DIY Dadan hive

The dimensions of the drawings of the 12-frame Dadan hive are most often of interest to beekeepers because of the versatility of the design. Among the variety of models, the house occupies the golden mean in terms of size and weight. There are hives with fewer frames, but they are not always practical. Large models with 14 and 16 hundred frames are convenient for receiving large bribes.However, such hives are difficult to move.

Advantages of keeping bees in Dadany

The design of Dadan hives is considered outdated, but is still popular among many amateur beekeepers. This fact is explained by a number of advantages:

• the spacious building is convenient for accommodating a large bee colony;
• In winter, a hive can contain two bee colonies, separated by a partition;
• thoughtful design of the hive reduces the likelihood of swarming;
• simplified access to frames and combs with honey located in one place;
• to expand the space for bees or honey frames, the hive is supplemented with buildings and stores;
• a single-body hive is multifunctional, which saves the beekeeper from unnecessary work with the bodies.

Despite the fact that the model is outdated, frames, spare frames and other parts are always available for sale for Dadan hives.

Classification of hives Dadan

By design, Dadan hives are divided into single-body and multi-body models. The following types are distinguished by size:

• the non-standard design is an 8-frame house, which is rarely found among amateur beekeepers;
• among beekeepers, the 10-frame hive Dadan is considered a classic;
• the 12-frame house has a square shape, allowing you to place frames on warm and cold skids;
• hives with 14 and 16 frames are bulky and heavy, more suitable for stationary apiaries.

A Frenchman by birth, Charles Dadan is considered the first creator of hives where a bee colony can be positioned vertically. To improve the beekeeper, he chose an 8-frame house, converting it to accommodate 12 Quimby frames.

Over time, Dadan's development was improved by a Swiss professional, Blatt. According to the beekeeper, Dadan's hives are more suitable for warm areas. The Swiss reduced the width of the body, adapting the house to wintering in more severe conditions. After improvements, frames from 470 mm were reduced to 435 mm, which became the standard. The system was called “Dadan-Blat” in honor of its two creators, but the people still called the design Dadan’s.

Construction of hives Dadan

Dadanovsky hives have the simplest design. However, when making it yourself, you need to know what parts the house consists of and how it is structured.

Features of Dadan-Blatt hives

A feature of the Dadanov model is its vertical arrangement, which corresponds to the natural nest system of wild bees. The hive consists of the following elements:

• The bottom is made of boards and has a rectangular shape. The sides are equipped with three strips for joining to the body. Instead of the fourth strip, a gap is left, forming a taphole. The bottom protruding beyond the dimensions of the hull, at least 5 cm wide, is the landing board. With the beginning of honey collection, if necessary, the element is expanded with attachments.
• The body is a box with four side walls without a bottom and a lid. Wall thickness 45 mm. Dimensions depend on the number of frames. Inside the case there are folds approximately 20 mm high and about 11 mm wide. Frames are hung on the ledges.
• The design of the store is similar to the body, only smaller in height. They place it on the hive during honey collection. The store has half-frames.
• The roof protects the interior of the hive from precipitation.Beekeepers make flat, single-slope and double-slope structures.
• The canopy is usually made 120 mm high. The element serves to insulate the hive and install the feeder.

Each module of Dadan hives is interchangeable. The beekeeper himself decides how many buildings he needs to build. A special feature of Dadanovsky houses is the design of the bottom. There are models with an inseparable and removable element that simplifies cleaning.

Construction of multi-body hives Dadan

Multi-hull Dadans are no different from single-hull models. The difference lies in the number of cases that can accommodate more frames, which is important during honey collection. Most often they are built up in 4 pieces. In multi-hull hives, it is easier for the beekeeper to predict when swarming will begin. If necessary, modules are rearranged, added or reduced.

What is the difference between Dadan and Ruth?

Ruta and Dadan hives are considered the most popular and in demand. The main difference is their design. The Rutov model is complex and more suitable for professional beekeepers. The house consists of several modules. More often they are increased to 6 pieces. The Rutovskaya model differs in size. The hives use frames of 230x435 mm.

Dadan's hives are simpler than their Rutov counterparts and are recommended for novice and amateur beekeepers. If we talk about the difference in dimensions, then the size of the Dadan frame is 300x435 mm, and the half-frame is 145x435 mm. Another important difference is the technology of keeping bees and the method of extracting honey. Compared to Ruto hives, Dadans’ nesting frames are located higher – 300 mm. The figure for Ruth is 230 mm.

DIY Dadan hive for 8 frames

The 8-frame Dadan is considered the smallest in size.Such hives are rarely used in amateur apiaries and are made independently.

Drawings and dimensions of the Dadan hive for 8 frames

Finding drawings on the 8-frame Dadan hive is difficult, and they are not always needed. The design is considered non-standard. Amateur beekeepers make houses according to their preferences, modifying some elements. As for the sizes, when making it yourself, they rely on the following parameters:

• The length of the case is equal to the length of the Dadan frame plus 14 mm. A gap of 7.5 mm is provided between the side planks and the walls of the house.
• The width of the hive is calculated by the number of frames multiplied by their thickness. For an 8-frame house, the number 8 is multiplied by 37.5 mm. The last indicator is the thickness of the frames.
• The height of the module is equal to the height of the frame plus the height of the folds.

For an 8-frame hive, the nest width is 315 mm. There are 7 little streets, which can accommodate up to 2.5 kg of bees. For the winter, the house is equipped with a store containing 8 honeycomb-filled frames with a total weight of 12 kg. In nesting frames, the honey supply reaches 1.5 kg. The total supply of food for a bee colony for the winter varies from 20 to 25 kg.

Build process

Making a Dadan hive begins with preparing the material. The dry board is cut with a circular saw to the required width and length and sanded. Grooves for the locking connection are cut out at the ends.

After preparing the material, begin assembling the 8-frame hive:

1. The body is assembled by connecting prepared boards. For tightness and reliability, locks are lubricated with PVA glue before joining.
2. The front and back sides of the hive body are assembled at the top with a wide board, and the narrow one is placed at the bottom. The side walls are assembled in the reverse order.The spacing of the seams gives strength to the structure and prevents loosening. The ends of the walls (corners of the body) are connected with self-tapping screws. You can use pins or nails.
3. A hole is cut out at the bottom of the hive.
4. Using a similar principle, the bottom of the Dadan hive is assembled from a board. The assembled shield should fit tightly into the body slats. For a reliable connection with a cutter, select a groove 20 mm wide. A landing board is attached to the outside of the hull near the entrance.
5. Rebates are formed on the inner walls of the body. The protrusions will act as stops for the hangers of the frame.
6. The finished body is painted on the outside with oil or water-based paint.

Stores are made according to a similar principle, only smaller in height. The board can be taken with a smaller thickness - about 20 mm. The supports for the frames are made of slats screwed with self-tapping screws from the inside of the housing walls.

A universal roof is assembled, suitable for the store and the Dadanovsky hive. A small gap is left at the connection between the removable cover and the body, but ensures a tight fit.

Ventilation is provided between the lid and the body. There are two options:

• make a large upper taphole 120 mm long;
• make a narrow upper entrance, and cut through grooves on the sides and cover them with mesh.

Both methods are good. The choice is up to the beekeeper's preference.

The roof is sheathed on top with material that protects the hive from precipitation. Sheet steel is suitable, preferably one that is not susceptible to corrosion. Galvanization is usually used.

Keeping bees in Dadan eight-frame hives

The Dadan hive with 8 frames is approximately the same size as the Rutov case.The number of cells being built corresponds. However, the Dadan design is not able to provide all the advantages of a multi-body hive. Dadanovsky and Rutovsky frames differ in height. In Dadan's multi-tiered hive, they cannot be placed across the nest due to the large gap between the bodies.

In 8-frame Dadan, bees are reluctant to get to the store due to the high altitude. They begin to deposit honey at the top of the nest frame. This place is the darkest. The queen moves closer to the entrance to lay eggs. The uterus needs oxygen. If the Dadan for 8 frames is made without an upper entrance, the queen will willingly work only from below. Brood from the top to the bottom bar will not work. There will be problems with transitions to the store.

You will have to make hives, canvases, and liners yourself, calculate the optimal sizes, and come up with devices.

How to make a 10-frame Dadan hive

For a novice beekeeper, it is optimal to maintain the dimensions of a 10-frame hive on a Dadan frame, and make the structure yourself.

Drawings and dimensions of the Dadan hive for 10 frames

In general terms, the drawing of a 10-frame Dadan hive is similar to the design diagram for 8 frames. The only difference is the size.

Tools and materials

To assemble the hive, you will similarly need dry boards. Pine, willow or linden are ideal. If these species are not available, other wood with a light specific gravity will be suitable. The tools you need are a circular saw, a grinder, a set of chisels, a plane, and a router.

Build process

The order of assembly of the 10-frame Dadan is no different from the previous model with 8 frames. The body and bottom are assembled from cut boards according to the drawing. The blanks are connected with a tongue-and-groove lock and pre-coated with glue. It is advisable to make entrances at the top and bottom. The roof is optimally sheathed with aluminum sheets. Due to the lower weight of aluminum, the total weight of a 10-frame hive will be reduced. The shops are collected last. The finished structure is painted.

Features of beekeeping in 10-frame Dadans

Dadan's hive is 10 frames better than its counterparts when it comes to maintaining a young brood that has never wintered before. However, for a developed strong family such a house is small. The content of bees in a 10- and 12-frame hive is the same. The first option only benefits from lighter weight, which is convenient for carrying.

Due to the small nest of a 10-frame hive, it is better to keep honey bees in two Dadan housings. The nests themselves are not reduced in size for the winter. If it is necessary to divide the bee colony for half the summer, some of the bees without the queen are sent to another small hive, where new development will begin. The remaining bees with the queen will eventually fill the entire nest.

However, a 10-frame hive can be used for a strong family if the nest is in two buildings. Inside the common house there will be outer feeding combs with honey and beebread, 12 brood combs, 2 frames for new combs. Additionally, there is spare empty space inside for two frames. It is used to strengthen the nest or hatch brood.

DIY Dadanovsky 12-frame hive

To assemble a 12-frame Dadan hive with your own hands, you will need exact dimensions and drawings. The design is characterized by increased dimensions.Sometimes houses are made with a removable bottom to make cleaning easier.

Drawings and dimensions of Dadan hives for 12 frames

The diagram shows a cross-section of a two-tier Dadan along and across the frames. Using the drawing with dimensions, it is easy to assemble the bodies, bottom, lid and other elements of the hive.

Dimensions and drawings of the Dadan hive for 12 frames with a removable bottom

There is no point in repeating the drawing of the Dadan hive for 12 frames with a removable bottom, since it is identical. The same goes for sizes. The structure is made according to a similar scheme, only the bottom is not completely secured.

Required tools and materials

The materials used are boards with a locking joint. Additionally, you will need nails, self-tapping screws, PVA glue, and sheet metal for roof lining. Tools are needed for woodworking: plane, saw, router, chisels, hammer.

How to make a Dadan hive for 12 frames with your own hands

After sanding the boards with sandpaper and cutting them into pieces of the required size, they begin to assemble the house:

• Frame. The bottom is assembled exactly like an 8- or 10-frame Dadan. The boards are connected with a lock, having previously been coated with glue. The corner joints of the body are tightened with self-tapping screws or knocked down with nails.
• The stores are next in line to be assembled. Inside all cases there are stops for frames.
• When the stores are ready, they begin to manufacture the under-cover part.
• For the entrance, a hole is cut in the body and a landing strip is installed.
• The last thing to make is the lid. The shield is similarly assembled from boards and covered with galvanization on top.

The finished structure is checked to ensure that all elements can be separated and folded freely. The final part is painting the hive.

Experienced beekeepers advise making it high up to 20 cm so that the family can freely accommodate. In factory-made Dadans, the sub-frame space is often 2 cm, which is very small for a strong bee colony.

Making hives for bees Dadan for 12 frames with a removable bottom

Dadan for 12 frames with a removable bottom is assembled according to a similar principle. The only difference is the lower part. The bottom is assembled from a board in the form of a pallet. The shield is inserted inside the body using folds, allowing you to quickly assemble and disassemble the Hive. The thickness of the removable bottom is 30 mm, and the thickness of the trim is 35 mm. Using liners, an additional taphole is formed. For the winter, they are replaced with other liners with smaller holes to retain heat inside the hive.

Inside the house with a removable bottom, the sub-frame space is kept up to 25 cm. The front part of the bottom protrudes beyond the boundaries of the body by 5 cm, forming a landing board.

Features of keeping bees in 12-frame hives Dadan

The features of caring for bees in 10 and 12 frame hives are the same. The design differs only in the number of frames. For the 12-frame Dadan, it is additionally worth considering the Lonin method, which is also suitable for its brother for 10 frames.

The technology requires the following actions:

• the period from March to the end of April is used to increase the width of the nest;
• from April to May, dividing grates are installed to help expand the nest downwards, but the brood part is not disturbed;
• in the upper sections, until May 15, the queen cells are cut off, or they are allowed to breed a new queen;
• Stores on the hive are increased before the start of honey collection.

When all the honey has been pumped out at the end of the season, the hive is prepared for wintering.

Which hive is better: 10 or 12 frame

According to the principle of keeping bees, there is no particular difference between hives with 10 and 12 frames. The first version of the house is easier to carry and is more suitable for a weak family. The second version of the house is more stable due to its square shape. The magazine can be placed 2 weeks late, and it can be placed perpendicular to the frames of the nest. The downside is the heavy weight.

Drawings and dimensions of the 14-frame hive Dadan

Dadan's 14-frame design is similar to its predecessors, only the larger sizes differ. The hive has a number of advantages:

• Increased volume, allowing you to support a strong family and receive large bribes.
• In a bed with two buildings, you can expand the nests for a long time, which is beneficial for the two-queen method of keeping bees.
• When the family expands to 24 frames, it does not need to be restrained in its development.
• With the installation of extensions on the 14-frame Dadan, the bees are busy with work for a long time. The beekeeper has free time.

The disadvantage is the large weight and dimensions. The hives are difficult to move. If the apiary is nomadic, there are fewer houses on the platform.

16-frame hive Dadan: dimensions and drawings

The dadan with 16 frames is a serious construction of large mass. Bees are kept in a cold drift, placing the frames perpendicular to the entrance.

The advantage of the design is:

• ease of inspection of frames;
• improved air exchange of the nest;
• stability of the hive with a large number of extensions;
• During honey collection, installing two stores is enough.
• in the summer, during a short break in the heat, you can set up stores 3 weeks later, which simplifies solving the problem with swarming.

There are a number of disadvantages:

• in spring, nests develop slowly;
• the autumn growth of bees occurs at the level of 12 frame Dadan;
• hard to bear;
• Large dimensions complicate transportation and entry into the city.

According to reviews from Siberian beekeepers, in large hives there is practically no problem with high humidity. For this, beekeepers are ready to forget about shortcomings.

Drawings and dimensions of the Dadan frame

For all hive models, the size of the Dadan frame does not exceed the standards and is 435x300 mm. The design is preserved in the same way. There are also half-frames. They are used in store extensions. If we compare the dimensions of the half-frame with the dimensions of the Dadan frame, the width remains unchanged - 435 mm. Only the height has been reduced to 145 mm.

To insulate the nest for the winter, a diaphragm is placed inside the hive. The device resembles a frame, only covered with plywood on both sides. The interior space is filled with insulation, usually polystyrene foam. Keep the size of the diaphragm for the Dadan hive the same as for the frame, but add 5 mm in height. In addition, the thickness of the side strips is increased by 14 mm. The excess of the side elements in height and thickness allows you to tightly cover the space between the frames and the side walls of the hive with a diaphragm.

Conclusion

The dimensions and drawings of the 12-frame Dadan hive can be taken as the basis for the design. The principle of making houses for different numbers of frames is no different. The diagram is left unchanged, but you just need to change the dimensions and start assembling.

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