Telescoping covers

[Zweefer]

I am building some telescoping covers, and have two questions - how important is the extra space around the supers?  With the rest of the scrap material I have to build it, I will be about 1/4" short on the short ends - not a ton, it will still fit over the super (almost flush with the side) but I noticed on the other one I built, and the one I used for a template that there is that bit  of wiggle room...

Also, is there a proper depth for lack of better term the metal should go down the side?

Thanks in advance!

[iddee]

Fitting when the humidity is 40% and fitting when the humidity is 85% may be quite different.
The sheet metal is to protect from water. How much of the side do you want to protect?

[tbonekel]

I'm thinking that it really doesn't matter how much extra space there is. The problem is wind catching it and throwing it off the hive. If you have weight on it, then it should be fine. I have one that is a tighter fit and sometimes it's difficult to get down over the top box. Also if you have a top entrance, then a tighter fit will more likely block the bees from entering and exiting. A larger cover would allow you to slide it back and forth.

[Zweefer]

hmmmm... I really don't want to have to buy  more lumber, but like you said with the humidity changes... I was so happy there would be zero waste for once too    

Maybe I'll finish it and see what happens... Of course then it will get stuck when I need into the super ASAP...

Anyone know how much they can swell (rough estimate?)

[G3farms]

I build mine to be at least 1/2" to 3/4" larger than a hive body. I have one that fits too tight, will catch the inner cover and pull it off every time, very difficult to work with.

My inner covers have notches in them for upper entrances and ventilation, like tbone said, slide forward to open and back to close.

Not to worried about the wind here, have a fair wind break in some trees and always some kind of weight on the tops of the hives.

[blueblood]

I make mine a little bigger too.  I use vent shims/supers with upper entrances.  So, I like to have some room there.

[Perry]

Extra room is almost always better, whether it's telescoping lids or beesuits. 

[Slowmodem]

Extra room is almost always better, whether it's telescoping lids or beesuits. 

Very well put.   

[M.E.]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but this brings up a question that I have had. Why do hobbies use telescoping covers when commercial bee keepers use different covers

[Slowmodem]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but this brings up a question that I have had. Why do hobbies use telescoping covers when commercial bee keepers use different covers

It's my understanding that migratory covers allow more hives on a pallet and allow stacking.  The telescoping cover takes up more room.  Also, migratory covers allow sticking a jar of syrup into a hole in direct contact with bees.  I'm sure there are probably more reasons, but those are the ones I can think of.

Oh, migratory covers are probably much cheaper and easily made.

[tbonekel]

I guess you mean migratory covers? I'm guessing the biggest reason is that it's easier to stack hives on a pallet when they have migratory covers. But I imaging you will find many hobby beeks that use migratory covers.

Yeah, what he said. 

[M.E.]

thanks for the responses. It just looked to be easer and cheeper to make migratory cover, so I guess there isn't a down side to them.

[Slowmodem]

thanks for the responses. It just looked to be easer and cheeper to make migratory cover, so I guess there isn't a down side to them.

While not necessarily a down side, telescoping tops and inner covers can allow ventilation, beetle traps, and other accessories.

[Perry]

thanks for the responses. It just looked to be easer and cheeper to make migratory cover, so I guess there isn't a down side to them.

While not necessarily a down side, telescoping tops and inner covers can allow ventilation, beetle traps, and other accessories.

Good point being made here. Migratory covers do not have the benefit of an inner cover, and usually (I would think) don't last as long as a telescoping cover in severe climates (like here). Cheaper to make and replace I imagine though.

[LazyBkpr]

All good points..
   Migratory covers allow the hives to slide right up against each other, and they negate the extra expense of inner covers..
   As already stated, they dont allow ventilation or the top entrance.

   I try to build boxes out of salvaged wood whenever I can. Very often you will find wood thicker than 3/4"  A 1x 8 used to be one inch thick and eight inches wide.. if you scrounge older boards you will find that your commercial inner covers will not fit unless you plane the 1" boards down to 3/4"
   I also build my tele covers larger. I make them 1/4 inch wider and longer. they still fit on 1" boxes and allow the use of the upper entrance notch in the inner cover. It gets hot in the summer. 100 degrees is not uncommon, so that little 1" notch in the inner cover makes a difference.
   You use what you have. Give it a try, if you find its causing problems replace it later.

   Ideally, the metal on the tele cover would cover the whole thing to protect it from the elements.  I have quite a few covers with no metal at all, just painted them well.  A roll of flashing is like 70 bucks, but will make quite a lot of covers. The trick is needing that many covers. I don't remember the exact amount.. 20 plus covers for sure.. IIRC the cost comes to about 3 dollars per cover or less if you need that many..
   My consideration came down to the cost of the wood and paint.  Buying new wood the cost of the cover is also around 3.00..   I use 1/2 inch ply for the tops and 3/4 boards for the sides, usually two inch boards unless I have odd scrap at 1 3/4 etc..   At that price I decided to paint them well and replace them when they go bad without using the metal on them...   So far they are doing good. Will let you know in a couple more years if I decide to start using metal again.

[brooksbeefarm]

For years now i've been making top feeders with a top entrance on the bottom of them, i leave them on year round. I also went to all migratory lids, this has worked good for me, if there are any SHB in the hive they will run them up in the feeder and keep them in a corner. Jack

[riverbee]

"I am building some telescoping covers, and have two questions - how important is the extra space around the supers?  With the rest of the scrap material I have to build it, I will be about 1/4" short on the short ends - not a ton, it will still fit over the super (almost flush with the side) but I noticed on the other one I built, and the one I used for a template that there is that bit  of wiggle room...
Also, is there a proper depth for lack of better term the metal should go down the side?"

i like the extra wiggle room zweefer. i use inner covers with wider notches in them and use top entrances year round.  like g i have several that fit too tight for my liking, this is annoying. it does make it difficult for the bees as t bone said and i think affects ventilation.  has anyone else noticed this when buying outer covers anymore?(being made smaller)  they all seem to fit a little too tight.