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Author Topic: Drawer Hive  (Read 7180 times)

Offline specialkayme

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Drawer Hive
« on: January 13, 2009, 04:05:39 pm »
Not really necessary to me, but I thought this was interesting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BEEHIVE-LANGSTROTH-DRAWER-HIVE-BEEKEEPING-HONEY-BEE_W0QQitemZ260345542567QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Farm_Supplies?hash=item260345542567&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Does anyone use or have experience with this? Have good or bad experiences?

To me it seems like a needless complacation, but who knows.

Offline Keith13

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2009, 04:11:44 pm »
just my opinion but I bet you would kill a bunch of bees pulling it out
Plus you might have a problem if your bees propolize everything would make pulling it out tough

Just my initial thoughts

Keith

Offline specialkayme

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2009, 04:20:11 pm »
I don't know exactly, but I imagine that alot of pests could get inbetween the drawer. That, and I can't immagine they would leave that section alone. Either put propolis in there, or bur come to clog it up.

But I'm with you Keith, just my initial thoughts.

I was just wondering if anyone uses, or have used it in the past.

Online Kathyp

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2009, 05:47:15 pm »
a little spendy, but i like the idea.  a little Crisco might keep the parts from being stuck together.  ?  how do you expand the hive?  it might work well as a nuc?
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Offline HAB

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2009, 05:49:42 pm »
Looks like a loser to me! :?
Pests in the voids, dead Bees, $95.00 vs $16.25, and odd exterior size all spell PROBLEMS to me. :(

Offline specialkayme

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2009, 06:10:47 pm »
If you don't mind HAB, I'm going to play devil's advocate for a second.

Assume that there is no gaps or voids for the pests to get into (hard to do, but not impossible).
Assume that you build it yourself for like $25 (possible).

Then do you think the concept is a good idea, or is it still not going to work?

Also, what does the exterior size have to do with possible problems?

Offline Keith13

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2009, 06:13:32 pm »
Not to speak for HAB here but maybe the odd exterior size would prohibit you from stacking standard size equipment on top of this design.

Keith

Offline Jessaboo

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2009, 06:36:21 pm »
I love this idea but I agree with pests and propolis arguments but if it is really "sealed" as it says, I guess they might not be factors.

I think a bigger issue (and having had experience with heavy drawers actually doing this in the past) is tipping. After you pull out the drawer, the "empty" hive frame isn't weighted (or doesn't appear to be) to prevent the whole thing from tipping to the now heavy side. Ouch. For me and the bees.

I guess if this is your bottom deep maybe it would work because the weight of what is above would help counterbalance but I would NOT want to try this alone or as a top deep.

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Offline specialkayme

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2009, 06:41:46 pm »
Good point. My only interest was using it as the bottom deep of a three deep colony. It's always a pain to remove the top two full deeps before I can get into the bottom one. But you probably should always watch the ballance issue.

And I'm not sure that if you had an odd exterior size you wouldn't be able to stack standard sizes on top of it. If the inside size is the same, which I'm assuming roughly that it is, still 10 deep frames fit nicely there, then it would be able to stack anyway. The outside of the irregular and regular hives won't match up, but as long as the inside walls match up you don't have a problem stacking them.

Offline Natalie

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2009, 07:17:34 pm »
I have had some experience with that seller. He seems very nice but there have been times I talked to him about his design on something or other and did not get the answer I needed, each time it has been about his design.
The other thing is that his designs on various things are very new for him and he has had to change them due to problems that he did not foresee and I don't see this thing being any different.
I would wait and see if it becomes new and improved.
Again, I think this seller is on the up and up and is very nice, but I just don't know about this design yet, the concept may change.
I don't think this drawer is necessary and I don't see how bees would not be killed each time the drawer is pulled out and possibly back in as well.
I agree with the initial thoughts from everyone on this, but I understand those who use deeps not wanting to do all that lifting.
The only thing I want to say about the odd size thing, I bought equipment from one dealer and then I bought equipment from another and the other dealer makes their wooden ware thicker than everyone else, I knew that from their website but I didn't think it was a big deal but when I got the supers I did have a little trouble matching them up perfectly. It was just a matter of having to keep moving it around a bunch of times to get it to line up with the others(its not a perfect match but close enough) I already had but still not something I would want to deal with if it was on the bottom and I was holding a heavy deep super and trying to make it fit.
I am not sure if the inside would match up that perfect, I would ask alot of questions.
It sounds like maybe you are considering making one yourself? That may be your best bet if you really want one, that way you know its going to fit perfectly and it will be alot cheaper.

Offline specialkayme

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2009, 07:24:47 pm »
I'm not convinced it's worth the hastle as of just yet, just wondering if anyone had any experience.

And if I planned on using one, I would certainly make it myself. There is no way I'm paying $95 for $20 of wood and some drawer slides, then shipping on top of that.

Just seemed interesting.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2009, 08:23:00 pm »
It seems like a wonderful idea as it would eliminate lifting boxes.  But it seems like it wouldn't work as the 3/4" board I see between the boxes would be a serious violation of beespace which would result in serious burr comb which would make it impossible to open the drawers...
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Offline specialkayme

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2009, 09:36:26 pm »
It's nice to know the beemaster Bush himself likes the initial idea. So, do you think there would be a way to eliminate the 3/4" board between the boxes? Someone much better at design/engineering/carpentry would have to tell me about that one.

Offline Robo

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2009, 09:41:23 pm »
Root sold something similar in in 1964.  The fact that no one has any makes me believe they weren't a big success.  Be interested to hear how Brendan made out with his design.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,8627.0.html
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Offline specialkayme

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2009, 09:53:50 pm »
The 1960's design looked simpler than the ebay one. Very interesting.

There are a million reasons why the design isn't still in use though, and a few of them don't involve it's performance. Economic reasons, propaganda, poor quality, bad marketing, a bankrupt company ..... all reasons why it might still be a good idea.

I just wish someone had actual experience with it.

Offline Robo

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #15 on: January 13, 2009, 10:04:45 pm »
I have no experience with it, but plenty of experience with bees and non moving parts.   The bees will propolize anything and everything, so I can't imagine moving parts staying movable for too long, even if the bee space is kept perfect which is an almost impossible task, especially with pieces that  can easily be moved out of alignment. 
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Offline HAB

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #16 on: January 13, 2009, 10:09:18 pm »
If you don't mind HAB, I'm going to play devil's advocate for a second.

Assume that there is no gaps or voids for the pests to get into (hard to do, but not impossible).
Assume that you build it yourself for like $25 (possible).

Then do you think the concept is a good idea, or is it still not going to work?

Also, what does the exterior size have to do with possible problems?

Size = I was thinking if you only had two (the number for sale) what are you going to use with them for tops, bottom boards, and supers.

Here lifting is a problem.  I'm always looking for a way to avoid that part of the hobby.  The concept sounds like a great idea, if it can be made to work. Would love to here from someone that's actually used a few.  

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2009, 10:24:35 pm »
>So, do you think there would be a way to eliminate the 3/4" board between the boxes?

Probably.  The issue, as someone else pointed out, is also cost.  If you did eliminate it there is the cost.  I've seen something like this for sale on a German web site.  It looked more likely to work right.
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Offline Irwin

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Re: Drawer Hive
« Reply #18 on: January 18, 2009, 10:37:10 am »
Looks like a problem waiting to happen :roll:
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