Where do you buy your supers?

ShaneJ · September 24, 2012, 05:00:58 AM

This is a question for you aussie guys, Where do you get your supers?

I have tried a few different brands over the last week and have found the depths of them vary considerably.

Our supers should be 241mm deep but none of the supers I have tried have actually been this size. The closest I have found is 245 and and the worst being 255. I have been cutting them down on the table saw but this adds to much work for my liking.
So is anyone actually supplying them the correct size?

Thanks

bernsad · September 24, 2012, 06:51:18 AM

Bloody hell, I've got to go measure now, you've got me wondering. Curse you ShaneJ

bernsad · September 24, 2012, 06:55:24 AM

Well the one I measured sitting in the garage was 243. I didn't bother going to disturb the hives and besides, it's dark. I'm not going to quibble about the 2 mm if the bees don't. :-D

ShaneJ · September 24, 2012, 07:48:17 AM

243 isn't to bad. 245mm and you started to get a lot of comb built between the top and bottom box. What brand are your supers?

bernsad · September 24, 2012, 07:55:33 AM

Don't know I'm afraid, just what I get from the local supplier.

Mek · September 25, 2012, 06:40:06 AM

I got mine from quality beekeeping supplies but they are only rebated butt joints 244mm

Rooky25 · September 26, 2012, 05:56:48 AM

I use Apairycotts, (Terry) a commercial bee keeper & supplier,

He is also a wealth of knowledge,

He is based at Mt Nebo brisbane north

ShaneJ · September 26, 2012, 06:35:04 AM

I dont think I have heard of him. Whats his prices like?

Lone · September 26, 2012, 10:26:51 AM

I haven't measured my supers recently Shane, but I got worried one time when dozens of bees were squashed between the bottom of the frames and excluder, so added a bit more height. A bit of propolis doesn't worry me and sometimes I think the bees don't care as much for bee space as we do.

Mind you, my older bottom boxes have an extra 2 inches of height to fit in the first guilfoyle traps I got, and I end up occasionally hacking away at the mainly drone comb. That doesn't bother me either. I am just happy and grateful to have bees.

I'm not sure where my supplier gets the supers from, but we've ordered a few professionally made ones recently instead of having to try and fit everything together using 19mm pine which is all we can get here. I guess I can find out the brand and I guess also it will be queensland made.

Lone

ShaneJ · September 26, 2012, 07:14:37 PM

That extra comb between the boxes may not bother you now, but when you get to 15 - 20 hives that time it takes to remove the comb sure adds up :(

Lone · September 28, 2012, 11:07:50 AM

:thunder: I thought I was going to stop at 10....

Why do you need to remove the propolis between the boxes? Does it make the frames too hard to take out?

Lone

ShaneJ · September 28, 2012, 07:29:12 PM

My goal was 10 by the end of the year but thats kinda blown out :-\

Its not propolis between the boxes, its comb full of honey. If you don't remove it, when reinserting the frames in the top box you squash lots of bees.

AllenF · September 28, 2012, 08:54:22 PM

Use smoke to drive the bees out of the way.

ShaneJ · September 28, 2012, 10:57:44 PM

Quote from: AllenF on September 28, 2012, 08:54:22 PM
Use smoke to drive the bees out of the way.

My hives are to strong and populated to move the bees with a bit of smoke :(

prestonpaul · September 30, 2012, 05:00:47 AM

I get mine from Redpaths in Melbourne. Theirs are Aliance brand from New Zealand and are 244mm.