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Author Topic: horizontal lang  (Read 4773 times)

Offline mushmushi

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horizontal lang
« on: August 09, 2011, 03:47:03 pm »
Hello,

I'm thinking of building an horizontal lang box however I would like to feedback from people who already have them.

The goal: cut down on supplies cost and make it easier to manage the hive.

The box would hold ~20 deep frames and allow supers on half of it.

One normal, 3/4" plywood bottom board, mostly for winter/spring.

Top consists of 2 migratory covers, one having an entrance.

Screen bottom board for the summer/autumn (for formic acid treatments).

No inner cover.

Issues that might arise:

* Overwintering in cold climates:  Perhaps exterior r10 insulation would help ?
* Too much ventilation because of the SBB ?
*  :?

Cheers

Offline BlueBee

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2011, 04:00:51 pm »
I’ve pondered trying a long here in Michigan too, but have not tried one yet.  

I figured with R10 insulation you could certainly keep them warm in the winter.  I was kind of thinking about an inverted triangle shaped box and use 1.5 deep lang frames in the middle for brood and deeps or mediums around that for honey.  The extra deeps in the middle might give the bees the feeling of a more vertical nest?

I will be watching the advice come in as well….

Online Michael Bush

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2011, 12:22:41 am »
The issues are the same as a TBH.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeshorizontalhives.htm

>* Overwintering in cold climates:  Perhaps exterior r10 insulation would help ?
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm#winter


>* Too much ventilation because of the SBB ?
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm#SBB
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm#ventilation
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 mushmushi

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2011, 09:50:09 am »

Your website is the first I checked before asking the questions ;)

Michael, since you wrote that you have a few, are they easier to work it than the normal lang ?

If you were to start over again, would you start with horizontal ones ?


Offline caticind

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2011, 12:22:33 pm »
Thanks to MB's site, I started experimenting with horizontal Langs very early in my beekeeping exp, and now I don't use anything else.  I didn't waste much on vertical-Lang-specific equipment, but I would definitely say that horizontal ones are not so difficult that people shouldn't get started with them.

I think they are vastly easier to work than stacked Langs.  Less weight, more flexibility in management.

Here in a hot climate (temps never below freezing for more than a few days) the SBB (mine is fully screened and never closed) is an asset.  It might not be so in a colder climate.  Good idea to plan to be able to close it up.
The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

Online Michael Bush

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2011, 01:13:28 am »
>Michael, since you wrote that you have a few, are they easier to work it than the normal lang ?

Less lifting which you could consider less work, but more frequent manipulation as the space is more constant and therefore has to be managed more.  If it was in my backyard, I'd consider less work.  If it was in an outyard I would consider it more work.

>If you were to start over again, would you start with horizontal ones ?

Probably not.  I have too many outyards and being able to pile on supers at the right time and therefore need to harvest only once and pull them off at one time is a great benefit in an outyard.  I will continue to keep a few just for the ongoing experiment and saving some lifting.
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 marktrl

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2011, 12:46:53 am »
I started keeping bees this year and I built all of my wooden ware.  I started with the standard Langstroth 2 deeps and 3 mediums. I then came across Micheal Bush's site and built 2 deep horizontal hives for my splits. They are 48" long and use a standard deep frame.I divided the inter cover into 3 pieces that are basically 3 standard inter covers. I did this for easier access to the section of the hive I need access to. The top cover of the 1st one, I made in 3 pieces again so I wouldn't have to uncover the whole hive to access it. The 2nd hive I made a one piece cover which I like better. I also mounted legs on them so they are at counter top height much (easier on the back). I can interchange frames with all my hives. Where as if I built KTBH I wouldn't be able to do this. I don't kill as many bees moving boxes around but if I need to I can put a super on if I the bees need more space. I'll post pictures when I can.

Mark

Offline mushmushi

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2011, 11:45:07 am »
Mark, please do post pictures when you'll have them.

What joints did you use to build it ?


Why do you like the one piece cover better than the 3 pieces ? What happens if you want to super with the one piece ?

Offline marktrl

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2011, 08:55:53 am »
Mushmushi,

On the 1st hive I built I just used a rabbit joint as I was pressed for time but on the 2nd one I made a box joint jig and will use that from now on .
As far as the tops go, I was experimenting to see which I would like better and so for the jury is still out on that one until the hives build up more.

Mark

Offline SEEYA

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2012, 09:34:21 am »
I started keeping bees this year and I built all of my wooden ware.  I started with the standard Langstroth 2 deeps and 3 mediums. I then came across Micheal Bush's site and built 2 deep horizontal hives for my splits. They are 48" long and use a standard deep frame.I divided the inter cover into 3 pieces that are basically 3 standard inter covers. I did this for easier access to the section of the hive I need access to. The top cover of the 1st one, I made in 3 pieces again so I wouldn't have to uncover the whole hive to access it. The 2nd hive I made a one piece cover which I like better. I also mounted legs on them so they are at counter top height much (easier on the back). I can interchange frames with all my hives. Where as if I built KTBH I wouldn't be able to do this. I don't kill as many bees moving boxes around but if I need to I can put a super on if I the bees need more space. I'll post pictures when I can.

Mark

Mark:
How did they turn out?
My bees arrive in about 5 weeks and I am trying to decide (no small task) what to put on my long langs. Do your covers allow the bees to access the tops of the frames? I thought about just using, three Telescoping covers, but worried about the propolis. If you super them, how do you keep the rain water from running, down the side of the super and, into the hive?

Opinions ANYBODY  :?
Thanks in advance!
« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 11:22:20 pm by ray »
Live long and prosper!

Offline ORoedel

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Re: horizontal lang
« Reply #10 on: March 27, 2012, 09:47:47 pm »
I made a JUMBO21 for testing. It´s made of two LS hives, joined together, which gives space for 21 frames.
Also made it greater, changed from 24cm to 28,6cm.

Have some fotos on http://facebook.com/​oliver.roedel
i couldn´t upload them here...

 

anything