>
> A while back some discussion began on plastic equipment,but did not
> go very far.
>
> It seems there would be a demand for such a product,it is successful in
> Europe.I use Kelly's plastic outer and inner covers,as well as their
> plastic bottom boards,and I really like them.I would be interested in
> obtaining brood boxes and supers of the same material.
>
I'm not sure there is the same material that we have in Europe. Our
hives
are made from high density styrofoam, so they will insulate the bees in
winter without any extra wrapping. The whole hive is made from it, and
only the frames are made from wood.
 
Styrofoam will not warp or change with time, we have commersial
beekeepers
that's been using them for 20+ years, and those hives will last another
20.
They are a little bit sensitive to rough handeling for example when it
comes
to breaking boxes apart, but with suitable tools it's not a big problem.
 
I'm not using an inner cover during summer, just the lid. In vinter it's
convenient to have a thin 0,20 mm vinyl plastic under the lid. That
makes
it possible to check the bees without disturbing them. There will also
be
less burr comb made under the feeder and easier to remove it after
autumn
feeding. Just fold back a part of the plastic where the bees can walk up
into the feeder.
 
A draw back is the high price. But when you start calculating what the
price
for extra winter wrapping including labor costs will end up to after 20
years
I belive the price isn't that high any more. I'm using a compromise,
bottom,
lid, and 2 or 3 boxes on each hive from styrofoam, and the honey supers
made
from wood. That way I have good insulation during winter/spring and
cheaper
boxes for honey storage during summer. Another advantage is that it's
easier
to repair a styrofoam hive part compared to wood. Any broken parts can
be glued
together again, and holes repaired with putty.
 
When theese hives don't hold any moisture in the material, and don't
vary
in weight due to moisture content, it's easy to judge the amount of feed
in
the hives just by lifting them. The hive itself is only a few kg, and
it's
really easy to get a feeling for how much is left in it.
 
I have some pictures on my homepage if someone is interested and want to
have a look.
 
 
--
Regards
 
P-O Gustafsson, Sweden
[log in to unmask]    http://www.kuai.se/~beeman/