SBB,top entrance-Michael

[Terrex]

The information that you posted to my introduction for  Natural BeeKeeping is just right up our alley.  We had a critter that pushed the reducer back into the hive.   We were already very interested in the SBB and top entrance.  So DH is building.  His question is, How much clearance does there need to be between the SBB and the bottom of the brood box?  From reading, I understand that bees like to "hangout" over the screen without getting run over by other bees. It looks to me that all you need to do is just stack it without adding a  spacer...hope that makes sense.

Teresa

[VolunteerK9]

Im sure MB will chime in, but I would think that you would still need a spacer in between. 3/4 may be too much. I would try either a 3/8 or a 5/8 gap.

[rail]

I am very interested in this subject for my next 8 frame hive. From what I have read; slatted bottom board with screen, bottom feeder and top cover with tapered shims.

Are there other feeder options?

Charles

[Michael Bush]

>How much clearance does there need to be between the SBB and the bottom of the brood box?

Between 3/8" and 7/8" and 1/8" will come from the bottom space built into the box.  So that means between 1/4" and 3/4" gap from the bottom board.

>  From reading, I understand that bees like to "hangout" over the screen without getting run over by other bees. It looks to me that all you need to do is just stack it without adding a  spacer...hope that makes sense.

If you put no space on the bottom the space from the box will be 1/8" and that will bet glued down to the bottom making the frames difficult to remove.

>I am very interested in this subject for my next 8 frame hive. From what I have read; slatted bottom board with screen, bottom feeder and top cover with tapered shims.

If you do the slatted rack, then just put the screen on that and add 3/4" rails so you can put a tray under it.  If you do a bottom feeder, skip the rack or don't put the screen on it.  Most of mine are now solid bottoms converted to feeders:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#BottomBoardFeeder

>Are there other feeder options?

All of them: http://bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm