How long is Queue?

Yes, I know Derek.
I have posted a link on another thread to his paper covering his research into hives.
I might change my kit to Langs when I downsize and get too old to manage my 14x12s.
I will alter the floor so that the entrance is on the longer side so that the frames run side to side.
I like they way they are top space. I have had to convert all my national gear. I know it’s not difficult but it’s a pain with the polys as you lose the frame runners.
PS Valli. Derek is available for BKA talks if your BKA is forward thinking enough to have abandoned matchsticks under the crown board to prevent condensation in the winter :wink:
He is very entertaining.

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Our resident Beek is Celia Davis - I’m an a course with her starting next month

Excellent. At least you won’t be taught any out of date rubbish.

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Well my FedEx package arrived today. And the flow frames were not part of the package. Looking back at the email and confirmation that it was being sent, I read now that it stated frame body only. So my assumption that there was a manufacturing malfunction with the flow frames and they would be delayed by a few weeks was correct. I will be posting a YouTube video shortly of my own boxing as well as tomorrow posting a video of me putting it together. Excited to get the box and now I can order a few more items since I am new at this I did not want to order additional boxes until I knew exactly what I was getting.

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So you got the wood components without the flow frames?

That is correct, will post a video soon of the unboxing

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@Martydallas Marty,you do realise the flow frames will come separately from the hives

I read somewhere that the Flow frames and the wood parts ship separately at the moment. I guess that is because the frames are manufactured in Brisbane, Oz, and the rest of the hive is from Oregon, USA.

Personally, I think this team is totally rocking in managing the logistics. Going from nothing to producing many tens of thousands of hives in under a year is incredible! When you think about the frame technology, they are being injection-moulded. That is expensive production equipment. So at first, a new startup can only have one manufacturing site. Trying to coordinate wood parts from one country with plastic from another must be very tricky. Persuading diverse commercial partners to take on that much production, when you have no track record of success, must be really hard. In fact their progress is little short of miraculous.

I know you weren’t complaining, Marty, but others reading this might want to e-mail the Flow team before you start ordering more parts. You may already have everything you need, it will just come in separate shipments, as Marty has worked out. :wink:

Meanwhile I am very excited for Marty, and look forward to all of the pics!

Dawn

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LOL, I do now :slight_smile: I only got one box of of the wood. How long before the Frames arrive do you think?

Marty how long is a piece of string? I had my frames before the hives - but they were fixing the Screened Bottom Boards.

I had heard about the fault in a machine give it a week

Given the Christmas and New Year break, may be more realistic to give it 3 weeks :smile:

I am no expert, but I do know how hard it is to get things rolling at full speed over major holiday periods.

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Thing is Dawn Marty and quite a few others waiting are in the USA, UK etc and we really wont need the Flows up and running until Feb/March.

So they have all January to get sorted.

Saying that I can twiddle my thumbs as I have everything in place for the spring start up - 2 x 8 frame Flow hives, extra supers, feeders (just in case) and 6 Nuc boxes primed and ready, as well as 3 x 10 Frame Hives (one poly) and 2 poly Nucs, even bought an extra hive stand - all I can say is bring on the spring!!!

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That is where I am at. I wont even get bees until the end of March early April, so unless they run way way way behind schedule i am in no hurry.

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I do have 2 hives - one in the 10 Frame poly and one in the 10 Frame wooden

If I get bored I can make up more frames and there are supers need assembling, but there is no hurry I have over 100 frames made and I’m away working (living in) most of January.

Yes, I’m moving over to foundationless so I have lots of starter strips to do and frames to put fishing line on…and Thornes sale in January.

So you’re going from 2 hives to 5 next year?

Will you go for Carnies again?

Some will be mongrel - what ever swarms I catch but I’m hoping to split my 2 Carnie Queens one will be F2 the other F3

I would love some Buckfast hint hint

Totally agree, Valli. Unless you have an established hive that you want to put a Flow super on, you may not even need the Flow frames this coming honey harvest year at all. In other words, new beekeepers may spend the next 8 months (Jan 2016 to Aug 2016) building up their colonies in the brood boxes of a totally new hive, not harvesting any honey at all. Location decides a lot of that, and luck decides a lot too (weather, disease etc)

For us, our “Complete” delivery date is March. Meanwhile I have nuclei ordered for April, plus I have 2 empty 8-Frame hives in case the hives and frames are late. Even if they are are 3 months later than March, although I might be anxious, it wouldn’t hurt the bees as they can just lay down stores in regular supers. My back would appreciate that not happening, but if it does, the bees won’t suffer. Plus realistically, I personally don’t expect much of a harvest from a new colony which starts in Spring 2016, but you just never know! :smile:

@Dawn_SD You could always put one Flow Super in and empty it once or twice depending on your flow.

If your in southern CA are you far enough away from the Almonds? They sound a nightmare waiting to happen - Fortunately where I am I’m far enough away from the Rape (Canola). I don’t trust all the crud they coat seeds in and the toxins they spray.

Trouble is we are looking to move and I want land for more hives which will put me in the Rape (Canola) areas