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Author Topic: Starter strips and how they are built  (Read 6221 times)

Offline Yarra_Valley

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Re: Starter strips and how they are built
« Reply #20 on: January 28, 2007, 08:37:45 am »


>3.How sturdy are foundationless frames for extracting purposes?

As long as the wax is several weeks old (before that it's soft like putty) and attached on all four sides and you are gentle (which you should be anyway), meaning you go slow with the extractor until half or more of the honey is out, then they extract fine.  I do it all the time with no wires.

>There should be some information about that too on Michael Bush's  website.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm


is this just regarding medium supers or deeps also?

I did a box of deeps with starter strips for a hived swarm the other night. Did a mixture of with wire and without, so we'll he how it goes. its quite nice getting eight frames out of one sheet of foundation :).

James.
Careful, my pets can smell your hives. 8)

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Starter strips and how they are built
« Reply #21 on: January 28, 2007, 05:58:51 pm »
I have not extracted deep foundationless frames.  But some people have and they say it's not a problem.  I think I'd go for at least one wire on deeps.  :)  Maybe an "X" so they can follow the wire better:

http://beesource.com/eob/althive/bush/FrameWithXWire.jpg
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline newbee101

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Re: Starter strips and how they are built
« Reply #22 on: January 28, 2007, 07:17:26 pm »
Here is what happens when you put a shallow frame in a deep nuc.
"To bee or not to bee"

Offline BEE C

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Re: Starter strips and how they are built
« Reply #23 on: January 29, 2007, 03:32:38 am »
Cindi/MB,
thanks for the replies.   I couldn't believe how much care needed to be taken to get fine filtered honey! I must have used my fine filter steel mesh (Ron gave me a piece of his), about three times before I filtered fine enough that I knew I had filtered to the best ability of my straining material.  The Honeybee center in Langley had some straining cloth, and a three stage strainer which I may pick up this season.  It makes SO much sense.  I had one gallon buckets, with steel strainer cloth tied around the top.  Very messy and not clear enough for my taste. 
MB it makes sense now, you extract however its easiest for the type of comb.  I love those little strainers like in the seasame street honey video, and may try to find one.  I am only going to have two colonies this year which I expect a honey crop from, so I can't justify buying an Extractor yet.  Ron was nice enough to trade my labor for use of his 20 frame extractor and facilities last year, and I may just do that again.  However I love old antique tools, like the press, and it would be good to have one for the TBH comb.   :-D

Offline Ross

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Re: Starter strips and how they are built
« Reply #24 on: January 29, 2007, 06:32:18 pm »
you really don't need strips at all, just a center guide of some sort.  Some people breakout the wedge, turn it 90 degrees and glue it back in.  Others glue in popcycle sticks.  I rip the top bars at 45 degrees on the table saw.  I can do 100 in about 15 minutes.  Since these pictures were taken, I now just rip both sides, wedge and all and leave the wedge in place.  The bees don't care and it's faster.  Using my little sled leaves the blade buried and your fingers can never see the blade.
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/frames/sled5.jpg
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/frames/sled4.jpg
www.myoldtools.com
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