The Flow Hive for honey bees, Love it? Hate it? or Undecided? Price? Review of Quality Control

A complete review of the FlowHive honey super and patented frames for honeybee honey removal without uncapping, straining, filtering, or processing. The initial quality of wood joints was not so good in my opinion. My thoughts and observations.
Follow our progress with FlowHives on this page: www.fredsfinefowl.com/theflow...
YES! in response to those generous viewers who have asked how they can support my work, please follow this link: / 3494368
Avoid Fakes, here is the real FlowHive at a $50.00 discount: mbsy.co/honeyflow/29307941
AU - mbsy.co/zSDf9
EU - mbsy.co/zSDbm
UPDATE ABOUT PLASTICS: lack of evidence for microplastic contamination in honey:
Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A Vol 34, 2017 - issue 11.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...
Showing the 7 Frame FlowHive, hive body construction, and design, components, frame design, and thoughts on what I think is good or not? Parts were missing, and joints did not fit. The next step will be observing the bees when I put this super on a strong colony in the spring of 2016. Subscribe to be certain not to miss that! Yes.. they are BOX JOINTS.. not dovetails... sorry about that.
The following is a link for those who are interested in the safety of using plastics in a bee hive, specifically these flow frames: www.honeyflow.com/faqs/are-the...
UPDATE! Since this video was made, Flow has taken over their own wood manufacturing and I have had zero problems with all of my other Flow-Hive components - they are now precision laser cut and I have been using them with excellent results as of 10/03/2019 - 8 flowhives and growing!
I do not treat my honey bees, learn about the bees I manage here:
www.beeweaver.com/our-story
Do you have the need to read about bees? goo.gl/S3a6vF
I use Acorn Frames in my Deep Brood Box: goo.gl/84LZSR
Know if your honey is ready with this Refractometer: goo.gl/z98ohK
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

[@60knightsix]

Mr. Dunn...I love raw, unfiltered honey; always have. I've always been fascinated by bees and everything to do with them, including their issues with disease and "Africanization." That said, my interests are purely intellectual, not practical. I am greatly impressed by your presentation and willingness to purchase and "see for yourself" without preconceived notions about a new technology. Your level of detail and honest appraisal is noted. Well done, Sir...I wish we had more like you to inform and educate others. John

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi John, What a great comment, and you've definitely started my day off right. We share the appreciation of RAW honey and I can't even look at commercially produced honey-like products anymore. Many years ago, around 2006, I noticed a conspicuous absence of honey bees on my property and that led me down the path of honey bee observation. I volunteered my photographic services to document the condition of colony collapse disorder. I met the State Bee Inspector at several apiaries and was witness to every possible challenge and material condition the bees were impacted by. the state inspector suggested that I have my own colonies in order to better observe and compare. I quickly was in touch with apiaries from coast to coast and ultimately liked the Weaver family in Texas, as they were allowing their stock to die out and work with "survivor" colonies. They were widely being criticized by industry beekeepers as irresponsible. Today, varroa resistant, hygienic bees, of the survivor stock are very much in demand. I hope you'll view some of my other bee videos John, I'm so glad you're here!

[@Space_Trucker]

Whatever debate the flow causes in the beekeeping world, this is one of the most unbiased and professional reviews I've seen on it. Thank you for taking the time to inform us.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Chelsey, your comment made my day :)

[@VidKatMA1]

I agree. Just the Facts ma'am...no bias.

[@PapaBee165]

From the start, fredrick has had an open mind about the flow hive. That made me stick to his advice 95% of the time. He’s very objective.

[@tube4waldek]

This is “finger joint” or “box joint” and not “dovetail joint”. But yes, it should match!

[@FrederickDunn]

yes, I wrote about that in the video description. Apologies all around, I'll never live that one down.

[@dixsigns1717]

@@FrederickDunn it's OK! I love your videos.

[@JasperJanssen]

Frederick Dunn enh. You’re a beekeeper, not a woodworker. But yeah, the quality of the wood shown here is... barely acceptable for a crowdfunding reward, but definitely not acceptable for a commercial product. It’s good to hear they’ve stepped up their manufacturing process in this regard.

[@iteerrex8166]

No big deal, but what is a big deal is how badly it was cut.

[@Zerkbern]

I really enjoyed this vid, Mr. Dunn. I'm an "arm chair" beekeeper. I've watched tons of videos and read many books. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Zerkbern Thanks, I really appreciate that comment! Keep up your studies and then dive into the University of Direct Experience :)

[@mamoonakram8529]

hi fred i am from pakistan' i watched your video and found it very informative 'you explained everything very well but what i like about you is that you care for environment and earth 'thanks for sharing your knowledge with us ' world need more people like yourself.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Mamoon Akram Thank you so much Mamoon! That is one of the best comments I've received.. I wish you well there in Pakistan!

[@marianbuduroi6463]

a like your comment

[@jessicageorge9136]

I just purchased a Flow Hive 2. We are interested in bees for the environmental aspect and for our own honey, but have no experience and want to start on a small scale. This kit seems to be a great way to start and learn.

[@FatNebraskaMom]

If you're interested in bees for the environment, you should be boosting native species. Honeybees are a hobby. Masons and leafcutters need more help.

[@scotcompston]

Actually the flow Hive is basically a langstroth hive with the flow super technology. The flow super is the only difference between a langstroth and a flow hive.

[@user-hi5cv1hj4d]

어디서 구매하셧나요?

[@LouNormanII]

Great video! Thanks for taking the time! I learned something again from you Fred!

[@FrederickDunn]

+Lou Norman Thanks Lou... it's always great to have something new to learn and share about!

[@FrederickDunn]

ALERT! Today alone, I have had to remove/block FOUR Chinese Company Posts that have links selling a Chinese Version of the FlowHIve. There is only one source (at this time) for FlowHive frames and FlowHive Bodies. Please be aware that if it's not from the FlowHive website and it's NEW, it is not a true FlowHive and is pirated/counterfeit. I am amazed by how quickly they have done this.

[@LowLightVideos]

+Frederick Dunn - Easy to steal, even easier if you send your Ideas to them (Injection Molded Products, or anything else). They will make your Order and IF they are dishonest they simply keep the Equipment running and make a bunch of _whatever_ for themselves. In the case of Injection Molding you need to deal with LOCAL reputable Companies and have EACH Company only make ONE Part, then YOU assemble the bits and pieces in your own Factory - don't give ONE Foreign Company the *Key* to your Business. I am an expert in the Field of Manufacturing (but not an expert in Carpentry). My unqualified opinion on the wood Frame is that the QC is very poor and the actual size should match standard Hives (for stacking). Obviously the Dovetails should be sanded and slide together smoothly (with a gentle hammer tap to knock it together, and a means to leverage it apart if moisture soaked). The Screws should be bagged, labeled and include either one extra or 10% extra (whichever is more). As for the quality of the Injection Molding, the clear plastic parts appear to be of better quality than the yellow parts (from what I can tell from your Video, using a Magnifying Glass). It's a neat system but a peel off front (that takes the caps off) and a collapsible Honeycomb (that squeezes out almost all the Honey instantly) would be a better system (if you're inclined to 'invent' your own - use my idea). Wit the amount of money they Kickstarted and what they charge the quality should be a LOT better. Looks like THEY are the only ones making money from 'Beekeeping' (IF they are really that into it). Probably have a new Job now, selling these poorly made but otherwise ingenious Bee Frames. Sweet success. YT, Rob Want to Video Bees in the dark, equipment on my Channel. 😃

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Rob, all great points. Nope.. I have no interest in marketing or re-selling flow hives, parts or components, I'll leave that to them. I'm fairly certain that after a world wide consumer test and feedback is returned, the flowhive system will continue to be improved. They are also being "illegally" manufactured in Turkey and being sold on E-bay. They are learning quickly not to include "FlowHive" in the title anymore. What a mess. Currently my honey bees are actually chewing the edges of the flow box. I've never had them in cedar before, I'm guessing they felt it needed further modification. :)

[@hoplite46]

Damm them Chinese pirates

[@farukbal5559]

Hi +Frederick Dunn I m from Turkey we sometimes copy some goods illegaly but I couldnt see any beehive producer in my country could you give a link please.

[@farukbal5559]

I sow a product colled akar çerçeve* in Turkish but its an import good. Original name of it is flow light I mean not a Turkish good.

[@FrederickDunn]

UPDATE.... I purchased a second 7 Frame FlowSuper so I can place it on a second colony and make comparisons. The Box arrived from Oregon all components were in fine shape and fit without issues. Also, no splits, knots or cracks. The two wooden observation latches were missing but they sent them straight away. All of the frames were perfect. And so it goes... let the learning continue.

[@MaxRay16]

I live in Lancaster, PA and am embarrassed about the first one

[@michaelmcneil4168]

I am afraid if I was going to go with the idea I'd try the Chinese the Us versions are badly supported. No guarantee the Chinese won't be as bad or worse of course. But I would certainly make price comparisons.

[@FrederickDunn]

Michael McNeil There is another KZbinr who has the Chinese version and shows the comparisons, probably pretty easy to find.

[@johnog8358]

+Michael McNeil Do you know the name of the similar brands/ Chinese versions? I can't find info on them, thanks.

[@FrederickDunn]

Johnog They are on E-Bay... they call themselves FlowHives, but are not the same.

[@ianbell2288]

I love your filming style, really effective. Thanks

[@FrederickDunn]

+Kevin Martin Thanks for that nice comment Kevin!

[@goodlifegreenscapeslandsca4425]

Awesome full product review! Cant wait to see updates of the FlowHive in action and your results!!! THANK YOU!

[@FrederickDunn]

Those results are already out and the results are posted here on KZbin.

[@jasonmatranga7058]

I I like your real non-biased approach to what is good for the basics and what is good for the budget thank you so much for your information

[@FrederickDunn]

You are very welcome and thank you for such a nice comment!

[@Maebbie]

dude, you are pretty cool. This was some high quality video.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you! What a great comment! :)

[@blairwise3339]

great video and I must say the last 5 minutes of it were outstanding. I think the message is really important. Thank you so much.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you for sharing and I'm glad you appreciate my opinions :)

[@aaentariq3286]

Thank you Mr Dunn, I found this very interesting and informative. I was also fascinated to see in another video that collecting each individual frame collects honey that can be a different colour to the adjacent individual frame. And that the taste of that honey collected can different for each individual frame. Thus I think collecting the flow in clean Mason jars from each individual frame is the best option I have ever seen. So much better than a plastic bucket that pools all the flows into one big bucket. Also I like that you really care about looking after the bees with an ethical and environmentally sustainable focus. This system appears to be less stressful for the bees and for the bee keeper. Bee keeping has entered the 21st century with this system. I have wanted to have a bee hive for ages but collecting the honey worried me. This system appears to address my concerns completely. Thank you very much for the information you shared.

[@AkshayKumar-ev5rx]

Fred. i just watched your Flow hive review and i love how you are impartial of brands and simple are addressing key benefits and issues. Please keep reviewing:)

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Akshay, very nice of you! There are three follow on videos already posted about this Flow-system. I do try to remain objective and open minded. I really appreciate your comment!

[@ArianeArsenault]

Thank you so much for your honest review! We have been looking at the flow hive since last year when they launched their campain and it does look very appealy to us. I have never had hives before and we would like one because we own land, garden and plant fruit trees. We also have our chickens and we love to show our kids where foid comes from. I beleive taking care of bees would be a wonderful learning experience, plus we could provide honey to our whole family.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Ariane Arsenault I think you are going to have a great time learning about and raising honey bees... you are probably in a very good area for them to thrive with plenty of forage. I hope there is a local bee keeper that is willing to serve as your mentor. I have lots of honey bee information on my main website FredsFineFowl.com which you may find helpful.

[@ArianeArsenault]

+Frederick Dunn Thank you for your reply. Yes I do have a friend here who is a beekeeper and he will provide us with a queen and bees starter for my hive. I just ordered the flow hive. :-) We are so lucky to live on the Magdalen Islands where the bees have no diseases due to our geographic position. I can't wait to start reading my beekeeping book.

[@FrederickDunn]

Sounds like a perfect opportunity and fantastic location. What a great bonus that is!

[@cloudhidden1196]

Look forward to your videos on using this system, particularly how the bees interact with it. Thanks for investing your money in it to educate the rest of us. Initially, I have to say the cost is prohibitive for me and I'm not crazy about the plastic construction. Interesting idea though.

[@FrederickDunn]

+cloudhidden As you already know.. I agree.. the cost is wackey doodle.. but then, I did buy it :) We'll see... I will also be keeping an eye on independent testing with the plastic components. Looks good so far though. Thanks for commenting!

[@DELPHIIII]

"I will also BE KEEPING an eye.." I see what you did there Mr Dunn..

[@FrederickDunn]

DELPHIIII :)

[@michaelmcneil4168]

I like the quality of your video there is absolutely no sense in making a low quality one with the ability to replace the original for nothing. It is unbelievable that people pass their stuff off like the makers of these hives: "Any old crap will do it's only the internet!"

[@barneydtr]

Nice video, Frederick. It will be interesting to see how these hives work out. I will look forward to your future videos.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Dean t r Thanks, I hope this will be a year of discovery!

[@rsherbon]

Informative as always Fred! Thank you and can't wait to see the follow up video when your girls start working in the spring!

[@FrederickDunn]

+rsherbon Thank you so much! My bee yard is still in "winter mode" we were at 8 deg. F this morning... so we're off to a slow 2016 season.

[@FrederickDunn]

At 12:07 my commentary begins... I know that bee keepers are normally very patient people, thank you for keeping an open mind on all things related to bees and bee keeping... and Thank YOU for viewing. Follow our progress with Flow-Hives Here: www.fredsfinefowl.com/theflowhiveexperience.html

[@FrederickDunn]

+Peter Erik Hi Peter, I had to pull your comment out of the "spam" list.. so apparently someone reported your post. I'm sure many people will click on your channel link here and may have some great pointers for you. Beekeeping is really about patience, careful observation and a sizable commitment to understanding what's going on without becoming a "helicopter" keeper. Our spring here has had some setbacks with colder weather (currently 24 deg. F.)... so the bee genetics are thoroughly being tested by a false early start. You may want to sub if you haven't, good or bad, I will share about the flowhive and my bees throughout 2016. I've found that many new keepers are extremely impatient and bombard me with questions about how long it takes to get honey. Well... you may not want to take off any honey, particularly in the first year with a new colony. You may even want to keep your flow frames off the hive and just allow the bees to build up first. I also recommend keeping at least two hives, this way you will be able to better see differences and note problems as well as productivity variances. I hope it all goes well for you Peter Erik... feel free to ask any questions you may have. Good luck! Enjoy the warm up, I know I will :)

[@jimprjayp]

+Frederick Dunn Thank you for the information about when to take off honey. I'm new to the beekeeping scene and need those little reminders seasoned keepers forgot about long ago.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome... :)

[@richard2mitchell]

+Frederick Dunn is this out now?

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, a week ago, I placed it on my most productive bee colony... we're waiting for the first big nectar flow. Rain and cold have delayed things here.

[@AmitYadav-rr7up]

Great Explanation of Patented Technology, I enjoyed your videos. Thanks a lot.

[@yesenia3816]

I appreciate this video. I've been wanting to get into beekeeping as part of my backyard homestead for awhile. You've given me more to think about before I invest in this endeavor.

[@teebear3036]

I don't know how I ended up here but I'm glad I did. I love the way you speak, you seem like a really honest person.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Tee! And welcome to my channel :)

[@FrederickDunn]

UPDATE: my honey gees are actually chewing the upper access removable bar. They have rounded off the top edge of the cedar. I was giving a brief tour of my apiary and we could hear the chewing... video to follow.

[@nadjawrona9884]

i thought that might happen :) waiting for the video... or is it up already? :)

[@FrederickDunn]

Nadja Wrona There have been several flow hive videos posted since this one, just visit my channel and see how the harvests went. Thanks for viewing and commenting!

[@newsviewstoday5689]

are they hungry?

[@khomsam4036]

khmer voakhmer

[@FrederickDunn]

News & Views, no, they are just rearranging their domicile to suit their needs.

[@kayefainges5167]

I’m glad the quality control now seems a lot better - based on watching your later videos. We have some flow hives here in Australia from the original campaign. I love and am convinced that with proper maintenance etc they are great however, the ‘significant other’beekeeper Has yet to be convinced

[@FrederickDunn]

I can say that I absolutely LOVE every single one I've received after that first video. near perfect!

[@cxyros_3025]

Wow! This is extremely fascinating! Great job! I love the way you promoted your advertisement too!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.

[@416dl]

So glad to have found your channel here on youtube, Mr Dunn. It's taken my sweetheart and I a couple of years to finally get our Flow Hive ready having had to put it aside for a year due to circumstances beyond our control, but we pick up our bees in a week or so. Huzzah! Thanks for your insights. Looking forward to the kind of wisdom that your years of experience affords and hope to pass it on. Cheerio.

[@FrederickDunn]

Welcome aboard! And I'm so glad you are making progress with your bees and hive.

[@its_justJohn]

Thanks for the vid. My dove tails were also misaligned or VERY tight. Chiseled some. The part that you remove to view and harvest need some chiseling also... When I first put the super together, I had to hammer it back off to file down before I put knobs on.

[@FrederickDunn]

+John Geiger wow... I would hate to be the U.S. company that got this wood product construction/fabrication contract... this is a very frequent complaint. There is just one location where this is being done and it's Lancaster, PA. The popular response from that facility is "we manufacture tens of thousands and less than 2% have any problem at all"... It would seem like an easy task to test fit or check equipment tolerances before things get packed and shipped. I guess we are among the "2%" I also think that those who get mis-fit components will be the ones most likely to talk about it. :) People should never be too busy to do things right.

[@apismellifera1000]

I have been a beekeeper for a long time since 1995 and when I first saw the Flow Hive and I was very curious about the Flow Hive and I think it is a very neat and interesting concept.

[@thehiveandthehoneybee9547]

+Michael Ellestad I'm with you Michael... interesting and will have its place, looking forward to experimenting with it.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Michael Ellestad That's a healthy outlook Michael, I hope your honey bees are doing well!

[@apismellifera1000]

+The Hive and the Honey Bee What makes me upset is that when the first posts about the Flow Hive began showing up on the various beekeeping Facebook forums I post on all I saw was negative hate posts about the hive and it got to the point where the admins put up a warning post to stop or get banned and that if any more Flow Hive posts were made that they would be banned and the posts removed. I myself was curious and was like Hmmmm... how does this thing work. It seems like when something new comes out people are ready to shoot it down and like they say don't knock it unless you try it first.

[@apismellifera1000]

+Frederick Dunn They are good but lost two hives one from starvation and the other one of my favorite hives do a sterile queen. Visit my channel I got pots of bee keeping and I love top bar hives and several and will be converting my vertical Langstroth hives into horizontal hives

[@KBBAKTHA]

Excellent informative unbiased view. Looking forward for your future videos on FLOW after you put them to production. Thanks for sharing this video

[@FrederickDunn]

This is my fourth year with them and they are doing extremely well. Thank you for watching.

[@JCsBees]

I have never been a big fan of the flow hive but you sure did a great job breaking it down. Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@FrederickDunn]

+Jason “Beeman” Chrisman Thank you Jason... just trying to stay in touch with the modern practices of bee keeping. I appreciate your comment!

[@gruntymcphereson6490]

I got my FlowHive box in Feb (2016), and did not have the issues that the author had with the box joints...they fit together, but were somewhat tight. I was sent the cedar wood version as a "reward" for ordering early. Where I did get into trouble was that the cedar was not as malleable as standard pine, and the tight box joints led to two nasty longitudinal splits when I was screwing it together. A mix of liquid wood and good old wood glue sealed this up satisfactorily. All other screws and pieces were in my kit (nothing missing) and fit together properly. I also experienced the issue with the telescoping cover impinging on the top wooden assembly of the FlowBox. I had to saw the side off to allow a good fit (quite easy since I use a styrofoam outer cover). This was acceptable to me.

[@hischild8899]

+Grunty Mcphereson I read a lot on the Flow forum abut issues and watched videos. The latest one was just a week before mine arrived and the assembly guy on a videp advised using a low torch on the drill and drilling slowly so we did that..thank goodness we had no splits...

[@robertthanepohn2964]

It is nice to see a video reviewing the Flow system that is objective and solely observational. I donated into the campaign and am the owner of a Full Flow hive. I had to sand a couple of the box joints in my access panel so It wouldn't stick and had to enlargen the cutout for the viewing window. Other than that, all was well with my woodwork and the Red Cedar looks great after a few coats of Tung oil. I am new to beekeeping but have been preparing for a year now. I belong to my local Beekeepers Association and have attended this year's Beekeeping Clinic. I look forward to receiving my nuc at the end of March You are correct in stating that the system is pricey - virtually double the price of a typical hive. The advantage may be in the elimination of purchasing additional honey harvesting tools and equipment for a hobbyist. Capping tub, an extractor, a cap scraper or knife, a gated honey bucket with bucket strainers, etc. It is virtually a break-even proposition when considering those other, necessary items needed for traditional harvesting. I think an overall positive outcome is that many people that may not have ever considered beekeeping have now done so. It is a certainty that a fair portion will not have a good experience, or be good stewards. That is likely the case regardless of the hive :) BUT if the remaining majority of those newly introduced to beekeeping by way of the Flow hive succeed, everyone can benefit to some extent. Again, excellent, thorough video and I look forward to your next!

[@FrederickDunn]

+Bobby Thanepohn Thank you! I appreciate that you took the time to post such a comprehensive statement about the hive and hobby. Glad you have joined a keepers association... certainly some in that membership have strong opinions about the FlowHive... welcome to bee keeping!

[@robertthanepohn2964]

+Frederick Dunn I've remained "in the closet" about the FlowHive.

[@FrederickDunn]

Well... there certainly is a campaign of "shame" emitting from insecure old timers and young "know-it-all" keepers... there is a large quiet pool of the "wait-and-see" community... Samuel Clemens said once "a man with a new idea is a FOOL! until that idea succeeds"

[@Losttoanyreason]

Thank you Fredrick, took 5 different videos, from 5 different people, to finally find one , yours, that shows me what goes on in the comb when one turns the key to start the honey flowing. I don't know why it was such a hard concept for those other people making videos to understand people might actually want to know exactly what is happening in the comb when one turns the keys. How it does what it does. Have a good evening and thanks again.

[@FrederickDunn]

I'm so glad it was helpful, thanks for commenting and I'm sorry to take so long to respond.

[@MsOlga1956]

Thank you, for the information on this flow hive, it really help me understand what I needed to learn.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome Olga! Thank you for commenting.

[@mjsrtz1724]

obviously not the intended purpose of the video but the quiet and soft speaking is very relaxing. I find bees interesting too. It's kind of like Bob Ross. I find painting interesting and relaxing as well, paired with his soft speaking and it's very relaxing. maybe I'm just a weirdo.

[@FrederickDunn]

OK, this is becoming more and more common and it's an interesting aspect to my videos. There is a sleep deprivation group that has actually shared my videos to help people who can't sleep, to calm down and fall asleep. Now, I don't know if that's a good thing, that I'm putting people to sleep while trying to teach, but if it's helping people, I'm in. :) Thank you for your comment and you're the third person who has also made the Bob Ross comparison. That wet-on-wet method of painting was taught to me in 1983 by a guy named Bill Alexander... Bob Ross took up the brush after Bill and continued with his happy little trees. Have a GREAT day and thanks for your comment!

[@VidKatMA1]

@@FrederickDunn HA!! :D

[@FrederickDunn]

FlowHive Plastic Components.. are they SAFE? Here is a statement from FlowHive: "We share your concerns around plastics and have worked hard to find the very best food grade materials. The clear viewing ends of the frames are made from a virgin food grade copolyester. The manufactures have assured us that it's not only BPA-free, but it is not manufactured with bisphenol-S or any other bisphenol compounds. The manufactures also say that third-party labs have tested this material and the results have demonstrated that it is free of estrogenic and androgenic activity. The Center frame parts are made from a Virgin Food grade Polypropylene which is also free from any Bisphenol compounds and is widely accepted as one of the safest plastics for food contact. It has also been used for many years in beehives for both Brood and Honey combs. We will keep you informed if anything changes and we use any different materials."

[@crunch9876]

Frederick Dunn why are so many people afraid of plastics but not afraid of wood and the chemicals a lot of it is treated with?

[@FrederickDunn]

crunch9876 I can't answer that question... you do see many raised veggie gardens with treated lumber and old railroad ties, it's a puzzle.

[@carbon1255]

But THUR KEMIKULS!!! People are silly.

[@Anthony-bz2xs]

Shut it carbon 12 you are obviously elementally bias

[@FrederickDunn]

That's funny ;)

[@28jbooth]

I just assembled a Flow 2 hive and it fit together very well it looks much better than the first unit that you reviewed

[@FrederickDunn]

Absolutely, the entire FlowHive 2 lineup is flawless and is laser cut so none of the milling issued continued. No complaints after this original super.

[@Nexus4546]

Thank you very much for your clear and professional review. I enjoyed it and learned what I needed to know.

[@FrederickDunn]

You are welcome!

[@mattanderson2053]

I think the flow hive is amazing!!! I was a foundation supporter in 2015 also and received my hive in 2016. Mine was made perfectly with all screws and components. It was a dream to assemble and and I rubbed tung oil into it. What an easy system and saves thousands of bees from being squashed and harvesting is fun, not a job. If your thinking of buying one just do it. I have no regrets and im on my second season using my flow. I even moved my hive so i can see it from the house because its beautiful to look at. Thank you flow team. Fred thanks for making the video 1.3 mil views ... Nice. subbed and thumbs up.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for your comment Matt, since this video, I've been slowly converting all of my boxes to flowhives. You're absolutely right, less bee stress and no kills during honey removal. I'm glad to have taken the plunge and it's nice to know they are working well for you also. There are still plenty of flowhive haters and they remain a puzzle to me. Thanks for subbing and welcome to my channel!

[@FrederickDunn]

At 3:45 you can tell the technical drawings were done in Australia... notice.. ALL of the threads are LEFT handed... :)

[@ralfus37]

+Frederick Dunn Your thoughts on this--Should not the drained sections be rotated to the outer locations so the bees are loading the exterior sections which are not ready to harvest? Or do the bees fill the exterior frames first?

[@FrederickDunn]

Bees will fill and cap the center frames, then work their way out and may not even fill or cap the outer frames at all. It's all yet to be seen. I don't plan to rotate any frames as I want to observe how the bees handle it as is.

[@FrederickDunn]

they eventually fill them all, so no rotation is necessary. Thanks for that question though. They have worked them by filling from the center out and from the top of the frames down. Sorry I didn't see this comment before now. We now have three FlowSupers on and they are all filling in the same order.

[@lancer525]

Mr. Dunn: Thanks for your exceptionally informative and detailed posts here. I'm rather disgusted at the moment, because you seem to be the only one reporting actual results, while almost all of the other keeper videos I have seen are bashing the FlowHive system. As in, "it only produces weak, watery nectar and not real honey." "all the cells don't get capped and this isn't a real hive, it's only a toy", "this cheap foreign thing isn't for real beekeepers, and it will only hurt bees and beekeeping" and my personal favorite, "bees always cap from the edges inward, and from the outside frames toward the center" which is in direct contravention to your documented experiences. Please keep up the good work, and keep showing your empirical, documented evidence. There are a lot of people out there who dislike FlowHives intensely, and are posting drivel to undermine it.

[@FrederickDunn]

lancer525 Hi Lancer, thank you for your post. There among long time beekeepers, those who reject almost anything new before even opening themselves to the "idea" of new innovation. That's unfortunate, because it's a form of intellectual bullying. "Real beekeepers wouldn't give it a second look", such a peculiar stance/comment, when as beekeepers, I would hope that we all have our minds open to change and are personally secure enough to allow something new to even be considered in a reasonable and methodical way. I do a fair amount of public speaking in front of true honey bee experts. I "read" the group as I begin my presentations and can see the resignation in the faces of many old and new keepers. They cross their arms and whisper to one another as I speak. While those who are what I consider secure in their position as apiary managers, lean in and ask many questions that allow me to answer what "some" don't want addressed. Why don't they want their questions answered? Because their early statements about honey comb harmonics, bees forgetting how to draw come, watery honey, sanctuary for parasites, kills bees in the cells, starvation because they won't know the honey is gone.. and on and on it goes, are dismantled by my answers. The flowhive is the most polarizing issue with the old time keepers that I've ever been involved with. We're all learning, IF our eyes remain open and our understanding is proven out through practical testing and observation. Thanks for your comment, I enjoy the discussions.

[@coreyk67]

Thanks for sharing and I look forward to seeing the results. I have 8 hives and i'm in my 3rd season. Many ups and downs in the learning process but it is by far the most fascinating hobby I have... heck even my wife approves! My largest fear would be the small hive beetle. I lost a hive in a matter of days.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Corey Kelly Thanks for sharing Corey... that's extremely unfortunate that the small hive beetle moved so aggressively on your colony. I have been very fortunate that I've not had to deal with that particular invader.

[@christopherlocatell4470]

Fred, I just had the opportunity to inspect one of your Flow Hive. I was very impressed with the craftsmanship, how cool it can be cut with a laser and be so precise! You will be seeing my order after the first of the year.

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, after they changed to the laser cutting, everything fits perfectly. They continue to work extremely well.

[@darkfranky119933]

I know nothing about this, and i got here by pure chance, i watched the whole thing and suscribed, why? just curiosity, it never hurts to learn something new, great vídeo btw

[@FrederickDunn]

+Franky Kekhan Reyes I'm glad you happened along and thanks for commenting!

[@PsychoticEwok]

Great video I've been looking into this hive I'd like to keep bee's one thing I would say is the manufacturing looks a lot better now than when you made your video ☺️ they laser cut the boxes now ☺️ Just wanted to add very valid point at the end of your video I want to keep bee's more because I find them fascinating and we have a real bee problem where I live a lot of "wild" hives are destroyed with construction and what not 😟 there aren't really any laws that protect bee's here

[@FrederickDunn]

You are absolutely right, they have long since improved the cut quality and the company that manufactured the wooden ware in this video is now out of business...

[@GregWillis]

Awesome production quality and photography. I didn't find the pace too slow either. Very clear, unbiased commentary. You definitely had your beekeeper's chill going on; you didn't need to smoke your audience even once.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Greg Willis Ha ha Greg.. I like the "smoke the audience" line :) I appreciate the comment... thanks a lot!

[@lilypadjane]

youre videos are so relaxing and nice to watch, i love bees and really want to keep them in the future, please make more videos youre brillant.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much LilyPad, my honey bee playlist is already pretty long :) BUT, I'll keep making them just that same. I appreciate that you took the time to comment!

[@johnburns2510]

Good informative video. As a Novice Beekeeper since 1979, I think part of beekeeping is the removal of honey, but a bigger responsibility, in my opinion, is inspecting the condition of the hive for internal problems. This device may make a lot of money for the people the produce them, but in the long run the Bees will decide if they want to live with this technology. Good Luck

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks John, it works great and I'm curious why you'd think people who have one wouldn't care about the bees nor do inspections of the interior frames?

[@RVLady]

This was really interesting. I'm a beekeeper wanna bee! I have been looking at the Flow Hive system and was excited to watch your comprehensive video on the good and the bad. I will be investing in a Flow Hive as my initial foray into beekeeping and want to be certain the bees are not harmed in any way. Have you found this system to be protective of bee health? With all the research I've been doing on the hive, I've yet to see/read/hear anyone remark as to the safety/health of the bee colony using the Flow system. Which makes me assume there is no difference or the difference is not measurable. Your thoughts/experience? Thank for you posting this video.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi and thank you for commenting. Regarding honey bee health, I can find no aspect to the flowhive system or flow-frames that would prove detrimental to honey bees. As with many honey bee housing alternatives, the sustainable health of the bees themselves rests squarely on the shoulders of the person who manages them. In my experience there is also no physical harm to bee workers when the system is activated (cells opening or closing). You can see my extraction video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZmZga2aqtKNitE Many people are going to bring up concerns regarding the plastic components. I can also find no evidence of plastic/toxic material in the honey itself after having been taken from the flowframes. I wish you the very best of luck with your future bees.

[@alberttylermccain8614]

Thank You 🙏 Good Advice. It’s so great that you said you’re not doing it for the bees in to help support bees shouldn’t do it I’m gonna get one of these and try it

[@rachelhowe784]

Thank you for the neutral and comprehensive video on the flow hive. I am a novice beekeeper and need to decide soon whether to purchase a traditional "super" or a flow hive and this video was extremely helpful.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you, I'm so glad you found it helpful. Since this video was posted, I've converted almost all of my hives to flowhives and we no longer do traditional honey extractions. I feel that if they aren't strong and productive enough to fill a flow super, then they shouldn't have their honey removed at all until they are. Thanks for taking time to watch and comment :)

[@brucelonsdale8422]

Thanks great video, I am Australian and the FlowHive is out of my reach at approx $800AUD, they may have had their computer program in backwards to produce those left hand threads!

[@FrederickDunn]

+Bruce Lonsdale Wow.. small world! Ya, I thought that was funny with the threads... does water really drain counter clockwise down there also? :) thanks for commenting.. yes, it's expensive to be sure...

[@brucelonsdale8422]

+Frederick Dunn yep the drains do run CCW, and our light bulbs don't omit light they suck dark, thus creating light, lol

[@FrederickDunn]

ha ha...

[@nourabaszanowski4208]

Hey Bruce, there is some on Ebay for AUD $570. Still expensive, but same function.

[@dr.s.p.]

Lovely presentation. It was nice to see an open viewpoint from a seasoned beekeeper but I was quite shocked at the shoddy workmanship for such an expensive piece of equipment and hope that they have got better over the years. I thought it was all developed in Australia, where quality control is usually very good, but this appeared to be made in the US. I’m not at all surprised at the Chinese copies; as they copy everything from the west and people buy it all! There’s no legislation and enforcement, so it’s while there’s a buyer they will continue to make. Often it’s identical to the genuine product as many genuine articles are often made there anyway. It’s just the difference of funny English being a giveaway and quality is definitely a problem. Nice video and food for thought.

[@FrederickDunn]

The U.S. Company that they contracted to do this woodwork is now out of business. Flow - has taken over the manufacturing of the wood components and there have been no fit and finish problems since. I was one of the unfortunate few that received some of the early flawed workmanship.

[@flowerchild777]

@@FrederickDunn You did say they would continue to improve. I'm glad you were right👍

[@elizabethklute]

Well besides posting on my birthday ;-), I am very interested in following your first flow with the FlowHive. We have just moved so my hive is back at the old house until we can relocate to our farm! I have not bought a swarm for the flow hive yet and may wait and track your experience prior ;-). What a great video, thank you! My guy is a woodworker so not a problem on the hive side, but your information and observations is really complete and well done, thank you! From a fairly NewBeek.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Elizabeth Klute HI Elizabeth, thank you for the compliment about my presentation. I hope things work out well for you in your new location. I am also looking forward to this year of beekeeping and can't wait to make another video showing how my bees handle the new system. and by the way, Happy Birthday! :)

[@elizabethklute]

+Frederick Dunn Thank you Frederick :-)...I'll be checking in!

[@buffmccool449]

Thanks for the good video. I've always been interested in bee keeping and bees. I really want to get a flow hive but im going to educate myself first I don't want to mess up with lives on the line thank you for the educational videos

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome Devan, I'm glad you are taking the time to study up before taking the leap into keeping honey bees. :)

[@womsterr]

For 800 bucks it should have come with TWO KEYS

[@CJT3X]

What would the benefit of two keys be? As far as I can tell you can use the same key to open multiple frames and get honey from them during the same session.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Charles, you can use one or two keys, I like to use two just because it's easier to break the seals with two hands and with two inserted, the downward force is concentrated on the outside edges of the moving parts rather than the center where you see quite a bit of material flexing down as you overcome the wax and propolis sealing that's occurred. But you can indeed just work with one of course.

[@CJT3X]

Frederick Dunn ah, I see. that makes sense to get better distributed force.

[@FrederickDunn]

Charles Thompson III I try to make sense sometimes :)

[@lindafoofoo]

I keep one bee hive mainly for pollination. I have been able to draw off excess honey(about 26 lbs.) once in 7 years. Flow Hive is just not an option for me at a cost of $600.

[@ArianeArsenault]

I want to buy a good beekeeping book before I buy any hive. Would you recommend anything? I'm very visual I need to see and read before jumping into action. :-)

[@FrederickDunn]

+Ariane Arsenault Hi Arian! I recommend this book from Amazon: www.amazon.com/Practical-Beekeeper-Beginning-Beekeeping-Naturally/dp/1614760616/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1458263982&sr=8-4&keywords=beginning+with+bees

[@ArianeArsenault]

+Frederick Dunn Thank you so much! :-)

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome!

[@bibbabibba1975]

You're going to need more than a book

[@wearefreesd3305]

Eric Kelly 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@jacquelinec.2915]

Great video and I'm not even into bees I was simply curious on the extraction process, can't wait to see your spring/summer results.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Jacqueline C. thanks!

[@pathowlett4332]

Outstanding video Frederick - really appreciate your open minded review and how you present information. Subscribed.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Pat and welcome to my channel! :)

[@hoplite46]

I am sure they have sorted the quality control problems now

[@qad417]

yes Ive seen some videos and now they cut beehive with laser cutter

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, they cancelled the contract with this manufacturer and now do their own laser cutting. The quality control just wasn't there with this facility.

[@RaySarasin]

For me its down to price, I can get 10 frame boxes for $17.00 each frames for $30.00 (10 frames) bottom for $20.00 inner cover for $15.00 tops for $26.00 Again down to price Nukes here are $250.00 Flow hives I saw here were a lot more in price. I do enjoy you opion on many things, I am 60 and disabled so I must get the best bang for my dollar. Every spare cent goes into bee supplies. I must shop wise as I am growing to 30 hives. Next spring at 7 hives, so I can split these 7 as needed and grow this way only buying boxes and frames as I need them.

[@FrederickDunn]

Being frugal is definitely wise. These hives are definitely for folks who are not pinching their pennies and why I made that investment comparison at the end. I hope you can manage for many years to come Ray!

[@MajimeTV]

you can also fund your flow hive purchase by selling honey the old fashioned way

[@MadiLush]

I was really interested to see the inner workings of this. Thanks for the video.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're welcome, thanks so much for watching and taking time to comment!

[@MrSj1958]

thanks; your views and comments adds to my understanding of bee business; god bless. you said one comment that took my attestation very well; which i have earlier trouble with; which is fully dehydrated; I am a farmer and have bees for pollination as well as honey making and always have problem with too much air and moisture in the extracted honey; I guess I need to learn more of fully dehydration before extraction; if you have any guidance it well really help me to properly the right time to extract honey. By the way i already bought 2 units of honey flow; and not yet tried them. again thanks for your reviews; looking forward for more ;

[@FrederickDunn]

+Misnad Al Misnad Hi Misnad, you'll know when the honey is ready, as the bees will cap the honey cells. Once you extract the honey, leave it in covered containers for enough time to allow the tiny bubbles to rise to the surface and then pour the honey into bottles/jars. Honey after extraction, has the ability to absorb moisture from the air, so should be protected while waiting to be put into bottles.

[@rommelfcc]

700 usd is a lot to pay. the wood looks soft like pine, I hope it lasts... also it's a box join, not a dove tail. but a random kit should be assembled & disassembled daily for QA... And make complants for good feedback like this video, other wise they won't improve. and their business could fail... thanks for the upload, hope you sent it to them.

[@FrederickDunn]

Agreed, they are box joints, sorry about that. Yes, I have shared this video with them and the company that was given the woodenware contract. They said "it happens to only about 1% of the customers" so they think that's acceptable. The wood is actually cedar and yes, very soft. Thanks for commenting!

[@2coryman]

I believe the plastic is best that way for many reasons, one of them is durability

[@ABEL-cd2sp]

+2coryman It's also recycled, it takes way less time to make it and of course, with this design you never have to replace it and the bees can keep working in a safe environment and none will die when you extract the honey, which is awesome in my opinion

[@2coryman]

+TheSavageMan Agree

[@animalyze7120]

Great work and great video. Very informative.

[@thomasjent1431]

Thank you for your video review. I'm new to beekeeping. I'm in it mainly to help the bee's and help pollinate. I'm blessed to be learning/getting help from an experienced beekeeper friend that is successful with 40+ hives in my area (upstate NY). Last year I gave him two queens and a very large hive that needed to be rescued. On bee stands using (2 or more) insulated 10 frame brooder boxes, year round, per hive, adapted to have my FlowHive 7 frame supers, on a few of my hives closer to the house, which will only be on a hive for a few months during the summer. My experience putting my own "FlowHive kits together was that thankfully everything fit very nicely. (Just received the first ones a week ago) They turned out very nice. There were no missing screws, hardware or anything and the quality of the cuts on mine lined up perfectly. The (4) 3/8 #6 panhead screws that you mentioned being too short for the knobs, I believe are to hold the observation window in. I used 5 of the (7) 3/4" #6 countersink head screws provided, for the 5 knobs and the other two were used to hold the ends of the metal bottom strip. Thank you in advance for your updates too (Alert to counterfeit flow hives). Keep up the great videos Mr. Dunn!

[@FrederickDunn]

+Thomas Jent I'm so glad your components fit nicely... that is definitely the most common experience. I'm just one of the percentage that didn't have that experience. Enjoy your system!

[@DarthMorius]

Very interesting, great video.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you

[@RoyMcAvoy]

The internet is scary. I'm just thinking about this hive system but I forgot the name and suddenly, this video appears on my recommend list.

[@FrederickDunn]

Premonition... fuels KZbin

[@florinandreirus3682]

I watch every second,it's so fun to watch and learn about bees and the new technology too.I start to love and become interest in bees and honey when i see this tippe of technology, and want to make for self-consuming not for money, but i didn't know anything about bees,after i find this technology and searching youtube i find you, and i can say your the best.If you can make more videos about bees will be osome i dind search yet your entire videos but i hope you have manny video like this,and cheers and love from Romania.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you and yes, I have posted over 100 videos about honey bees.

[@nfreddyyy]

This is a great video on a down under product. But also honest advice. Really appreciate your video

[@FrederickDunn]

I appreciate that!

[@franciscote6203]

Hi Fred! So after 3 years using it, is the FLOW working good for you? I am thinking to buy one...

[@FrederickDunn]

It's working great and I am eventually converting all of my hives to at least make use of the flow supers. My greatest honey gains were from the flow supers. It takes almost two good years of honey sales to pay for a flow hive. One flowhive 2 this year produced over 10 gallons of honey - at $20/quart that's $800 in sales from one hive. So this was an exceptional year and all of the hives did not perform that well, but that's one hive that more than paid for itself in one year. The original in this video is still working but I'm retiring it this winter to use as a demonstration model for my lextures.

[@hhardwick3]

I keep seeing people complaining about the cost of a Flow hive. 1st if you’ve seen Fred’s other videos (all great BTW) you can watch him get a full gallon of honey from just two frames on his second Flow fall harvest. I don’t use a gallon of honey in a whole year for my family of 4, so any extra gets sold, and local prices range are around $5-7 for a half-pint jar of local honey. You do the math- this will pay for itself in no time at all. Also as Fred notes, you can have a Flow super and NOT a full Flow hive system, which should make this more affordable. I am considering not adding steer this year and replacing their feed pasture with bee feed - hobby-level cows cost money. Hobby bees can MAKE you money with very little effort using this method.

[@FreshCoffeeParts]

A very good and objective analysis of this plastic frame system. Your statement about get rich quick is excellent as bee-keeping should not be just a commercial endeavour.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your comment!

[@acarcalledmercedes4750]

I like your review , it was very honest and blatant, Good luck fella , I will watch the rest of your videos cheers

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you. I'm glad you're going to watch the follow up videos also, pretty interesting results to be sure.

[@danielurban560]

Mr. Dunn, thank you for making this video. I am a novice beekeeper and have some experience. I have already placed an order for the complete flow hive (brood box, flow frames, base, roof, etc) and I believe this will bee interesting to experiment with. I'm a little concerned about the woodworking of the hive and whether or not it will come with all the pieces, and I believe this not working completely with all the parts for the amount of money we have put into the system. One thing I think i missed from your video is that you should cover the jar/container you are draining the honey into to prevent bees getting into the honey. Also, I believe you are an excellent narrator. Thank you for your honest review of this hive.

[@FrederickDunn]

+Daniel Urban Hi Daniel! What a nice compliment... according to the contractor for the wooden ware here in PA, less than 2% of their wood products are having problems, so sounds like they are tightening the screws on their QA people... I didn't mention the jar, nor the need for a shelf/support while draining off the honey, as there will be lots of innovation in that regard yet to come. Yes, you will absolutely want to deter honey bees from zipping right into the honey. I have my own ideas but am reserving those for my future demonstrations. I am also toying with the idea of a Honey Shack that would allow me to draw and "tilt"entire colonies on runners into a protected space with an adjustable shroud that would eliminate the need to protect honey while draining. It would be an innovation purely for entertainment value on my part. I have a tendency to overdo it.

[@rachelciel3330]

18:08 uncapping the cells to reset.

[@ecobeekeeper]

Thanks Fred! You produced a much needed sane and intelligent review of the Flow Hive. Great statement about beekeeping at the end.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Raymond, I appreciate that.

[@jennifermyers4410]

Thank you for this very informative video. We just received our flow hive yesterday & my husband assembled it this morning without any problems. We are still waiting for the tubes, key & frames yet, but excited to start this new venture. Our purpose for starting this is for the environment, obtaining our own honey & for our kids to have a new learning experience on top of owning chickens & Emus. We already ordered our bees from a local farm & waiting for those to arrive. I admit we have no clue what we are doing & I am nervous to say the least. Reading & watching many videos to help get us started & will be in a instructional class the day we pick up our bees to teach us how to add them to the hive. Did I say I was nervous? I sure do appreciate the comments & advice given here. Wish us luck! Jennifer

[@FrederickDunn]

+Jennifer Myers Hi Jennifer, sounds fantastic... I have also raised Emu from egg to adult... love those birds! I'm sure you are enjoying yours. I look forward to reading more about your honey bee experience. The good news is that there are more resources about managing honey bees than ever before. You have the right mind set... enjoy!

[@marciahall2841]

I have a flow hive over an 8 frame brood box. My bees filled the brood box quickly and since I am in the southern Midwest, I put on my flow hive with a queen excluder adding burr comb between the middle frames. They took right off and started working but then they swarmed and only a few bees now are in the flow hive. Any suggestions?

[@FrederickDunn]

HI Marcia, since having made this video, I have several Flow-Hives and I usually let them build up the deep brood box and then at least one medium super before putting the Flow-super on. This works well and leaves them with plenty of room for expansion. A swarm isn't always a terrible thing, you should still have replacement queens getting ready to hatch and hopefully the departing queen left you with some open brood as well a capped resources ready to hatch out and help. I have a flowhive playlist on my channel if you're at all interested in watching more of how I manage them? Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@DocScience2]

= @@FrederickDunn = I was curious why no one mentioned about putting in the queen excluder, so I searched the replies here and found this comment. . . .Thankyou for the reply.

[@hawkdriver0171]

Quality Control?? Lost concept on the Oregon Production Plant! 1. Brood Box 'Box Joints' cut wrong. 2. Pre-Drilled Holes a fraction too small. 3. All three 'Latches' were cut wrong. 4. Roof Support frame had many large knots and weak wood grain. You get a D- Oregon workers!! The Flow-Hive business end, manufactured and shipped from Australia was exactly perfect. You get an A+ So, when your Hive arrives and it's time to assemble, in addition to the 'Tools' listed in the instruction, you'll need a Hand Drill, Wood Glue, Wood Filler, Bench Sander, Chisel or Knife and File. I was able to easily fix the errors, but I'm set up for wood working and made new components to replace the poor quality items. End result is a beautiful Bee Hive!

[@masterbeekeeper30years18]

Is that true? They list all of those tools and say you need them for assembly? That's depressing.

[@FrederickDunn]

Wow, What do we know about the wood-shops that are given these contracts for producing the wood components? The one in the video was made in Lancaster, PA. Sounds like your description is of the complete FlowHive and it's not a great story. Would love to know more about the shop/business/factory where they are being made. People in manufacturing so often complain about their jobs going elsewhere, but if what you're writing about is true, then how can they expect to receive quality contracts? It's a puzzle. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@goodlifegreenscapeslandsca4425]

Thanks, too, for the price info towards the end and especially for the price comparison with Better Bee's startup kit

[@FrederickDunn]

you're welcome

[@andreag9394]

Thank you. This was a wonderful video. I do agree, do it for the right reasons. I do have a scare about being stung! I keep trying to learn for my near future how to go about this in the best way. My interest isn't for a money profit. Just to support them and work within nature. I help them, they help me/us. They'll be doing so much more then me to help this planet! Love the idea of the indoor bee hut!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks Andrea, I wish you success with your bees... Bee Cottages aka Honey Shacks have lots of advantages.

[@joesomone3977]

Love bees and how much they help environment. Horrified that they are endangered. Can't do anything since I'm allergic

[@FrederickDunn]

the honey bee isn't currently endangered, there are native bumble bees that are.

[@dogphlap6749]

+joe somone Do Google search on Stingless bees. There are KZbin videos too.

[@MyKoko333]

Those joints are box/finger joints not dovetail joints. Dovetails are angled like an actually dovetail, Hence the name dovetail.

[@FrederickDunn]

You are absolutely correct Lane, thanks so much!

[@DragosDomnara]

I'm just a young 16 year old who wants now to have a FlowHive due to how easy it is and in the future to pollinate my whole garden! I've always been interested in bees but thought it took to long and would hurt your back. Now I can finally fulfill my curiosity in the future! Now I'll need to learn how to keep bees in cold canadian winters, thanks for the video!

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Jesse, I hope your plans turn out well! You are the first sixteen year old who has referred to himself as "just a young 16-year-old" most teens around think of themselves as grown. You seem like a very modest individual. Wishing you well with your future bees!

[@886014]

Thank you very much for this review and information, you did an excellent job with the video. I've been interested in bees for many years and think they are amazing creatures, but it's always been the physical extraction of the honey that has dissuaded me from pursuing it. I heard about this system recently and it seemed to overcome the main concern I had (ie a centrifugal extractor is yet another piece of equipment I need to find somewhere to store) but was a little taken back by the cost. The quality control issues you mentioned are simply unacceptable at that price point and I hope they addressed this issue.

[@FrederickDunn]

HI Pete, they have indeed changed where and how their wood is being cut, all of the subsequent systems I purchased from Flow have been perfect. This is the only one that I had problems with. Thanks for watching and commenting! Glad to be instrumental in your decision-making process.

[@HensleyDon]

This is disappointing to see... I worked in the furniture industry for ~55 years as well as on the farm. Someone needs a serious talking to about their work ethic! I've always gone by the saying that, "If you have a Reason, you'll never need an Excuse." Without getting long-winded about it, there is no good reason for sending out a product with dovetails 3/32" off. You shouldn't have to take a brand new product out of the box and start out by making the cuts fit and finding suitable replacements for missing parts. As previews go, this is not good advertising for a new product. I hope the bees are happy with it.

[@FrederickDunn]

The Australian components were perfect, you're correct, an American woodworking factory had a real chance to shine and didn't. I was told by their representative that "only 1-5%" of their products were like this and they consider that to be more than acceptable. They are now being made in Oregon and those products are flawless so far.

[@HensleyDon]

I just noticed I had a reply from someone that consisted of a one-liner that was basically a sarcastic correction of dovetail vs finger joint in light of my "claimed" ~55 years of experience. Apparently the user has come and gone, but I just wanted to say that I learned more over the years than just woodworking. Imo, agreeing with your frustration at how things fitted was more important than nit-picking terms. The last 20-25 years of work before retirement/disability were spent dealing with 20 & 30 somethings with attitudes that were exponentially greater than their work ethic. I'm glad you found someplace that can still find employees that do more than just put in their time.

[@FrederickDunn]

Don Hensley No problem Don, you have a healthy attitude. It's just part of KZbin that we have to adjust to a wide variety of opinions and attitudes. :)

[@HensleyDon]

+Frederick Dunn Yeah, I've reworked a lot of famous canards over the years and one of mine I've been seeing pop up now and then on the web is, "The thing about opinions is, every *sshole seems to have one..." [Grin] If you've lived long enough to have trained workers you'll be responsible for later on, you learn to take care of what's important at the moment and add to it as needed. Sometimes it is of no value to make a point of showing that you know words someone else doesn't. Feeding one's own ego doesn't necessarily accomplish anything productive. Btw, honeybees have had a special place in my heart since my teeth all started to die. Pure honey and a bit of cinnamon can be put straight into a bad tooth and it takes down the inflammation, fights the infection and lessens the pain. Just don't get honey in the dollar aisle without reading the label. That artificial crap is nothing but high fructose corn syrup and food coloring. You would *NOT* want to put that on an abscessed tooth!!

[@joepalooka2145]

I agree totally. I looked at their website and there's videos which show them using CNC machines for cutting parts. Anyone familiar with CNC cut parts knows that you can't just stick them in a box, because they aren't always perfect. Chinese copies will definitely be way out.

[@sheilasugar5269]

Interesting. Almost like buying from Ikea for bees

[@ginghaohuang1559]

bee keeping is really cool, and I love the way you narrate your video, informative and calming

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much!

[@lordofnecromancy6302]

My father is a bee keeper. He gave me enough honey to make 8 Gallons of mead, and now I'm hooked. I'm hoping to get some hives this year so I can start learning more about these graceful creatures and making more mead to share with family and friends!

[@FrederickDunn]

I do love Mead, but where I live, the RAW honey is worth more than the Mead produced, so I don't know how they are making any money at that. You will certainly enjoy making your own I'm sure!

[@rockeyrocket1224]

(In Tony Montana accent) First you get the bees, then you make the mead, then you get the women!

[@arum236]

FYI. Not Dovetail joints, they are finger joints.

[@FrederickDunn]

ok thank you... box joints

[@arum236]

Any of designated alternate names will suffice. On a side note: I have been truly disappointed in the build quality of the Flow hive. Unforgivable high markup. I myself run a wood shop & construct my own beekeeping boxes for my local municipality. I run a tight ship in the shop and produce only the finest of quality products for sale. There is no excuse for poor craftsmanship. Nice review btw. I absolutely loved your video titled - Honey Bees preparing to SWARM swarm interrupted, swarm cells, drones> It is currently my favorite bee video on youtube

[@FrederickDunn]

Andrzej Ruminski Thank you !

[@dohanazo5090]

I am from Sudan and I love natural honey, which has become very rare. I wanted to try this in my backyard. Thank you for this sincere advice.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Bysha, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@marajadeford372]

I purchased two Flow Hive 2 six-frame hives in Red Cedar. No problems assembling, and no missing parts. Have since put one coat of sealer and will put on a second coat tomorrow.

[@FrederickDunn]

They solved the milling problems years ago. All of the new components are laser cut and have zero issues. I love them!!!

[@thepropagatingfalcon5764]

What type of sealer did you use. I have a new one coming and a standard bee box. I was wondering about just using linseed oil.

[@marajadeford372]

@@thepropagatingfalcon5764 I used a water based sealer. I also painted the roofs with water based acrylic paint.

[@artconnolly9519]

box joints or finger joints not dovetails

[@FrederickDunn]

+Art Connolly Thanks Art, you are absolutely correct. Box Joints, I mentioned that in the description.

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

I think the hives look wonderful, but the price is Outrageous, I know they want to make alot of money for their coool idea, but they are not helping the bee keepers, new or old or the bees on our planet by charging close to $900 for just one hive setup. OMG. If that was the price for say 3 of the hives, I would have them right now, and so many others would too.

[@FrederickDunn]

I would definitely have to say that the price is the number one reason that most people don't test out the flowhives. Mine take an average of two years to pay for themselves. Where I reside it's $20/quart for honey and we had one FlowSuper produce 10 gallons this year, which is highly unusual. Normally you're getting two draw offs per hive and that's an average of 6 gallons/hive $480 before other costs are factored in. It's not a good economical move.

[@cat-zk8bv]

Great video. Thanks for your honest opinion. I currently have a top bar hive, but found this interesting. I am concerned about the plastic, both it's use and durability. We have temperatures from 100+ to -20 degrees here in Colorado. It's not uncommon for the temp drop by 70 degrees in a few hours!! Does this come with any warranty on parts? Cost is prohibitive for our small community garden. Assembly would be difficult, esp. if things don't "fit". I will be watching to see how it works out. Love your idea of a bee shed. :)

[@copperlocks1]

Thank you for posting..I am most impressed in the effort you put into producing the video.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much! It's great to have my work appreciated :)