Inner Covers?

GaDavid · July 11, 2008, 05:49:17 PM

Picked up several brood boxes, stands, frames and covers today in preparation for doing splits this weekend. My supplier is an hour away and as is often the case as I was pulling back into my driveway I realized I forgot inner covers. I won't have time anytime soon to get them so what am I looking at trouble or mess wise?

randydrivesabus · July 11, 2008, 06:27:06 PM

if you got telescoping outers then you will have some trouble removing them after the bees glue them down. they also will sit down too close to the top bars of your frames. i would try to shim them up a bit.

sc-bee · July 11, 2008, 07:04:34 PM

Most people in Dixie throw them away Dave!!! :-D

Wes Sapp · July 11, 2008, 10:11:48 PM

Quote from: sc-bee on July 11, 2008, 07:04:34 PM
Most people in Dixie throw them away Dave!!! :-D

Throw em my way, I could use them.

sc-bee · July 11, 2008, 10:19:26 PM

You ain't in Dixie Wes You in Aiken to much Sherman influence :evil:!

Make top feeders out of'em Dave. Mosy folks don't run'em here.

JP · July 11, 2008, 10:54:02 PM

What to do in your situation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjnvSQuv-H4

...JP ;)

qa33010 · July 12, 2008, 02:41:24 AM

When I've had no inner covers I have used a 1/4" sheet of plywood cut to size or just flipped the telescoping cover upside down and used it that way until I made some more.

Robo · July 12, 2008, 09:41:40 AM

Quote from: qa33010 on July 12, 2008, 02:41:24 AM
When I've had no inner covers I have used a 1/4" sheet of plywood cut to size

Used coroplast election signs work great too.

sc-bee · July 16, 2008, 10:16:05 AM

<Used coroplast election signs work great too.

Good idea Robo --- inners are often used when trapping SHB!

danno · July 16, 2008, 10:47:23 AM

go to your local grain elevator and get plastic feed bags or home depot and buy a roll of silt fence

crowhammer · July 16, 2008, 05:19:55 PM

I don't have telescoping covers or inners, either. The hive i bought came with a 3/4" plywood migratory cover. I asked the guys at the local bee club and they said most everybody here uses the migratory covers. Mostly for pest control, but for ventilation also, I suspect.
BTW, I was just up in Woodstock visiting the wife's family. I got to sneak off for a little bit and drove up to Ellijay and got some bee supplies there. Dale's Variety Store, pretty neat place.

NWIN Beekeeper · July 19, 2008, 05:46:11 AM

[Most people in Dixie throw them away Dave!!!]

Us Yankees are doing away with them as much as we can too.

Its still trendy for newbies to get a kit with them.
Over time, most folks with any quantity of hives switch to migratory lids anyhow.
They are nice as the SHB don't have anywhere for residence.
I like that I have saved a few hours of my life not opening two covers for each hive.

[The hive i bought came with a 3/4" plywood migratory cover.]

At 10 to sheet of plywood and a couple 2x8's I make mine for about $4 each.
Cheaper yet if you aren't so full of pride that you won't dumpster dive at construction sites.
Theres a sense of pride when you rip out 20 or 30 at a batch and get them nice and painted.
If you are any good with a table saw you can even make them ventilated.

Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't have any, they're all in storage next to a dozen alighting boards that I also don't use anymore. Suppose I should try to sell them and buy some usable equipment.

-Jeff

JP · July 19, 2008, 08:04:35 AM

Quote from: NWIN Beekeeper on July 19, 2008, 05:46:11 AM
[Most people in Dixie throw them away Dave!!!]

Us Yankees are doing away with them as much as we can too.

Its still trendy for newbies to get a kit with them.
Over time, most folks with any quantity of hives switch to migratory lids anyhow.
They are nice as the SHB don't have anywhere for residence.
I like that I have saved a few hours of my life not opening two covers for each hive.

[The hive i bought came with a 3/4" plywood migratory cover.]

At 10 to sheet of plywood and a couple 2x8's I make mine for about $4 each.
Cheaper yet if you aren't so full of pride that you won't dumpster dive at construction sites.
Theres a sense of pride when you rip out 20 or 30 at a batch and get them nice and painted.
If you are any good with a table saw you can even make them ventilated.

Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't have any, they're all in storage next to a dozen alighting boards that I also don't use anymore. Suppose I should try to sell them and buy some usable equipment.

-Jeff

I'm not too proud to dumpster dive at a construction site!!! ;)

...JP

crowhammer · July 19, 2008, 01:20:38 PM

Me neither!

Irwin · July 19, 2008, 01:26:28 PM

That where I get my stuff plus I have a friend that builds house's.

Michael Bush · July 19, 2008, 07:41:45 PM

The only problem with not using an inner cover with a telescopic is that you can't get your hive tool between the lid and the box because of the lip. I would try to get something on them soon so they don't get glued down too tight. I actually like to let them get glued just a little so they don't blow off so easily.

Brian D. Bray · July 21, 2008, 02:06:37 AM

QuoteCheaper yet if you aren't so full of pride that you won't dumpster dive at construction sites.

I've built parts of a goat pen, pigeon loft, bee hives from tops, bottoms, supers, slatted racks, and hive stands, and am now collecting dumpster dive wood to build a new chicken coop/pigeon loft. The throw aways at the lumber yard are great--everything from complete sheets of banged up olywood to 2X8s and every thing in between. You can build an awful lot of wall using 4 ft skids salvaged from pallets.