# Winter's Here to Stay



## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

We had 5" in November, but it soon melted away. With more than a foot this week, and cold temperatures predicted, looks like winter is here to stay.














So now it's time to take it easy and do some work in the wood shop. Bought in 2000 bd. ft. of industrial grade pine for making nuc supers. 4-500 more should do it for now.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Mike, do you still plan to use a divided deep on the bottom, and 2 nuc supers above, or are you going in the direction of paired separate boxes pushed together with a common bottom board and outer cover?
I envy your dust extractor. I don't have one and carry my saw outside and cut in the fresh air. Today is meant to be in the 40's I am going to cut boards. It is a darn site better than cutting in the 0's!


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## TalonRedding (Jul 19, 2013)

I wish we had that kind of snowfall down here......enjoy the winter while it lasts.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Adrian Quiney WI said:


> Mike, do you still plan to use a divided deep on the bottom, and 2 nuc supers above, or are you going in the direction of paired separate boxes pushed together with a common bottom board and outer cover?


Yes, still the same. Just more supers for the strongest. The nucs I make in June always build up early and have to be adjusted a couple of times...and especially during that hot/humid couple of weeks in August. Rather than remove drawn combs full of nectar/honey and adding comb or foundation, I will move those full combs up and add another super. Removing full combs and replacing with foundation or comb has always worked well, but lately I've been so short on help that getting to the nucs in a timely manner has been difficult. Keeping them in 3 stories and the brood factories in 4 will fit better with my available time.


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## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

Mike,

I had to chuckle when I read you last post! Time management with those stacked nucs can be a real issue. I have come to the realization that it is more realistic for me to just give them another box when needed rather than managing them on a frame by frame basis.

Enjoy the snow!


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Not to be nasty but...It has been freezing every night here, but my bees are flying every afternoon. 

On a kinder note. I am making nuc supers for the 1st time this year. Don't know if I will double up the bottom nucs but some friends have asked me to put hives in they garden areas this year. I don't really have enough bees to give them established hives so I will make splits and put them out. They will be easier to carry as well.


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## Rube63 (Jun 28, 2010)

Michael Here is my knock off of your 3x6 breeder queen box. I was thinking of doing a divided 4 frame brood box with the excluder on both sides of the divider so the two sides of the box could move from side to side and the double excluders would keep the queens from getting to close to each other. Your thoughts please. Ron
View attachment 14847


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## Rube63 (Jun 28, 2010)

Second picture didn't get added


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Don't know what to think. You mean a double excluder division board between two nucs? I've not found it necessary. I don't think it will be an issue until one side wants to make a new queen...and then they often fail at it. 

The breeder box looks like it will work okay...is there a bee space violation on the far side of the excluder division board?


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

CO has had an unusually warm and dry fall. It looks like winter is setting in now The bees were flying strong yesterday, even at the higher elevation hives. 32 degrees and snowing now. On to equipment after the Holidays. Until then it's frame assembly and a couple of pallets.


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## Eduardo Gomes (Nov 10, 2014)

Rube63 said:


> Michael Here is my knock off of your 3x6 breeder queen box.


What is the thread where I can see more information on this subject? The advanced search gives me many threads. Thank you!


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## Rube63 (Jun 28, 2010)

It's on you tube and its called more cell building by Michael.


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## Rube63 (Jun 28, 2010)

On the far side it would be 3/4 inch. I see what you mean that they would build comb in that area. If I put excluder on the other side that would prevent that. The reason I did it that way is I couldn't see how the metal excluder was installed on the video.


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## Eduardo Gomes (Nov 10, 2014)

Rube63 said:


> It's on you tube and its called more cell building by Michael.


Thank you Rube63. Come me some good ideas to use this technique without having to buy different sized boxes to produce queens in a horizontal system. The beehive entrance can be wide open? If not which side should be closed? Thank you!


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## Rube63 (Jun 28, 2010)

The side the queen is in should be closed. here is what the bottom board looks like.


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