Homebrew Queen Excluders

[Daddys Girl]

How would I build one?

I am buying a commercial QE for the first hive, but as I suspect I will be getting a second hive soon enough, I am looking at building some of the components.

Comments?  Dire warnings?

DG

[Kathyp]

you may find that you don't need/want one.  i use them for one thing or another, but if there were one thing i had to do without, the excluder would probably be it.  do a search on here.  many people don't like them for keeping the queen out of the honey supers.

[BeeHopper]

How would I build one?

I am buying a commercial QE for the first hive, but as I suspect I will be getting a second hive soon enough, I am looking at building some of the components.

Comments?  Dire warnings?

DG

Don't bother with excluders, but that is just me, I have never used one. Someone else may come along and beg to be different.  :)

[Shawn]

There are many topics on this already, do a search. My "mentor" says he does not have a problem using them and was not very receptive when I talked about not using them. I will use an excluder for the hive that I am putting jars on but probably wont for the hive with frames.

[KONASDAD]

I only use them to keep a queen in the hive, not from running up into the supers. I bought a used one for a dollar and used it for two days in 3 yrs.

[Michael Bush]

#5 hardware cloth will work, but the real ones with the smooth metal work better.

I wouldn't bother using one, so I wouldn't bother making one.