Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: ShaneJ on September 24, 2012, 05:00:58 am

Title: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: ShaneJ on September 24, 2012, 05:00:58 am
This is a question for you aussie guys, Where do you get your supers?

I have tried a few different brands over the last week and have found the depths of them vary considerably.

Our supers should be 241mm deep but none of the supers I have tried have actually been this size. The closest I have found is 245 and and the worst being 255. I have been cutting them down on the table saw but this adds to much work for my liking.
So is anyone actually supplying them the correct size?

Thanks
Title: Re: Where do you but your supers?
Post by: bernsad on September 24, 2012, 06:51:18 am
Bloody hell, I've got to go measure now, you've got me wondering. Curse you ShaneJ
Title: Re: Where do you but your supers?
Post by: bernsad on September 24, 2012, 06:55:24 am
Well the one I measured sitting in the garage was 243. I didn't bother going to disturb the hives and besides, it's dark. I'm not going to quibble about the 2 mm if the bees don't. :-D
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: ShaneJ on September 24, 2012, 07:48:17 am
243 isn't to bad. 245mm and you started to get a lot of comb built between the top and bottom box. What brand are your supers?
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: bernsad on September 24, 2012, 07:55:33 am
Don't know I'm afraid, just what I get from the local supplier.
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: Mek on September 25, 2012, 06:40:06 am
I got mine from quality beekeeping supplies but they are only rebated butt joints 244mm
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: Rooky25 on September 26, 2012, 05:56:48 am
I use Apairycotts, (Terry) a commercial bee keeper & supplier,

He is also a wealth of knowledge,

He is based at Mt Nebo brisbane north
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: ShaneJ on September 26, 2012, 06:35:04 am
I dont think I have heard of him. Whats his prices like?
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: Lone on September 26, 2012, 10:26:51 am
I haven't measured my supers recently Shane, but I got worried one time when dozens of bees were squashed between the bottom of the frames and excluder, so added a bit more height.  A bit of propolis doesn't worry me and sometimes I think the bees don't care as much for bee space as we do.

Mind you, my older bottom boxes have an extra 2 inches of height to fit in the first guilfoyle traps I got, and I end up occasionally hacking away at the mainly drone comb.  That doesn't bother me either.  I am just happy and grateful to have bees.

I'm not sure where my supplier gets the supers from, but we've ordered a few professionally made ones recently instead of having to try and fit everything together using 19mm pine which is all we can get here.  I guess I can find out the brand and I guess also it will be queensland made.

Lone
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: ShaneJ on September 26, 2012, 07:14:37 pm
That extra comb between the boxes may not bother you now, but when you get to 15 - 20 hives that time it takes to remove the comb sure adds up  :(
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: Lone on September 28, 2012, 11:07:50 am
 :thunder:  I thought I was going to stop at 10....


Why do you need to remove the propolis between the boxes? Does it make the frames too hard to take out?

Lone
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: ShaneJ on September 28, 2012, 07:29:12 pm
My goal was 10 by the end of the year but thats kinda blown out  :-\

Its not propolis between the boxes, its comb full of honey. If you don't remove it, when reinserting the frames in the top box you squash lots of bees.

Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: AllenF on September 28, 2012, 08:54:22 pm
Use smoke to drive the bees out of the way.
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: ShaneJ on September 28, 2012, 10:57:44 pm
Use smoke to drive the bees out of the way.

My hives are to strong and populated to move the bees with a bit of smoke  :(
Title: Re: Where do you buy your supers?
Post by: prestonpaul on September 30, 2012, 05:00:47 am
I get mine from Redpaths in Melbourne. Theirs are Aliance brand from New Zealand and are 244mm.