Author Topic: DIY inner covers (part 2) (Read 30350 times)

Perry · « **on:** December 05, 2013, 10:28:08 am »

Get yourself some 3/8" plywood and cut yourself a piece 15 1/8" x 18 5/8".

Lay out your pieces and simply put them together. I use a good wood glue and 1/4" crown staples.

I drill a 2 1/4" hole in the middle for my feeders, and I'm done!

blueblood · « **Reply #1 on:** December 06, 2013, 07:10:54 pm »

Thanks Perry, I need to make a few of these this winter. Do you remember the story/reason why the commercially available inner covers have the long oval hole? Did it have something to do with bee escapes for harvest?

Perry · « **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2013, 10:25:53 pm »

Bang on Dave, they were made to house what is/was a Porter Bee Escape.

blueblood · « **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2013, 11:21:42 pm »

Well, good then. I will start making my holes round like yours. Those ovals are hard to cut.

apisbees · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2013, 02:00:30 am »

The slotted holes are easy stack the plywood pieces, drill 2 holes with an auger or spade bit thru the hole stack then drop the plywood down on the table saw blade flip and cut the other edge. Set up a stop and adjust the blade so you do not over cut.

jmblakeney · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2013, 11:06:56 pm »

Just looked over all of your DIY post. These are awesome and can see myself making several of these items over the winter.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2013, 02:46:00 pm »

You can use a straight edge from corner to corner to mark the middle for the hole.. I use an old cutoff from making my DEEPS into mediums to put under the cover to drill the hole...

G3farms · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2016, 08:20:04 pm »

Perry,
Dragging up an old thread.........
Why do you make the rim of the inner cover 1 1/4" wide instead of 3/4"?

I know this would make it stronger but just wondering.

Fixing to make a bunch for myself and have not settled on the design yet.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2016, 08:29:36 pm »

He is a fancy carpenter, and makes a groove for the plywood to slide into as opposed to simply nailing a rim piece to the plywood.

Perry · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2016, 10:14:21 pm »

For the reasons mentioned, it adds strength, especially when cutting the groove for the plywood to slide in.

Barbarian · « **Reply #10 on:** April 03, 2016, 02:17:40 am »

I prefer to have 2 holes in the inner cover, ... a central one and one between the it and the side rim.
If the winter/spring cluster needs feeding and has moved to one side, I can put a contact feeder directly above the cluster.

During summer, both holes are closed with mesh.

Marion · « **Reply #11 on:** April 03, 2016, 10:13:27 am »

You are a good teacher, Perry. Thank you.

apisbees · « **Reply #12 on:** April 03, 2016, 10:36:09 am »

Correct me if I am wrong but you are using the national hive. This hive design allows for the use of 12 frames. With a 5 frame cluster in a Langstroth the bees still have contact with the center feed hole. I can see where having the hole towards the outside would be an asset when a wider super with more frames are used.
Barbarian What set up do you use? can you start a new tread "Beekeeping in the UK" I think members on the form will find it interesting what hive set you use, What size and how many brood and honey supers. Thanks Keith

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #13 on:** April 03, 2016, 12:20:24 pm »

Is it the different type winters or just your preference to use inner covers? I have both inner covers with telescoping lids, and migratory lids, i like the migratory lids better (fazing out inner covers), The inner cover serves no purpose in my operation. When i take the lid off there is always guard bees keeping SHB's in one of the corners of the inner cover. Just asking, maybe i'm missing something

Jack

Perry · « **Reply #14 on:** April 03, 2016, 12:56:55 pm »

Hey Jack.
Keeps that use migratory covers up here usually use a common cover as well, one that covers all 4 hives on a pallet. To just run migratory covers would lead to a very shortened lifespan of the cover. Telescoping covers are probably the most common lid when hives are not palatalized.
If you didn't use inner covers with telescoping lids you would need a hammer to get them off.

apisbees · « **Reply #15 on:** April 03, 2016, 01:51:27 pm »

I use migratory it allows the hives to be stacked tight together for moving in and out of pollination. I also use inner covers to provide a upper entrance and support for syrup pail.
some drill holes in the front of the brood bodies instead of using an inner cover. but I find it easier to slide the cover back to block off the upper entrance when having to move the hives.

Barbarian · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2016, 09:53:13 am »

Apis : I use a UK National hive. It is the most popular hive in the UK. This is a square box which holds 11 frames. For my beekeeping I use a single brood box then an excluder with supers above. There are 3 other brood space configurations for the National hive.

As regards "Beekeeping in the UK" , I'm giving it some thought. It is such a wide topic. I don't know how much interest there would be. I think I would prefer answering questions about specific points such as Registration, Bee Pest control, Club organization ......

apisbees · « **Reply #17 on:** April 05, 2016, 10:34:02 am »

In articles I have read coming out of the UK and western Europe They talk about non prolific bees. That are more content to being hives in a single brood super, and not be so proned to swarming. Kind of the opposite that we see in North America.

Bee Commander · « **Reply #18 on:** May 04, 2016, 07:53:11 am »

I was just about to ask the question "what purpose does the inner cover serve?", when I saw this post. I started with a commercial beekeeper who used migratory lids and no inner cover. I use telescoping lids and no inner cover. I have a spacer between the lid and hive body that has a notch in it for ventilation and mesh sandwiched in for feeding patties. What is the purpose of an inner cover?

Quote from: brooksbeefarm on April 03, 2016, 12:20:24 pm

Is it the different type winters or just your preference to use inner covers? I have both inner covers with telescoping lids, and migratory lids, i like the migratory lids better (fazing out inner covers), The inner cover serves no purpose in my operation. When i take the lid off there is always guard bees keeping SHB's in one of the corners of the inner cover. Just asking, maybe i'm missing something Jack

iddee · « **Reply #19 on:** May 04, 2016, 08:05:04 am »

With an inner cover, you can get a hive tool under it and pry upward. With a tele cover and no inner cover, you can only pry outward. When it is propolized well and you rip the side off the tele cover before it comes loose, then you will know what the inner cover is for.