Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: DonMcJr on March 08, 2014, 08:53:05 pm

Title: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: DonMcJr on March 08, 2014, 08:53:05 pm
Ok is it just me doing something wrong or can someone making them at the factory not measure? Every one I have seen has not fit in the Entrance and I have to file down where the red line is ALOT to make it fit.

Then if you want an entrance reducer you have to modify it by cutting it shorter and re added the small opening.

How come they just don't make them the right size and sell a shorter entrance reducer with them?

My bees never seem to use my sugar syrup in the top feeders so I am trying all boardman feeders so I can see them by walking by and easier to change without going in the hives...6 are a lot of darn work to file down...

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.michiganoutdoorsman.com%2FMOPhoto%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10005%2Fnormal_feeders.jpg&hash=2462e943893ab02aad52b6e5afeb8d95b3e04136)
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: barry42001 on March 08, 2014, 09:54:59 pm
well you'll never get the full height of the Boardman feeder in, but there is a slightly lower extension, that I have no issues sliding inside my entrance reducer.

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Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: tefer2 on March 08, 2014, 10:01:32 pm
Don, you may be in for a surprise when the robbing starts and continues with those.
They work great for watering new hives that your starting.
It's when you put sugar syrup into them that the real fun starts.
Your close enough that I could have mailed you a box full.
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: DonMcJr on March 08, 2014, 10:32:18 pm
Yes as I was messing around between posts I realized they do fit in the big opening of the Entrance reducer but that leaves a small opening right next to the feeder and is worse if it gets Robbed...

Here's what I have after filing them down and making shorter reducer's...then small hole is further away from the feeder and might be easier for them to defend robbers. We shall see how it goes...only $24 for the feeders (6) and $4 for the wood for the new reducers...

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.michiganoutdoorsman.com%2FMOPhoto%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10005%2Fnormal_feedersdone.jpg&hash=246fa8e5ad1dde838a64a44e744626a83769aec5)
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: riverbee on March 08, 2014, 11:03:53 pm
wow don, you have more patience than i do, i will chime in on what tefer said:

"Don, you may be in for a surprise when the robbing starts and continues with those.
They work great for watering new hives that your starting.
It's when you put sugar syrup into them that the real fun starts.
Your close enough that I could have mailed you a box full."


i only use boardmans for water as well, and funny i don't have to file them down, i have to figure out how to keep them propped up into the entrance, without tipping over(deep side of a bottom board), and won't fit in my entrance reducers, but some of my bottom boards are older, and most of my e/rs i make myself.

just curious what top feeders were you using that the bees weren't interested in? and also where did you buy your boardmans?
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: LazyBkpr on March 08, 2014, 11:44:25 pm
   I only have the wooden boardmans and they seem to fit fine.  Other than the robbing, the drowning bees and sticky hive floors they seem to work..
   Poke a small hole in the back of them, so if the syrup leaks it will drip out the hole rather than run into your hive.   MOST robbing starts when the syrup runs from the feeder, along the reducer to the opening.. assuming your hives are slightly tilted forward.
   I have a section on fixing the entrance feeder on my site with the things I have done to try to limit the problems if you want to check it out..  You can see the entrance feeders I built, and should be able to make them yourself pretty easily.
   I fed through last summers July to October dearth without robbing issues using the method described there. It will take more testing before I begin to swear by it.  Link under my name. Hope it helps you!
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: DonMcJr on March 09, 2014, 12:27:33 pm
I'll definitely check out your page Lazy...

Riverbee, I have both the plastic with screen top feeders and the brushy mountain wooden with floats. I'm always emptyin them cause they start to ferment and I only fill them an inch or 2 at a time... I really think the clover I have planted (2 acres) for the Deer/Bees gives them all they need... I am switching to these just to be able to monitor the feeding more closely and figure our if they are using it or not...
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: iddee on March 09, 2014, 01:05:05 pm
I just lift the box and slide it in, then let the box rest on it. The resulting crack is minor to non-existent.
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: camero7 on March 09, 2014, 01:52:20 pm
I'm going to try these on my nucs this spring... I figure if I put it on every nuc in the yard robbing won't be a big issue.

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs30.postimg.cc%2F3njaofsil%2Fbee_feeder.jpg&hash=3812c7054273b6bda4f6cfc39e2d9c0681b0de49) (http://postimg.cc/image/3njaofsil/)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/A-S0-10Pcs-Beekeeping-Honey-Entrance-Feeder-Beekeeper-Bee-Keeping-Hive-Tool-/271309187087?ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:US:3160
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: DonMcJr on March 09, 2014, 01:58:08 pm
those are interesting Camero... Where do you get them?
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: camero7 on March 09, 2014, 03:48:34 pm
ebay, just search for bee feeders. They are very cheap and the ones I got came from China.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/A-S0-10Pcs-Beekeeping-Honey-Entrance-Feeder-Beekeeper-Bee-Keeping-Hive-Tool-/271309187087?ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:US:3160
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: litefoot on March 09, 2014, 07:02:26 pm
Don,
I use the boardmans for watering and you're right, they fit with some bottom boards and not others. The Mann Lake BB's seem to have a more narrow gap than others. If you don't use an entrance reducer, you can just put a small 1/4" shim between the top of the feeder and the bottom edge of the deep to keep it level.
Title: Re: Boardman Feeders- Is it just me?
Post by: Bamabww on March 09, 2014, 08:51:04 pm
I just lift the box and slide it in, then let the box rest on it. The resulting crack is minor to non-existent.

That has worked for me as well. I didn't know any better though, just thought that was the way it was supposed to be done.