Nice try, but you need to make the video Public in the youtube preferences! 
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Hopefully this one works.
No did not work either.
Must be something to do with the way I have YouTube set up
I give up, I’m no PC guru.
Cheers G
Hiya Rani, is this hive in full sun?
I had 4 attempts & kept getting a message “oops, something went wrong”
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Hi @skeggley, great question mate. No its not
I’ve ran out of space in this apiary and had to put it in half shade half sun spot. I’ll have to move it to another apiary.
I noticed that some water sits in between the bottom board and the cleats that that the box sits on. Not only is that bad for water, but I find the odd SHB hiding in there. So far I’ve noticed a few of my bases having this same problem.
I’d like to silicone the joints between board and cleats.
Anybody tried this? If so, which silicone is safe to use?
Wouldn’t the bees chew the silicone?
As silicone ‘goes-off’ it really fumes and my thoughts is the bees wouldn’t be happy. But it is likely if there is a gap right thru the cleat to brood box joint the bees will have propolized it up. You might consider using a product like ‘no more gaps’ which can then be painted once it has dried.
I used to use Aquadhere and screw base boards to brood boxes but in recent years I find just fitting the two together the bees will propolise the gap and if needed the brood box can be separated with a ‘whack’ with a rubber mallet to be used as a super box.
When I had 3 hives with chalk brood both locations were in full sun but a drop of about 4C with the move but I don’t think that would be enough to cause the issue but I was told by a DPI inspector that relocating a hive causes stress to a colony which can cause chalk brood.
Cheers
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I recently used some Parfix Roof, Gutter & Concrete silicone sealer to fill some gaps in brood boxes. I let it cure for a couple of days before putting bees into the boxes with no effects on the bees.
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Good to hear mate, I wonder how it will wear in the long run. But using it inside the hive shouldn’t wear it as the temp inside is well within the silicones temp range
Noticed any bees chewing it off?
I’ve used this in the past and it cures rock solid with no effect on the bees
But some situations require something like a silicone which has more flex for the timber expansion/contraction
I haven’t noticed bees chewing it off. They had no reason to because they still have an adequate entrance. Bees only chew at things if it is in their way. For example: if they want a bigger entrance, they’ll chew away at it, (if possible) in order to make it bigger.
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Mostly vinegar. Not toxic. It may annoy them until it dissipates.
No More Gaps may be better for this situation and it is also paintable.
Yeah but doesn’t have the flex for the timber movement like silicone does, it’ll start cracking before long
And @RaniK I have used ‘no more gaps’ in older boxes with poor joints and as you say it is paintable where all the silicone’s can’t be painted. It is every bit as flexible as silicone and I’ve not had any cracking issues with it. I can’t fault the product for the type of use we use it for in bee keeping. It can be painted within a few hours of applying it. A bead of no more gaps can be smoothed out by your finger dipped in water.
Cheers
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You have to get the exterior ones they are very flexible and allow for outdoor timber movement. I think the best one is the one for weather boards.
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That’s interesting guys, I’ve used both no more gap and silicone many times when installing skirting boards and architraves in wet or dry areas in the house, never found no more gap to be as flexible as silicone…
But probably as @Wandjina said, I have to get the external one. Could you link me to the bunnings exterior no more gap?
Available from Bunnings.
They also have cheaper alternatives from lesser known brands.
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Ha! Never even seen that, thanks mate
So it’s I’m just thinking, at first I thought it would be polyurethane based for it to be exterior, but it says it’s water based which is great.
@Peter48 and @Wandjina
Curious to see what you guys think about using expanding foam as a means to insulate the lid
I’m using migratory lids which have 60mm void and there are not holes in them yet. Was thinking of cutting some pine and mount it as a barrier and filling with expanding foam till it cures then removing it.
I’m thinking of products similar to this
I personally won’t use it, no. I hate that stuff. It always expands more than you need it, and doesn’t always fill the space you want it to. I think it is fairly toxic too.
Why not polystyrene? In mine I’m using some folded hessian sacks as an insulator in a quilt-box. They help wick out moisture.
Bunnings don’t sell polystyrene and I can’t find other places that cell it. I did consider glasswool blankets https://www.bunnings.com.au/earthwool-r1-8-75mm-12m2-space-blanket-under-metal-roof-insulation_p0810985
How do you mount you hessian bags to the lid? Or do you just put it between the inner cover and the lid?
I don’t. I place them on top of the crown board.
When I needed polystyrene in the past, I sourced it from gumtree. Free or very cheap.
There is also a material, I think it is used in roof insulation forgot what it is called. It is like a dense rigid foam with one side silver and one side blue. I used it under the roof of my chookpen and really helps keeping it cooler.