Hello good people,
My first post on here so please go steady, especially when you read about the issue. As a potential new beekeeper, I've just assembled a 14 x 12 flat pack 'rock bottom' National hive from Maisemore. It's in cedar . The instructions were less than helpful, disappointingly, so I found some helpful videos online from Thornes showing me how to put it all together.
Anyway, the fatal error came when assembling the brood box. I knew to leave a gap at the top of the box and the instructions said a minimum of 7/16th of an inch. I carefully measured the gap, or so I thought, then nailed up the box and went on to assemble the 2 supers that come in the kit. As I did so, I realised that I'd misread my tape. Instead of leaving a gap of 7/16th in the brood box, I'd only left 7/32s! The result is that the frame lugs for the deep Hoffman frames sit a little bit proud of the edge of the box now. Doh! Obviously I made sure I'd got the gap right for the supers.
So my question is: what are my options? Do I need a new brood box? Should I try to un-nail it? Resort to a big hammer to try to knock the inside walls down a bit? Or just leave it and hope that the bees, when I get them, can have a quiet chuckle and cope?
Your thoughts most welcome.
My first post on here so please go steady, especially when you read about the issue. As a potential new beekeeper, I've just assembled a 14 x 12 flat pack 'rock bottom' National hive from Maisemore. It's in cedar . The instructions were less than helpful, disappointingly, so I found some helpful videos online from Thornes showing me how to put it all together.
Anyway, the fatal error came when assembling the brood box. I knew to leave a gap at the top of the box and the instructions said a minimum of 7/16th of an inch. I carefully measured the gap, or so I thought, then nailed up the box and went on to assemble the 2 supers that come in the kit. As I did so, I realised that I'd misread my tape. Instead of leaving a gap of 7/16th in the brood box, I'd only left 7/32s! The result is that the frame lugs for the deep Hoffman frames sit a little bit proud of the edge of the box now. Doh! Obviously I made sure I'd got the gap right for the supers.
So my question is: what are my options? Do I need a new brood box? Should I try to un-nail it? Resort to a big hammer to try to knock the inside walls down a bit? Or just leave it and hope that the bees, when I get them, can have a quiet chuckle and cope?
Your thoughts most welcome.