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Author Topic: slatted bottom rack  (Read 2609 times)

Offline fcderosa

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slatted bottom rack
« on: October 18, 2006, 01:23:31 am »
After listening to all the pros and cons I decided to go with slatted bottom racks.  I inadvertently ordered them from both bushy mountain and betterbee.  While painting I notice from one supplier the slats ran with the frames, from the other supplier the slats ran perpendicular to the frames.   :(     As one came pre-assembled the first thing I did was run back to the directions of the other to figure out how I could have screwed it up.  Well, I didn't.  In something as uniform as a bee colony or the Langstroth hive shouldn't the direction of the slats make a difference?

Any comments or theories? :?

Or is it the difference between a tomato and a tomato. :|
The good life is honey on a Ritz.

Offline Robo

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slatted bottom rack
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2006, 08:55:20 am »
The original design had the slats running perpendicular to the frames and this was the standard for many years.  Then along came varroa and SBB.  The thinking was that the slats running perpendicular to the frames allows for a landing space for falling varroa and will allow them to grab onto passing bees.  By running the slats parallel and under the frames,  mites will fall right to the bottom.    Either design will provide the ventilation/space improvement  that the slatted rack is intended for.


BTW,  the good life is honey on vanilla ice cream :wink:
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Zoot

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slatted bottom rack
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2006, 12:01:45 pm »
A further refinement innovated by one of the forum members here, Brian DuBray, was to replace the traditional square stock used for the actual slats with one inch dowel stock and to run them the entire length of the rack frame (rim to rim). This allows even more bees to comfortably cluster in the rack area while still providing excellent ventilation.

I have been quite happy with my racks (I also used an additional one on each hive above the brood boxes) and feel that they have contributed significantly to my unexpected honey volume this year (1st year for 2 hives) and to the virtual non-existance of varroa in my hives.
I would have posted some pictures by now but my scanner has chosen to be uncooperative.

Offline Michael Bush

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slatted bottom rack
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2006, 09:36:41 pm »
I have a lot of both styles.  I use them all.
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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Offline Brian D. Bray

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slatted bottom rack
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2006, 10:54:35 pm »
Thanks for the toot, Zoot.
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