> He used to tip the colony over (he probably used a hand
> cart) and divide the supers while it was on its "back".
 
We had a device like a laddder that we used 15 or 20 yeras ago to do
that.  It works well if your hives ar in a row, but not so well in 4
Packs.
 
However we do still tip our doubles forward in Spring to evaluate and
scrape and split -- without any device.
 
> He did most
> of his decision making on splitting just from looking up into the
> divided boxes.  Then he might move a few boxes and tip the remaining
> ones back up.
 
That's how we like to make one round of our splits -- whole boxes at
a time without removing frames.
 
>  He made "blind" splits and let the bees raise
> emergency queen cells.
 
We used to do that, but have since gone to using mated queens or
cells.  Although the bees *will* generally raise queens if your
timing is right, the quality varies from great to lousy, for reasons
discussed in detail on this list before.
 
If emergency cells are to be used, it is adviable to go 3 or 4 days
later to destroy any capped ones to ensure old larvae do not become
'queens'.  (They will be to some extent intercastes, and not head
econonmic colonies).  If bad weather happens to intervene, the cells
may not be well fed, and, besides, some colonies just do not raise
good cells.
 
Because this cell destroying trip requires and extra round, and
hunting through the splits -- as well as requiring at least an extra
12 days in development -- using cells and mated queens has a distinct
advantages over emergency cells.
 
The self requeening takes 21 days on average. Introduced cells take
about 11 days to start laying (but may need 20).  Mated queens start
as soon as they can get out of the cage (depends on intro method).
The latter two methods permit some stock improvement and selection.
 
Any of the above may fail and require back up procedures.
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>