# Pull out board stuck **URL:** \ **Category:** Flow Hive\ **Created:** [October 27, 2016, 5:36am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080 "2016-10-27T05:36:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sgoldate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@sgoldate](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sgoldate)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 5:36am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/1 "2016-10-27T05:36:33Z")
Went to pull out the board from the screen bottom board today and it was totally stuck. I can’t get it out even with a pair of pliers. A lot of people are probably going to say to me you need to check it every week or so which I didn’t. I realise that was a mistake now. I intend to replace the screenrd bottom board with a regular bottom board at least temporarily so that I can clean up the other one. There’s not really a question here but if anybody has any comments, they’d be much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Kirsten\_Redlich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/kirsten_redlich/32/5093_2.png) [@Kirsten\_Redlich](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Kirsten_Redlich)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 10:53am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/3 "2016-10-27T10:53:47Z")
Perhaps when the hive is busiest with brood & during flow need to do every week, & could leave longer when not so much detritus from hive production, as in winter. ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/4 "2016-10-27T16:22:42Z")
> [@sgoldate](#): > > Went to pull out the board from the screen bottom board today and it was totally stuck. I can’t get it out even with a pair of pliers. As @Cowgirl says, you may have to take the hive apart. However, having thought about it, I have another idea. The board is probably stuck with propolis. It is relatively flexible, and can be replaced if you damage it - core flute board is readily available from Amazon and stationery or art supply shops. So, why not try inserting your flow key above it? I would actually prefer a thin metal rule (often incorrectly called a ruler), but you would need one more than 20 inches long, like this one: [https://www.amazon.com/Starrett-ASE-36-Anodized-Aluminum-Straight/dp/B002C7YX3O/ref=pd\_sbs\_469\_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GWAG5TPSEJ4F2MQTXBSY](https://www.amazon.com/Starrett-ASE-36-Anodized-Aluminum-Straight/dp/B002C7YX3O/ref=pd_sbs_469_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GWAG5TPSEJ4F2MQTXBSY) You will need to be careful not to distort the wire mesh of the SBB, but that shouldn’t be too hard. Push it in as far as it will go, and move the key (or rule) from side to side. That should unstick it from the mesh. It may be stuck at the edges still, but the flexing of the slider might even loosen it there too. Perhaps worth a try before you take the hive apart? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sgoldate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@sgoldate](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sgoldate)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/6 "2016-10-27T19:40:00Z")
Thanks for all the tips! Hey Dawn, your idea of inserting a tool or a ruler is great. I have a long metal ruler that would do the job. Will try it this afternoon! In any case, if the core flute board gets damaged, I have cut some plywood replacements. What about the stuff that must have accumulated on the mesh? Maybe try to brush some of it off from the bottom? (My hive is fairly elevated on bricks.) ---
**Author:** ![sciencemaster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/sciencemaster/32/393_2.png) [@sciencemaster](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sciencemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/7 "2016-10-28T02:34:32Z")
Bees should not be getting down through the number 8 hardware mesh screen so the gap shouldn’t be being propolised up. Have you checked the screen to see it doesn’t have a bee sized hole somewhere. The bottom boards I’m making up have 4mm wide grooves to fit 3mm coreflute. I only have one of the prototypes under a hive and haven’t had any problems moving it. The Flow hive bottom boards have quite generous sized grooves, 5 or 6mm wide as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/8 "2016-10-28T03:32:18Z")
> [@sciencemaster](#): > > Bees should not be getting down through the number 8 hardware mesh screen That is true, but the Flow hive shipped with number 6 hardware cloth screen, and some of the gaps in mine were \>6mm = plenty big enough for a bee. The problem was that the mesh didn’t stay “put” - the mesh lines could be moved substantially. So we have knock-on consequences. I have to say that Flow used #6 with the best of intentions. They wanted larger SHB to fall through the mesh. Personally, that doesn’t help my hives, but they were doing their best. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![sciencemaster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/sciencemaster/32/393_2.png) [@sciencemaster](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sciencemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/9 "2016-10-28T04:23:03Z")
Now I see your problem Dawn. I bought ss mesh for my bottom boards and I specified a gauge of 1mm wire with a mesh spacing of 3mm. It’s a significantly bigger spacing than the number 8 hardware screen and much more expensive too. The heavier wire means I don’t have a problem with the wires moving as long as I secure the edges properly. Smaller bees can fit through the gap but it doesn’t happen often. I do get lots of dusty hive beetles expiring on the diatomite dusted coreflute. ---
**Author:** ![sgoldate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@sgoldate](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sgoldate)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 4:57am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/10 "2016-10-28T04:57:45Z")
I got the board out by loosening it with a metal rule®. Image below. ---
**Author:** ![sgoldate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@sgoldate](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sgoldate)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 4:58am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/11 "2016-10-28T04:58:02Z")
![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/2X/b/bf2a320dd18617dffb5e28d2ef899d248bc76943.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![sciencemaster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/sciencemaster/32/393_2.png) [@sciencemaster](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sciencemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 7:01am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/12 "2016-10-28T07:01:34Z")
I just checked the Flow bottom board and the top groove is much less that 5mm wide. the mesh screen sits in this groove and takes up some of the space. ---
**Author:** ![sgoldate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@sgoldate](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sgoldate)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 10:14am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/13 "2016-10-28T10:14:18Z")
Well, I’ll be darned! Cleaning that core flute board, i found that a few SHB grubs had installed themselves in the flute hollows! Has anyone else ever notuced this? ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/14 "2016-10-28T15:29:23Z")
> [@sgoldate](#): > > I got the board out by loosening it with a metal rule(r). Very happy that worked for you! Perhaps @Faroe should ask them to add the tip for loosening the slider to the new user manual! 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Faroe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/faroe/32/11835_2.png) [@Faroe](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Faroe)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/15 "2016-10-28T17:26:17Z")
hmmmm, this is the first I have heard of this issue. I will mention it to the team. You never know 🙂 For you dawn 😉 [http://wikidiff.com/rule/ruler](http://wikidiff.com/rule/ruler) > **[Ruler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruler)** > > A ruler, sometimes called a rule or line gauge, is a straightedge with equally spaced markings along its length. It is used in geometry, technical drawing, engineering and building to measure distances or to rule straight lines. Rulers have long been made from different materials and in a wide range of sizes. Some are wooden. Plastics have also been used since they were invented; they can be molded with length markings instead of being scribed. Metal is used for more durable rulers for use in t... Modern language these days seems to be controlled by the masses 😉 haha 😛 I was even looking up Web site or website yesterday - it depends on common usage, etc., especially with new words. Anywho, carry on with the coreflute discussion… ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/16 "2016-10-28T17:42:01Z")
> [@Faroe](#): > > For you dawn 😉 > [Ruler vs Rule - What's the difference? | WikiDiff](http://wikidiff.com/rule/ruler) See, that is what happens to English when you let American write the definitions! A ruler is somebody who leads a country, whereas a rule is a straight edge used for measuring - in REAL English, I mean! 😜 Anyhow, at least my suggestion was understood and was successful. @Cowgirl, @sgoldate and me have all had stuck sliders - seems to happen when they are in the upper slot, which is why I think it is probably propolis. I bet there are others out there too. My bees are the absolute pinnacle of sticky propolis, so I am not really surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Faroe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/faroe/32/11835_2.png) [@Faroe](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Faroe)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/17 "2016-10-28T18:52:49Z")
English English vs American English is another story. Australia as you may be aware, uses English engligh, but we are working with USA website, and customers all over the world, any who, we manage to all understand each other in the end 😉 I have let Cedar and Stu know about the issue, and I’ll wait to hear back (that is about the coreflute slider not the grammar issue 😉 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Faroe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/faroe/32/11835_2.png) [@Faroe](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Faroe)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/18 "2016-10-31T17:50:59Z")
FYI - I have added this info to our manual update project. ---
**Author:** ![Sturob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@Sturob](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Sturob)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/19 "2016-11-01T02:40:53Z")
I had ants carrying their eggs into the flutes. I washed them out and put it back but a week later they were back. I plugged the ends of the flutes with plastic gap sealing putty. That seams to have kept them away. ---
**Author:** ![SnowflakeHoney](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/snowflakehoney/32/7036_2.png) [@SnowflakeHoney](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/SnowflakeHoney)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/20 "2016-11-01T16:33:37Z")
Out of interest was your coreflute bottom board on the top spot or bottom? ---
**Author:** ![sgoldate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@sgoldate](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sgoldate)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 7:48pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/21 "2016-11-01T19:48:30Z")
The board was on the top. Summer hasn’t quite arrived and being a cool temperate zone, it’s still cool here at night. I don’t think it would have been an issue on the bottom. I think you can even see the wire mesh grid pattern in the photo I posted above, so it wasn’t just the edges that got stuck. ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080/22 "2016-11-01T20:13:32Z")
> [@sgoldate](#): > > I think you can even see the wire mesh grid pattern in the photo I posted above Totally agree, you can. 😉 How easy/hard was it to clean up the board? [Next page](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/pull-out-board-stuck/9080.md?page=2)