board for dry sugar

and last on my list but should be first is ....

if you use Tele cover you MUST use it with a inner cover or you might not ever get the lit off !!!!!!! haha ive broke a lid before due to pitch that brought home

the tele cover are great for wet areas - there is less chance of getting a stream of water inside 

down fall is that they dont work with 4 way pallets and take up space on the truck - you want a tight load and the teles leave 1 1/2" space between the bodies - (room to shift) 

one plus of the tele is that they dont warp like the flat plywood does 

well that should put a lit on my post reply!!!


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## NDnewbeek (Jul 4, 2008)

It looks like you live in Utah. This means that you have 'winter'. You should consider an inner cover and a telescoping outer cover. I have had good luck overwintering with this inner cover design:

http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/all-season-inner-cover-p-232.html

This year, I have modified the design to fit side-by-side nucs that I will try to overwinter.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Here is one more reason why we like to keep the covers simple:

We can cut 12, yes 12, covers for a 10 framer out of one sheet of 4' X 8' plywood.

Estimated cost / cover = say $ 24.00/sheet
24.00/12 = $ 2.00/ cover
The covers are easier to stack for transit compared to other designs.

Ernie


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## ACBEES (Mar 13, 2009)

Ernie-

Do you use any cleats on your plywood covers? What thickness of plywood do you use?


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

My 8-frame covers look like this: Covers made from cheap fence boards


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

ACBEES said:


> Ernie-
> 
> Do you use any cleats on your plywood covers?
> 
> ...


You can also use OSB if you want to cut the cost/cover.
Ernie


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Joseph Clemens said:


> My 8-frame covers look like this: Covers made from cheap fence boards


Nice 3D images.
Ernie


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

dbart said:


> Trying to find a good inexpensive design for a top cover. When looking at pics of hives sitting in the almond fields, many look like they have nothing more than a plywood square for the top cover. Do the commercial beekeepers even mess around with a inner cover, or will the simple plywood top suffice? Please let me know if you have any good ideas.


Used Pallet Co. located in Fresno does a lot of business selling 4 way pallets and covers to beekeepers that are in the valley for pollination. Nothing better than a haul back loaded with their made to order pallets and covers.
They are also very cost effective.
Ernie


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Joseph Clemens said:


> My 8-frame covers look like this: Covers made from cheap fence boards


Shall we tell them that we can cut 14 of the 8 frame covers out of a sheet of plywood?
Ernie


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## fafrd (Aug 22, 2009)

BEES4U said:


> Here is one more reason why we like to keep the covers simple:
> 
> We can cut 12, yes 12, covers for a 10 framer out of one sheet of 4' X 8' plywood.
> 
> Ernie


Ernie (and others),

one thing has always puzzled about the simple plywood cover and the migratory cover - don't they violate beespace?

The top of my frame bars is 3/16" below the top edge of my supers, and the inner cover that came with my telescoping cover has a lip that adds another 3/16" of space before the lower surface of the cover over the frames (resulting in 3/8" space total), but the migratory cover that I have is flat with no lip (as the oher migratory covers I have seen and the simple plywood cover I believe you are describing.

I have not used my migratory cover except for short-term manipulations because it seems like it leaves only 3/16" of space and will result in a grreat deal of burr comb between the top of the frame bars and the bottom of the cover if I leave it on for any period of time - what am I missing here:scratch:?

thanks,

-fafrd


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## fish_stix (May 17, 2009)

Could be that the bees don't build burr comb if they can't get to the space to build it!! I use the plywood tops and have had zero problem with burr comb on the lids.


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## concrete-bees (Jun 20, 2009)

i really dont think that they need the space above the frames 
if you think of wild bees in a box - they start the comb from the top and head down - leaving no space to crawl above - 

just something to think about - 

but the inner cover gives you a little more space for patties and such 

some of my mig. tops i have put a 3/16ths " shim rim - on the edge this gives them the room 

ive not seen any real difference in them - 

but they do put a little burr on the inner cover - but not worth writing home about


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I build all my supers with the frames flush/even with the top edge of the supers, my covers have built-in 3/8" rims for bee space above the frames, they may not have this configuration in a natural hive, but it sure makes it easier to feed.


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Good morning guys, as a hobbyist I like the telescoping covers and especially the design by Honeyrunapiaries. I have modified them some as the sides are around five inches high. The insulation is covered with 14" plywood on both sides and the bottom plywood is 3/8" up from the bottom edge to allow for a slotted upper entrance on a narrow end about 3/8" x 3". I also rotate the boxes for winter and summer use, although I put cleats over most of the ventilation holes for winter. For winter use there is just one 3/4" hole on one end and sloped to give them an upper entrance during the winter. The telescoping covers have 1x2 frames all around and then are covered with a galvanized telecoping cover over the wood. Here one can us plywood or whatever. One of the things that I like to do on the bottom of the telescoping covers is to run a Kerf on the table saw before assembly to give it a drip edge. I have been thinking that if I will have to make several the next time, I will cut them from wider boards with the Miter Lock and then rip them to size. This should be quick and simple to assemble and last forever. Oh well, thats just me, I'll do things the hardest way I can think of and that keeps me away from the "Stupid Box". Take care and have fun


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Here are mine:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm#make


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## dbart (Mar 6, 2010)

Thanks to all who have responded. Another thing I've noticed in the pollination pictures is hives with plywood covers with a feeder on top. That means, of course, that there is a hole in the top of the cover. So do the commercial ops carry two covers per hive; one with a feeder hole and one without, or do they just block the hole when done feeding?


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

dbart said:


> ... or do they just block the hole when done feeding?


Block it. I've seen an ingenious method posted of using an electrical junction box cover that pivots on a corner screw.


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## Jim Stevens (Jan 15, 2007)

I use plywood.
We get a lot of rain up in the great north West, so they will need a good coat of paint.









Jim


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

As a small scale beek, covers tic me off.

My tin topped masonry board with pine sides telescoping tops have worked well but easily cost 18 bucks.

I have an all cypress tung & groove no tin telescoping top that I sealed with caulk. Six bucks less. It swelled lifted and pushed out the end.

I have an 8 buck cypress tung & groove migratory top. Let the middle panel float thinking it would swell sealed. No, leaked and molded on the bottom side. Now I have a piece of 4 mil plastic stapled on the bottom.

I like the look of natural wood and am too lazy to paint and plywood needs it. Maybe I should try brown paint.

Each part of a hive IMHO is priced right considering the retail cost of material and the time it takes to make a standard hive, but when you add it up, for a guy who wants a little fun while getting one of nature's best ready made foods, the local farm market looks attractive.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Search previous threads. We discussed migratory covers awhile back. 
Kingfisher


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## Comoesq (Nov 14, 2009)

Any idea where one can purchase the metal that is on the telescoping covers? It seems that it might be a good idea to add the metal to the plywood covers to extend the life. What do you think?


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

Comoesq said:


> Any idea where one can purchase the metal that is on the telescoping covers?


Betterbee has galvanized cover pans for sale. 10 for $59.95.

Wayne


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

How you going to raise small hive beetles without an inner cover for them to hide with?


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## HoneyBull (Feb 19, 2010)

In the Ducting section (plumbing dept) of Home Depot you can get thin sheets of Galvenized sheet metal for a few bucks.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

waynesgarden said:


> Betterbee has galvanized cover pans for sale. 10 for $59.95.
> Wayne


I just built a few migratory covers for next season. A 1"x10"x10' White Pine board cost $13.80. I can get six 20" boards out of it. Rip three of them down to 7 1/16" and glue each to one of the thicker boards. Use the scrap wood from ripping to make ends for the covers. Bam, you got three migratory covers out of white pine for $4.60 each. A heck of a lot cheaper than the $10 a cover mann lake sells them for.

Still not cheaper than using plywood, but I don't have a truck and transporting a sheet of plywood is a b*tch when you strap it to the roof of your scion and go down the highway. You could have lowes or HD cut it for you, but the workers don't give a crap and I've had them screw up more often then they do it right, so I'd rather just cut it myself.

But if I can get a migratory top for $4.60, why pay $6.00 (plus shipping) to put a galvanized cover on it? I'd be better off riding the migratory cover till it breaks and replacing it. Two migratory covers at $4.60 each is cheaper than one with a galvanized cover.

FWIW if it was the same price (or close to it) I'd go with an inner cover and a telescoping cover. But when inners are running at $8.15 and teles are going for $17.45 (I prefer BM if I was going to do it), that's $25.60 per hive. I can get 5 & 1/2 migratory covers for that price (and save on shipping).


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## delber (Dec 26, 2010)

BEES4U said:


> You can also use OSB if you want to cut the cost/cover.
> 
> Is OSB Ok to use? We have cut offs here at work that we throw away. I thought you cant beat free wood even if it's OSB. Would the chemicals that are used in OSB hurt the bees? :scratch:


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I use OSB when it's free. It doesn't age as well and I don't think it's worth buying for lids. It never seemed to hurt the bees any.


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