Other tip is put an air hole in the jar so you don't end up with pressure going back up the hose into the flow frame. And unlike the previous vid don't stick the key all the way in and do smaller segments at a time so 1/4 of the way in turn the key, next 1/4 turn it so half is open, then next 1/4 then full frame :D Keywise you can put 2 keys in and turn with both to make it easier
Huge improvement since your last video, l took a flow tube to a hardware store, bought 20 mill right angle bend’s that the tubes fitted tightly into which are polished brass, I use 2:2 litre jars uncliped the glass lid’s and made hardboard lids also with a 20 mill hole plus 3mm breather. I decanter in the comfort of our kitchen, easy as ! Enjoy your videos regard’s ray.
I use a stainless drain sieve on top of my (big) glass and harvest late in the evening when all the foragers are back home. That way, I collect any debris (if any) and suicidal insects. The only thing I noticed is that wasps tend to stay outside longer... ;-)
🤣 you love a sting to the face. Great video. I can't find it but there is a chap either in the US or Aus that 3D printed a plastic all in one harvest rack. Its very cool. 6-7 attach points that connect to the harvest tube openings feeding into one trough with one tube you feed into a bucket allowing you to harvest all frames at once. I'll keep searching for it and post in your group page when I find it. Flexi hose is a good alternative Laurence to the stiffer tubes most use. 6-7 holes into a bucket lid with the hoses for me has been the best modification for harvesting.
I do as Frederick Dunn does and like to see the different types of honey regarding colour and taste. A lady advised a bit of cling film and that is a good idea, that is if the extractor fills a half gallon jar from a single Flow frame. the black bits can be fished out before jarring as they are at the top of the honey. Looking at 'the Flow hive' and operating it from an engineering point of view I find the concept absolutely perfect. The only drawback I experienced is that no inspection or manipulation can be done once the Flow super is mid fill. Perhaps a more experienced beekeeper than myself would have done what needs to be done before the Flow goes on and of course before the broods are splitting at the seams!
rather than the screw top jar lid buy a brewers silicone barrel bung, they come in all various sizes, then it's just a case of lift off and push lightly on :) you might have to drill the hole in the bung to fit the hose but its a once in a lifetime job.
I am from germany and I have 3 Flow Hives since 3 years and they are amazing. We have cold winters and you need a little bit of Isolation material, but even that works.
Look up Frederick Dunn. He uses a 90 degree plastic elbow with another modified flow tube into a bottle lid that fits onto jars, seems to work really well. I don't have my bees yet but have my flow hive ready to go for later this year. Can't wait. Great video's Laurence 😀
We took a 5 gallon food grade bucket with a tap on the bottom and connected a hose from the flow hive tap through the top of the lid turned it on and let it empty. Then took the bucket of honey indoors and bottled our honey
A couple of tips, get a plastic jug big enough for one frame,which has a lid where your plastic tube fits into the pourer. Cut and glue your tube into a 90 deg elbow. Saves jar swapping and hose problems. You can then just pour from the plastic jar into bottles. Will attempt to send you photo on facebook.
I use half-gallon glass Mason jars, and I just also fill up a pint jar with the first little bit. Sometimes there's not quite enough for the half gallon... sometimes there's a bit more, and trying to switch out a full half-gallon jar is a lot more precarious than switching out a pint jar and topping the half-gallon up after the fact.
@@BlackMountainHoney Laurence I though when I measured the tube with a Vernier the tube measured one inch imperial (exactly) and 25.5 mm od. Thank you for the video on finding the queen., it worked and I marked her for replacing next season. Thank you for spending all the time you do making your videos. I've a good mind to bring you a present . A couple of half gallon jars which, you as well as other blokes who watch your vids, find good to use. They are definitely easier than fiddling (as someone else said) with small jars outside especially. We go to North Wales to our van & so could drop a couple in. They are new food grade 'pet' plastic with lids. They would help you on your Flow Hive experimentations. My wife suggest she wants me to catch the honey in a big jug. Fish the black bits out and then pour into the appropriate jars.
@@BlackMountainHoney We go to Criccieth often but the bees have held us up this year...... any day now. That queen excluder method worked a treat. Thanks for that. Mind those bees don't sting you toooo much. beat wishes
Brilliant much better with the tube isnt it. I use a demijohn connect it up. Forget about it and carry on with my other beekeeping stuff. Less swapping of jars etc. Look forward to your next video. Thank you 😊
How many stings does a person have to endure before a lesson is learnt????? The little buggers stung me through a decent qual suit in the head,,, why because that cap was not on my stupid head.
I saw a bee keeper do something similar but with all the tubes going into a 5 gallon bucket and all the tubes are inserted into the lid of a bucket and he just lets it go while he does other things.
I like this but the number one reason I like the flow is to separate the honey from each of the frames as opposed to one big homogeneous mix. It's a nice neat solution though 👌 👍
@@BlackMountainHoney I saw that after I spoke up on the video and below... I agree it is a great idea, I have a flow hive too and appreciate your experimentation. (I haven't gotten honey out of it yet.)
quick question , where you said about bee legs in there , is that a result of the frame being cracked open and closed , or is that also common to see in standard hives where you have to lift out each section to collect the comb by hand ? was thinking of getting one once i have an allotment .
Never had a problem with the honey extraction using a flow hive. It's so easy compared to the laboriousoldmehod. Everything else is the same. Watch their videos - you might learn how to do it.
I've always wanted to keep bees. And I've been eye balling these flowhives. Thank you for these vids, i think I'm going pull the trigger and jump into.
You will not be disappointed, they are absolutely fantastic. One bit of advise I see is don't go near a rape field. We have no such problem as we live near massive Wollaton Park. It seems a lot of folks are taking a chance on the Amazon 220 all in bar a mesh floor and an additional brood box with frames. The Flow hive we were lucky enough to buy is Langstroth which I believe all are? 40 lbs of honey 2 weeks ago----fantastic.
@@thenomadrhodes apparently the honey soon sets and that would be a big problem in a Flow hive super. Frederick Dunn would be able to advise I'm pretty confident of that. He may well know what sets & what does not. He has reviewed the first flow hive (2015) I ever saw and those watching his videos are aware of his expertise both as a beekeeper and a photographer. He is one in a million.
@@thenomadrhodes There are hundreds of those pretty looking yellow fields in Nottinghamshire and I believe the honey tastes strong. The trouble is the honey sets soon enough and would not drain. Frederick Dunn would know what sets and what doesn't. He answers all questions.
I believe 'rape' is an early flowerer here in the UK = (Spring) so after that has gone then the Flow super could be used to good effect. I hope that helps.
To ensure you don't run out of jars, dont put the key all the way in - 1/4 to 1/2 each time. It also means you dont potentially overwhelm the flow frames which can lead to flooding the brood area. Could you share the link to the food grade tube, please - apologies if I've missed it.
Try cutting seven holes into a honey bucket lid, then you can empty all seven frames at the same time and as people have said only put the key in a third/ half way at a time. Decant later with the valve on your bucket.
For me the main benefit of the flow hive is the ability to decant and seperate the different honey in each jar so whilst the bucket is easier, I think jars ends up in with a superior result.
have you thought about maybe making the tube come straight out of the frame, and then attached to a 45 degree, another small straight tube, and then another 45 degree into the jar? not quite as severe making it go into one 90 degree, and still allows the honey to flow downhill a bit. also use a hose clamp around the junctions from one tube to the other, that'll keep them from falling off :)
Dan---- That is the idea I used for next extraction. looking at the process through the eyes of an engineer ! £7 'all in' for 2 obtuse elbows from China. The bends took only 2 weeks to come on Aliexpress (Paypal). I see right from the start (Frederick Dunn Y tube) and same can be seen in Laurence's vid overflowing honey from open cells at the bottom of the hive. I firmly believe that there must be open cells that the fluid must overflow out of because if every single cell was capped that would not happen = no wastage. The makers or agents for the original flow hive said the 'leakage' would not happen on the subsequent extractions but I cannot see that will happen (murphy's law) if any cells are not capped low down the frame and it only takes one single cap to backflow out of. Frederick Dunn says he has observed that the bees fill the Flow frames from top centre and radiate out to finish at bottom rear. I found his recommendations invaluable. He is indeed the expert re Flow Hives but he would not go near a Chinese one. It is down to money & if a beekeeper wants a flow hive and has loads of money then the original is the one to go for. I do not think the honey has leaked but has been caused by backflow. A good half a gallon is got from one flow frame. I feel indebted to Laurence for his advice in finding our 1st Queen and I think he's brave exposing his antics re this latest video. He also deserves a half gallon jar that only needs a bit of cling film around the top to stop unwanted intrusion. We fill a half gallon jar with one flow frame. I could see after we filled 7 1/2 gallon jars that only one was completely full. The other six were about 0.5 litre short. We still got 40 lbs. A lady recommended the 'cling' idea on here = good idea.
having my flow hives in my back garden is a bit different since i can just get an old water filter jug without the filter and extract a whole frame into it, then take it indoors to fill the jars. i got aproximately 7 and a half 12oz jars out of every frame on my first extraction.
For me the main benefit of the flow hive is the ability to decant and seperate the different honey in each jar so whilst the bucket is easier, I think jars ends up in with a superior result.
@@BlackMountainHoney Yeah, I have to stop thinking in terms of commerce: This is for home use in which case you want to have fun comparing. Like you said, get some mates round, have a BBQ...
Would it be possible to remove the honey super completely to am environment devoid of bees for extracting, and replace it with an empty super so that there are no bees or wasps attempting to rob?
So long as you have muscles same as Goliath had ??? LOL or you neighbour is a weight lifter and he likes honey/// That is if you can get a bee suit to fit him??? LLLLOL... Y'v got to laugh ain't ya? no worries. My wife says she wants me to drain the honey into a big half gallon jug next time = easy to pour into the jars and fish out the black bits of maybee bees nees?
after watching lots of videos on the flow hive my setup is a half gallon mason jar with a pitcher lid from amazon with handle and the cap silicone tubing and multiple half gallon jars. also when they say turn the key 1/3 they mean insert the key 1/3 turn and open when it slows insert another 1/3 turn full open and as the honey flow slows insert the rest of the way and turn fully. and also my bees are so chill i sit with them multiple times a day right next to their landing board and they only land on me when they need a rest before they enter the hive. i dont wear gloves when inspecting and i do wear a jacket and hood because im a newbie lol but my bees are just so docile i bet a real beekeeper could inspect and mess with them with no gear on lol
I liked reading your letter. You are dead on re the half gallon jars. I bought far too many but they are food grade plastic. They gave me a spare lid but I don't use it re the hole thing. A lady on here uses a bit of cling & so did I....... I think the single 1lb jar antics are nothing but a gimmick. Didn't the designers show that one on YT? Fred Dunn is the man to watch but although he is a very very cleaver professional I don't think he has twigged the honey in the bottom of his hive 'yet'. I've been looking at the problems folks get with back flow over 60 years and could see (thnkfully) that and un-capped cell will cause honey to flow out of it. Murphy's law = how many engineers have poured oil into a funnel only to see it overflow the funnel because the oil would not flow through the orifice of the funnel (quick enough for them) ? Could I see many a cell not filled with honey in this vid? Therefore uncapped cells????
@@michaelhall7921 i bought some of the lids that fit mason jar wide mouth jars they have pour caps and some i bought have handles turning the jars into pitchers. the holes are perfect to put the plastic tube in so i put one on each end then put one in the hive the other in the lid hole and that keeps all the bugs out but still lets air in or out
@@drunkenbeesthomasdjohnson5640 Thank you and it's nice to hear of someone who has a Flow Hive. At 81 I'm really old to have got one last July. I've just rang the professional 12 miles from us who sold us the Buckfast bees and queen. I have bought 2 obtuse bends 1 inch dia -OD. These will be good next time which will not be long. I've put short pieces of the clear tube into these 2 45 deg elbows so there is a big fall to the what will bee 2.2 L plastic jugs coming tomorrow from Am. My wife requested these and I do agree with her. It will be easier for her to pour into the 1lb jars. You must have the good idea re your spouts! I noticed small black bits at the surface of the honey and fish them out. 50 lb of honey I thought was brilliant for our first try. We left all they got last season to the bees. At least they got through the bad weather but early spring I managed to get rid of the varroa that no one admitted. They must be thinking they'll loose a sale if they tell about the mites. The last nuc was absolutely lathered in the bloody things. They are now down to 2 per day drop. Best wishes with you Flow hive.... Looking at them from an engineering point of view I think they are lovely.
@@michaelhall7921 sounds awesome im 53 and just got my bees this last march so im still building them up and i have a bad mite problem that im working on but ive seen 3 hive beetles this whole time so the peppermint candies work great and ive been putting wintergreen and peppermint oils in their feed to help with both pests. i got my bees fro the guys that bring bees onto my property and the bees i got are really docile and calm they re very non aggressive to anything except bees and flies lmao
Yeah..umm..you know the roof design is for air flow and to keep it cool in summer in Australia..a copper or metal roof would cook the bees rather quickly.
The largest appeal about FlowHive is that each frame has its own distinct taste rather than the mish-mash honey you get from extractors or store bought "who cares about taste" honey.
Hi there. your presentation is good. In order not to be misunderstood, I am not in favor of the Chinese thread or the Australian flow frames because there is BPA in both. You try to criticize Chinese flow frames and advertise Australian ones. I personally bought Chinese flow frames and they confirmed that they were BPA FREE, but when I investigated they lied. I sent them back and they gave me back the full amount of my money. Then I bought the original Australian ones and check the colorless plastic on the flow frames has the number 7, which is the worst number for plastics that come into contact with food because the number seven contains BPA. I contacted the company in Australia and they refunded my full amount. Don't make the excuse that that sign is for recycling. In each number from 1 to 7 there is a triangle for recycling where plastic under number 7 is not mixed with plastic from other numbers because number 7 contains BPA. I can't display pictures and videos in the comments for you to see. But the person presenting can record it and show it. The number seven is written below the registered patent numbers.
You should really check out a video from here in the US by Bug Farmer from about 2 years ago where he talks about Flow Hive Hacks and shows how you can basically build your own.
Nope or Ivy or Heather....ask me how I know it's a mistake lol. Don't get me wrong I'm a massive fan of Flowhives (I have two and will be retiring my WBC for a third soon) but any honey that crystallises in the frame is not good for a Flow super. Great video Laurence I can see where you're going with this series you have a great mentor ;)
@@dickymint4109 Yep. I'm with you on this. Not experienced it but needs a nice flowing summer honey to do well. Dean is a risk taker and does OSR in his!
@@BlackMountainHoney Give OSR a chance, extract as soon as flowers are over. Not to sell as water content will be around 23% but good enough for personal consumption.
@@ryanvarner2338 Thanks. Sorry its just that we can never win ;) When it's too short, people ask me to talk to slower and go into more detail. TH-cam massively rewards longer videos that keep people engaged and this one seems to be doing very well. it was very deliberately lengthend to talk around the subject and flow hive in general, as opposed to unintentionally rambling 😀
BUY HERE - amzn.to/3v8pOm6
Other tip is put an air hole in the jar so you don't end up with pressure going back up the hose into the flow frame. And unlike the previous vid don't stick the key all the way in and do smaller segments at a time so 1/4 of the way in turn the key, next 1/4 turn it so half is open, then next 1/4 then full frame :D Keywise you can put 2 keys in and turn with both to make it easier
Great tips. Thanks Allan. That hole in the lid is gonna be key next time as im pretty much airtight all the way through.
Huge improvement since your last video, l took a flow tube to a hardware store, bought 20 mill right angle bend’s that the tubes fitted tightly into which are polished brass, I use 2:2 litre jars uncliped the glass lid’s and made hardboard lids also with a 20 mill hole plus 3mm breather. I decanter in the comfort of our kitchen, easy as ! Enjoy your videos regard’s ray.
V3 should just be a 5 gallon bucket with a bunch of tubes in the lid so you can pull all you’re honey at once
No - you don't get the individual flavours then
@@honeymcdonald9120 true.. one of the things I really love about the flow is each frame seems to be something different
I use a stainless drain sieve on top of my (big) glass and harvest late in the evening when all the foragers are back home. That way, I collect any debris (if any) and suicidal insects. The only thing I noticed is that wasps tend to stay outside longer... ;-)
🤣 you love a sting to the face.
Great video.
I can't find it but there is a chap either in the US or Aus that 3D printed a plastic all in one harvest rack. Its very cool.
6-7 attach points that connect to the harvest tube openings feeding into one trough with one tube you feed into a bucket allowing you to harvest all frames at once. I'll keep searching for it and post in your group page when I find it.
Flexi hose is a good alternative Laurence to the stiffer tubes most use.
6-7 holes into a bucket lid with the hoses for me has been the best modification for harvesting.
I do as Frederick Dunn does and like to see the different types of honey regarding colour and taste. A lady advised a bit of cling film and that is a good idea, that is if the extractor fills a half gallon jar from a single Flow frame. the black bits can be fished out before jarring as they are at the top of the honey.
Looking at 'the Flow hive' and operating it from an engineering point of view I find the concept absolutely perfect.
The only drawback I experienced is that no inspection or manipulation can be done once the Flow super is mid fill.
Perhaps a more experienced beekeeper than myself would have done what needs to be done before the Flow goes on and of course before the broods are splitting at the seams!
rather than the screw top jar lid buy a brewers silicone barrel bung, they come in all various sizes, then it's just a case of lift off and push lightly on :) you might have to drill the hole in the bung to fit the hose but its a once in a lifetime job.
I am from germany and I have 3 Flow Hives since 3 years and they are amazing. We have cold winters and you need a little bit of Isolation material, but even that works.
Look up Frederick Dunn. He uses a 90 degree plastic elbow with another modified flow tube into a bottle lid that fits onto jars, seems to work really well. I don't have my bees yet but have my flow hive ready to go for later this year. Can't wait. Great video's Laurence 😀
Wish only I can have a proper training with you
We took a 5 gallon food grade bucket with a tap on the bottom and connected a hose from the flow hive tap through the top of the lid turned it on and let it empty. Then took the bucket of honey indoors and bottled our honey
Curious.... How do you sterilise the jars? Do you re-use jars for sale honey or just home use?
STRICTLY FOR HOME USE. We put them in the dishwasher
Do you put an excluder between the hive and your flow hive?
A couple of tips, get a plastic jug big enough for one frame,which has a lid where your plastic tube fits into the pourer. Cut and glue your tube into a 90 deg elbow. Saves jar swapping and hose problems. You can then just pour from the plastic jar into bottles. Will attempt to send you photo on facebook.
I use half-gallon glass Mason jars, and I just also fill up a pint jar with the first little bit. Sometimes there's not quite enough for the half gallon... sometimes there's a bit more, and trying to switch out a full half-gallon jar is a lot more precarious than switching out a pint jar and topping the half-gallon up after the fact.
What a Legend ! Gets stung in the face and Still carries on 💪😎 what an absolute Ninja! ❤️
Brave man who 'likes' a red hot poker?????
Also 25mm ID hose fits perfect no slipping
I think 25mm is the sweet spot. 27mm just a bit loose but fixed it now with a hose clip
@@BlackMountainHoney Laurence I though when I measured the tube with a Vernier the tube measured one inch imperial (exactly) and 25.5 mm od.
Thank you for the video on finding the queen., it worked and I marked her for replacing next season. Thank you for spending all the time you do making your videos.
I've a good mind to bring you a present . A couple of half gallon jars which, you as well as other blokes who watch your vids, find good to use. They are definitely easier than fiddling (as someone else said) with small jars outside especially.
We go to North Wales to our van & so could drop a couple in. They are new food grade 'pet' plastic with lids. They would help you on your Flow Hive experimentations.
My wife suggest she wants me to catch the honey in a big jug. Fish the black bits out and then pour into the appropriate jars.
@@michaelhall7921 😀
Very kind of you Michael! Thanks. Gifts always welcome LOL
@@BlackMountainHoney We go to Criccieth often but the bees have held us up this year...... any day now. That queen excluder method worked a treat. Thanks for that. Mind those bees don't sting you toooo much. beat wishes
should be best
Brilliant much better with the tube isnt it. I use a demijohn connect it up. Forget about it and carry on with my other beekeeping stuff. Less swapping of jars etc. Look forward to your next video. Thank you 😊
I use a half gallon jar..
i take it once the frame is empty you need to remove it and de cap the cells then replace ? (total newbie )
Nice! I even love the human errors . Have you already collected from your Chinese auto flow?
Is there not enough to do it into a honey bucket?
You can but its dead awkward to get it in without the bees getting in. Takes SO long
Try bending the tube under boiling hot water, then cold water to cool it - might retain a better shape/curve for next time.
When you said “it’s so nice not wearing a suite” I thought it was only a matter of time till you got one to the face. 🤣🤣
How many stings does a person have to endure before a lesson is learnt?????
The little buggers stung me through a decent qual suit in the head,,, why because that cap was not on my stupid head.
I saw a bee keeper do something similar but with all the tubes going into a 5 gallon bucket and all the tubes are inserted into the lid of a bucket and he just lets it go while he does other things.
I like this but the number one reason I like the flow is to separate the honey from each of the frames as opposed to one big homogeneous mix. It's a nice neat solution though 👌 👍
@@BlackMountainHoney I saw that after I spoke up on the video and below... I agree it is a great idea, I have a flow hive too and appreciate your experimentation. (I haven't gotten honey out of it yet.)
Just use a tyrap or herbie clip to connect the hose to the hard pipe, quick, cheap and easy.
quick question , where you said about bee legs in there , is that a result of the frame being cracked open and closed , or is that also common to see in standard hives where you have to lift out each section to collect the comb by hand ? was thinking of getting one once i have an allotment .
Never had a problem with the honey extraction using a flow hive. It's so easy compared to the laboriousoldmehod. Everything else is the same. Watch their videos - you might learn how to do it.
I've always wanted to keep bees.
And I've been eye balling these flowhives.
Thank you for these vids, i think I'm going pull the trigger and jump into.
You will not be disappointed, they are absolutely fantastic. One bit of advise I see is don't go near a rape field. We have no such problem as we live near massive
Wollaton Park. It seems a lot of folks are taking a chance on the Amazon 220 all in bar a mesh floor and an additional brood box with frames.
The Flow hive we were lucky enough to buy is Langstroth which I believe all are?
40 lbs of honey 2 weeks ago----fantastic.
@@michaelhall7921 What happens if they get near rape field?
We do have those damn things here but its mostly cotton and pea nuts.
@@thenomadrhodes apparently the honey soon sets and that would be a big problem in a Flow hive super. Frederick Dunn would be able to advise I'm pretty confident of that. He may well know what sets & what does not. He has reviewed the first flow hive (2015) I ever saw and those watching his videos are aware of his expertise both as a beekeeper and a photographer. He is one in a million.
@@thenomadrhodes There are hundreds of those pretty looking yellow fields in Nottinghamshire and I believe the honey tastes strong. The trouble is the honey sets soon enough and would not drain.
Frederick Dunn would know what sets and what doesn't. He answers all questions.
I believe 'rape' is an early flowerer here in the UK = (Spring) so after that has gone then the Flow super could be used to good effect. I hope that helps.
Use some latex hose. A lot softer to bend.
Is this the same hive that you recently put a super above the flow hive? Did that prevent swarming ?
To ensure you don't run out of jars, dont put the key all the way in - 1/4 to 1/2 each time. It also means you dont potentially overwhelm the flow frames which can lead to flooding the brood area. Could you share the link to the food grade tube, please - apologies if I've missed it.
So what is the purpose of the deep box above the flow frames, another standard set of deep frames?
you could add a valve to your tube and stop flow during the change over
Try cutting seven holes into a honey bucket lid, then you can empty all seven frames at the same time and as people have said only put the key in a third/ half way at a time. Decant later with the valve on your bucket.
For me the main benefit of the flow hive is the ability to decant and seperate the different honey in each jar so whilst the bucket is easier, I think jars ends up in with a superior result.
have you thought about maybe making the tube come straight out of the frame, and then attached to a 45 degree, another small straight tube, and then another 45 degree into the jar? not quite as severe making it go into one 90 degree, and still allows the honey to flow downhill a bit. also use a hose clamp around the junctions from one tube to the other, that'll keep them from falling off :)
Yep. That's coming up on V3 :) Great idea and tip. Thanks
Dan---- That is the idea I used for next extraction. looking at the process through the eyes of an engineer ! £7 'all in' for 2 obtuse elbows from China. The bends took only 2 weeks to come on Aliexpress (Paypal).
I see right from the start (Frederick Dunn Y tube) and same can be seen in Laurence's vid overflowing honey from open cells at the bottom of the hive.
I firmly believe that there must be open cells that the fluid must overflow out of because if every single cell was capped that would not happen = no wastage.
The makers or agents for the original flow hive said the 'leakage' would not happen on the subsequent extractions but I cannot see that will happen (murphy's law) if any cells are not capped low down the frame and it only takes one single cap to backflow out of.
Frederick Dunn says he has observed that the bees fill the Flow frames from top centre and radiate out to finish at bottom rear.
I found his recommendations invaluable. He is indeed the expert re Flow Hives but he would not go near a Chinese one. It is down to money & if a beekeeper wants a flow hive and has loads of money then the original is the one to go for.
I do not think the honey has leaked but has been caused by backflow.
A good half a gallon is got from one flow frame.
I feel indebted to Laurence for his advice in finding our 1st Queen and I think he's brave exposing his antics re this latest video. He also deserves a half gallon jar that only needs a bit of cling film around the top to stop unwanted intrusion. We fill a half gallon jar with one flow frame. I could see after we filled 7 1/2 gallon jars that only one was completely full. The other six were about 0.5 litre short. We still got 40 lbs.
A lady recommended the 'cling' idea on here = good idea.
having my flow hives in my back garden is a bit different since i can just get an old water filter jug without the filter and extract a whole frame into it, then take it indoors to fill the jars. i got aproximately 7 and a half 12oz jars out of every frame on my first extraction.
Some people say put key third way in open it then go in another third and repeat process until frame fully open
I reckon one nice big container is the way to go, and decant it later at home.
For me the main benefit of the flow hive is the ability to decant and seperate the different honey in each jar so whilst the bucket is easier, I think jars ends up in with a superior result.
@@BlackMountainHoney Yeah, I have to stop thinking in terms of commerce: This is for home use in which case you want to have fun comparing. Like you said, get some mates round, have a BBQ...
Hi . I want to buy one but my question is if it's possible to harvest the rapeseed honey from it and if you have a video. Thanks 😊
Are you using the after market frames or the real flow hive and was there any diffrence between the two? Thank you .Nice looking honey too.
Real frames. I have a fake flow hive as well though
@@BlackMountainHoney I just loaded bees into my fake flow hive a couple of months ago. How is yours working out?
wow you collected a lot of jaws of honey. I love to do that
Would it be possible to remove the honey super completely to am environment devoid of bees for extracting, and replace it with an empty super so that there are no bees or wasps attempting to rob?
So long as you have muscles same as Goliath had ??? LOL or you neighbour is a weight lifter and he likes honey/// That is if you can get a bee suit to fit him??? LLLLOL...
Y'v got to laugh ain't ya? no worries. My wife says she wants me to drain the honey into a big half gallon jug next time = easy to pour into the jars and fish out the black bits of maybee bees nees?
Why can't you manage swarms in them?
Thanks mate!
after watching lots of videos on the flow hive my setup is a half gallon mason jar with a pitcher lid from amazon with handle and the cap silicone tubing and multiple half gallon jars. also when they say turn the key 1/3 they mean insert the key 1/3 turn and open when it slows insert another 1/3 turn full open and as the honey flow slows insert the rest of the way and turn fully. and also my bees are so chill i sit with them multiple times a day right next to their landing board and they only land on me when they need a rest before they enter the hive. i dont wear gloves when inspecting and i do wear a jacket and hood because im a newbie lol but my bees are just so docile i bet a real beekeeper could inspect and mess with them with no gear on lol
I liked reading your letter. You are dead on re the half gallon jars. I bought far too many but they are food grade plastic. They gave me a spare lid but I don't use it re the hole thing. A lady on here uses a bit of cling & so did I.......
I think the single 1lb jar antics are nothing but a gimmick. Didn't the designers show that one on YT?
Fred Dunn is the man to watch but although he is a very very cleaver professional I don't think he has twigged the honey in the bottom of his hive 'yet'.
I've been looking at the problems folks get with back flow over 60 years and could see (thnkfully) that and un-capped cell will cause honey to flow out of it.
Murphy's law = how many engineers have poured oil into a funnel only to see it overflow the funnel because the oil would not flow through the orifice of the funnel (quick enough for them) ?
Could I see many a cell not filled with honey in this vid? Therefore uncapped cells????
@@michaelhall7921 i bought some of the lids that fit mason jar wide mouth jars they have pour caps and some i bought have handles turning the jars into pitchers. the holes are perfect to put the plastic tube in so i put one on each end then put one in the hive the other in the lid hole and that keeps all the bugs out but still lets air in or out
@@drunkenbeesthomasdjohnson5640 Thank you and it's nice to hear of someone who has a Flow Hive. At 81 I'm really old to have got one last July. I've just rang the professional 12 miles from us who sold us the Buckfast bees and queen.
I have bought 2 obtuse bends 1 inch dia -OD. These will be good next time which will not be long. I've put short pieces of the clear tube into these 2 45 deg elbows so there is a big fall to the what will bee 2.2 L plastic jugs coming tomorrow from Am. My wife requested these and I do agree with her. It will be easier for her to pour into the 1lb jars. You must have the good idea re your spouts!
I noticed small black bits at the surface of the honey and fish them out.
50 lb of honey I thought was brilliant for our first try.
We left all they got last season to the bees. At least they got through the bad weather but early spring I managed to get rid of the varroa that no one admitted.
They must be thinking they'll loose a sale if they tell about the mites.
The last nuc was absolutely lathered in the bloody things.
They are now down to 2 per day drop. Best wishes with you Flow hive.... Looking at them from an engineering point of view I think they are lovely.
sorry should be 40lb not 50----- still excellent though?
@@michaelhall7921 sounds awesome im 53 and just got my bees this last march so im still building them up and i have a bad mite problem that im working on but ive seen 3 hive beetles this whole time so the peppermint candies work great and ive been putting wintergreen and peppermint oils in their feed to help with both pests. i got my bees fro the guys that bring bees onto my property and the bees i got are really docile and calm they re very non aggressive to anything except bees and flies lmao
Yeah..umm..you know the roof design is for air flow and to keep it cool in summer in Australia..a copper or metal roof would cook the bees rather quickly.
An insulated roof wouldn't.
without having to buy extracting equipment , this flow hive is just about the same investment as any other hive + extracting equipment.
Use a metal hose clamp. Problem solved.
yeah you need to make a manifold to fit the amount of frames, flow them into 1 pipe straight into a honey bucket
I'm not keen on extracting into a single bucket. Loses the biggest benefit of the flow hive that is being able to extract each frame separately
@@BlackMountainHoney i see what you mean
try it with a bucket.. forget about the jars... won't need to worry about spilling the honey...
I want the frames to be separate. That's the whole appeal for me to taste the different honey from each frame
The largest appeal about FlowHive is that each frame has its own distinct taste rather than the mish-mash honey you get from extractors or store bought "who cares about taste" honey.
One gallon is 8.2#s so a pint should be a little over a pound
Why can’t you saw raw?
How old was the colony in that Flow hive, was it this year’s or the colony is older then that?’
Greetings from Seattle, Washington!
I have no experience, but couldn’t you just put some aquarium safe glue on the hard hose that connects to the soft hose
Hi there. your presentation is good. In order not to be misunderstood, I am not in favor of the Chinese thread or the Australian flow frames because there is BPA in both. You try to criticize Chinese flow frames and advertise Australian ones. I personally bought Chinese flow frames and they confirmed that they were BPA FREE, but when I investigated they lied. I sent them back and they gave me back the full amount of my money. Then I bought the original Australian ones and check the colorless plastic on the flow frames has the number 7, which is the worst number for plastics that come into contact with food because the number seven contains BPA. I contacted the company in Australia and they refunded my full amount. Don't make the excuse that that sign is for recycling. In each number from 1 to 7 there is a triangle for recycling where plastic under number 7 is not mixed with plastic from other numbers because number 7 contains BPA. I can't display pictures and videos in the comments for you to see. But the person presenting can record it and show it. The number seven is written below the registered patent numbers.
You should really check out a video from here in the US by Bug Farmer from about 2 years ago where he talks about Flow Hive Hacks and shows how you can basically build your own.
what kind of pickling do you put on the turnip? Im gonna try and do some.
What happened to the fake flow hive?
Still going. Filmed a video in it today 😀
@@BlackMountainHoney I really hope the "fake" frames are as good (because of price) but I suppose I'm not supposed to say that lol ;)
@@dickymint4109 They looked good today! 😀
so will you try this n the OSR Laurance ?
Nope. Not to say it won't work but I won't risk it. Same with the heather
Nope or Ivy or Heather....ask me how I know it's a mistake lol. Don't get me wrong I'm a massive fan of Flowhives (I have two and will be retiring my WBC for a third soon) but any honey that crystallises in the frame is not good for a Flow super.
Great video Laurence I can see where you're going with this series you have a great mentor ;)
@@dickymint4109 Yep. I'm with you on this. Not experienced it but needs a nice flowing summer honey to do well. Dean is a risk taker and does OSR in his!
@@BlackMountainHoney Give OSR a chance, extract as soon as flowers are over. Not to sell as water content will be around 23% but good enough for personal consumption.
Why do you paint your frames and your boxes black?
PEX
You could shorten you video length by not talking so much and quit rambling
'man who gets something for free moans it's too long'
Just an observation, maybe you would get more views? I appreciate and enjoy the content, just giving feedback
@@ryanvarner2338 Thanks. Sorry its just that we can never win ;) When it's too short, people ask me to talk to slower and go into more detail. TH-cam massively rewards longer videos that keep people engaged and this one seems to be doing very well. it was very deliberately lengthend to talk around the subject and flow hive in general, as opposed to unintentionally rambling 😀
harvasted honey without they are caped?