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Author Topic: Queen Castle  (Read 13555 times)

Offline steveouk

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Queen Castle
« on: November 27, 2008, 01:32:35 am »
I'm thinking of getting a Queen Castle for next year and raising a few of my own queens, Has anyone else used one of these and what sort of results have you had ?

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2008, 11:20:34 am »
I build a bunch of similar things for mating nucs.  I think they are awesome.  You can split up a hive trying to swarm and get a bunch of queens easily.  Just give them each a frame of brood with a queen cell and a frame of honey.  Of course you can also use them to bank some queens, mate some queens, etc.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2008, 06:27:05 pm »
Steve, you'll get a kick out of this.  I googled "queen castle" and you wouldn't believe the things that came up,  :shock: :-X

So....where did you see this, which bee place? 

Michael, is your version of this on your site?  Have an awesome and wonderful life and day, great health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2008, 06:30:49 pm »
>So....where did you see this, which bee place?

Try Brushy Mt and Walter T. Kelley

>Michael, is your version of this on your site?  Have an awesome and wonderful life and day, great health.  Cindi

http://www.bushfarms.com/images/TwoByFourMatingNucs.JPG
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/TwoByFourNuc2.jpg
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenrearing.htm#matingnucs
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Robo

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2008, 07:30:06 pm »
I also built some of my own design, mainly because I'm too cheap (and/or poor) to buy the commercial ones.  So while I was at it,  I built them to my liking.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,16515.0.html


I really do like them a lot.  It is great that they take standard frames so there are so many thing you can do with them.  I also like that come fall,  I can take the last round of queens and make winter nucs.  You just have to keep an eye on them.  They can easily get too strong if there is a good flow,  and they can get equally weak and starve if there is a long stretch of bad weather.

Overall,  I am very pleased with them.

rob...
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Offline steveouk

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2008, 08:06:25 pm »
cindi look at

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/prodinfo.asp?number=687

or robo's post.

It's something i think I'm going to really try and get into next season and a good way to get a colony up and going fast.

i'm not sure if i'm going to have a go at making my own using a standard deep and standard bottom board with the entrance sealed and then drill 4 holes on all 4 sides, or just get the ready made one from brushy

Offline JordanM

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2008, 08:17:31 pm »
I have aquired some of these through a purchase that a made for a load of beekeeping equipment. Mine were all handmade and there was 3 boxes that held 2 frames per space and 1 box that held 3 frames per slot. In the next few years i might try to split a hive and see if i can get some queens out of the deal.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2008, 08:29:20 pm »
I looked at Michael's site, Rob's post, and BrushyMountain.  Very great stuff.  I have a queen castle/manor of sorts, but I don't consider it to be very good.  It has three compartments, and let me tell ya, it is so ding dang heavy that I can barely lift it.  The bottomboard is nailed on, the dividers are made of heavy plywood, eeks!!!  I got it when I got some used bee equipment last summer.  Guess I could use that, but would need a forklift to bring it anywhere, smiling.  Have a great day and life, and health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2008, 09:42:04 pm »
Weight is an issue.  If I were building new ones I'd make an eight frame divided into three with 1/4" luan dividers.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Robo

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2008, 10:19:49 pm »
I use 1/4" Luan for the floor and coroplast for the dividers which helps with weight.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Cindi

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2008, 11:20:39 pm »
I don't think that we have that thing called "Luan" in Canada.  I wonder what else it might go by name for.   Never mind, I think this may have been discussed a long time ago on this forum.  I'll do a search and check it out.  Beautiful day and life, health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline steveouk

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2008, 11:24:25 pm »
its basically plywood, I googled it :-D

Offline Cindi

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2008, 11:27:06 pm »
Steve, oh, that is good of you, thank you.

I did an advanced search in our forum and the first mention of luan came up in April of 2004.  That was a long time ago.  There were members in that thread that I have not even heard of, I wonder where they went and are no longer posting.  That is a sad thing. Oh man, do I ramble.  Anyways, if anyone is interested this is that old, old post, hee, hee.  Have a great and great day, health.  Cindi

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,290.0.html
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2008, 07:30:29 am »
Luan is an exterior glue plywood that comes in 1/4" and is very smooth and hard.  It looks like mahogany.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Cindi

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #14 on: November 28, 2008, 09:34:18 am »
Michael, ta da!!!  OK, I know what that material is now, that described something that I have seen up here perfectly.  No clue what it is called in Canada, but it is tough stuff.  Good to know.  Great day, life and health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Robo

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #15 on: November 28, 2008, 09:37:24 am »
That was a long time ago.  There were members in that thread that I have not even heard of, I wonder where they went and are no longer posting. 
I'm still here ;)
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Cindi

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #16 on: November 28, 2008, 10:02:29 am »
Rob, of course, hee, hee, I noticed that you were posting in that thread  8-) :lol:  beautiful day, life and health, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Carriage House Farm

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #17 on: January 08, 2009, 10:50:02 am »
Here is mine (1 of 4 of them):







The caps are for 1 and 2# honey jars but I am thinking of redoing it to fit pint jars.  They'll fit so long as stagger them.  I've seen some where they use a frame feeder, but to me that is using up valuable space.
Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm

Offline Robo

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #18 on: January 08, 2009, 10:59:22 am »
I like the little doors.  Any problem with them shutting on their own?   

I have some with mason jar lid holes that are staggered end to end.  I try to keep the feeder as far away from the entrance as possible.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Carriage House Farm

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Re: Queen Castle
« Reply #19 on: January 08, 2009, 11:17:00 am »
Just make sure the wood screw is on tight.  You could probably make little shims for them too, or a hinge lock of some sort.  They have never slipped though.  I have only used this once so I cannot say its a problem I may not encounter after repeated use and weather wear.  If it does, I'll let you know.

Small corks or tape would do the job just as well.

Regardless of the design I think its important to A) deal with feeding and B) make sure there is proper ventilation.

This design is a closed bottom.  Thoughts on a SBB set-up?  Or the need for one?
Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm