Calculator for Beekeeping and other things

[NickWallingford]

Here is calculator, compliments of the Wayback Machine. It was created about 25 years ago - so realise that some calcs (such as for PDB use) are no longer applicable. More important, this is more than just a calculator - it allows a neophyte beekeeper to make use of the 'rules of thumb' that get developed over longer times with bees...

New Zealand Beekeeping: Conversions, Ready Reckoner

 

[Mummzie]

Fantastic calculator Nick.
All sorts of things I never knew I wanted to calculate.
According to it, I can wire a box of frames in 10 minutes. I wish.....!

 

[Josh]

Some useful calc there. I like the feed to foundation one. Obviously it’s multi factorial, but I always wonder how much feed I should plan on (eg to build a nuc up to two
¾ boxes)

Thanks for posting

 

[John B]

I can wire 60 frames an hour as long as I don't get any interruptions but you have to apply yourself to it. 50 frames is a lot more doable.
That is of course doing four wires in full depth frames. I caught up with a friend at the farmers market a couple weeks ago. In his youth he could do 81 frames an hour but that was three wires in full depth frames.
When we were young we used to do it all contract and you could earn a lot more than your normal hourly rate. I could also staple about 200 frames an hour . When we got our first house the interest rates on the mortgage went up to 23% and I used to work bees all day and then contract wire frames in the evening while watching television.
Nowadays I just fall asleep watching television.

Interesting calculator. Maf people in those days were knowledgeable and helpful about beekeeping. MPI people these days with a couple of notable exceptions are lacking in beekeeping knowledge and seem to go out of their way to be unhelpful.