how to make a dummy board (2025)

prana vallabha said:

i am a complete novice and would like to have a go at making some dummy boards i do have some 4ml correx spare ...any suggetions welcome

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dummy boards are usually made from ply, 9 or even 12 mm thick. cut to size of brood frames, with a piece of batten or a top bar attached. I think correx would be too flimsy.

prana vallabha said:

i am a complete novice and would like to have a go at making some dummy boards i do have some 4ml correx spare ...any suggetions welcome

Click to expand...

One hive - max 2 dummy boards required. If you expect to expand, make some more. Any unwarped piece of board (preferably ply not less than 5mm) cut to the shape of a normal frame with a batten on top, glued as well as pinned preferably, in place of the frame lugs and there you are. Dummy boards are often used in boxes of hoffman frames, where instead of stuffing 12frames in which can then get propolised and make inspection difficult, a dummy board can be lifted out more easily and that makes a clear space for manipulation purposes. I also use dummy boards in full brood boxes which I use as a nuc. The void on either side I fill with insulation material until the brood expands.

tonybloke said:

dummy boards are usually made from ply, 9 or even 12 mm thick. cut to size of brood frames, with a piece of batten or a top bar attached. I think correx would be too flimsy.

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The Th0rn budget dummy board is a frame sized double layer of 4mm correx with a plastic (ABS?) U profile moulding as the top bar and shorter one at the bottom. Light and fairly robust even when dropped. Can't recall if it was stapled or just glued. Seems to work OK and the usual deterioration with correx is from UV light so should last a fair time in the dark of a hive.

prana vallabha said:

i am a complete novice and would like to have a go at making some dummy boards i do have some 4ml correx spare ...any suggetions welcome

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get an empty DN1 brood frame and staple correx or hardboard over it...google Cushman Bees dummy boards and look as the web page "dummy frames for british bee hives.....and then the other 1000 or so pages on the Late Mr Cushman's site

I only met him once but had great respect for him

Finman said:

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Styrofoam insulating board (30 mm) is very handy to use as dummy board. You make a wound with sharp knofe, then twist and it is cut.

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, very good especially introducing a 5 frame Nuc of bees in to a 11 frame hive

prana vallabha said:

i am a complete novice and would like to have a go at making some dummy boards i do have some 4ml correx spare ...any suggetions welcome

Click to expand...

You could use a frame as a cutting template, cut the correx to shape and double it up to make it 8mm thick, and gaffer tape round the edges to hold it together.

If you've got a spare frame you could fasten correx to one or both sides of it. Tape will work, although they'll chew it when/if they're bored. We made one like this and it seems to be holding up okay.

I would use the insulation, best of both worlds.

PH