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Author Topic: Getting rid of deep frames.  (Read 3732 times)

Offline RHBee

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Getting rid of deep frames.
« on: March 05, 2013, 04:29:48 pm »
I'm converting to all medium equipment. I over wintered 5 of my colonies in double deeps. I plan to split these hives this week.
In order to get the bees to move into the mediums I plan to split, get at least 3 mediums drawn out, then shake all bees from the deep into the three mediums. I will then put on a queen excluder under the deep with an upper entrance to allow drones to escape. Once all the brood has hatched I will then retire the deep equipment.
That's my plan. Is there a better way? Have I overlooked something? This is my first time I welcome input positive or negative.
Later,
Ray

Offline ziffabeek

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2013, 04:56:21 pm »
I'm glad you posted this Ray.  I, too, want to move to all mediums and will be interested to read the advice.

Thanks!

love,
ziffa

Offline Joe D

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2013, 06:54:55 pm »
Sounds good to me, I haven't done that, but sounds good.  I have deep brood boxes, medium and even 1 with a shallow, then deep and 2 more shallows.  Also have a TBH.  yeap I got most everything.  I am going to have to move some around this year.  The one with everthing in it, I caught a swarm last year and the shallow was all I had that wasn't full.  Then I made a deep and put over the shallow.  Got to rambling again.  Sounds fine Ray, good luck.  Oh, when you get through with the deeps, you can cut the bottom of the frames down and the deep boxes to medium and still use them.



Joe

Offline edward

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2013, 07:40:26 pm »
Cut the frame bottoms off with a table saw to the appropriate size and nail on a new bottom frame.


mvh edward  :-P

Offline iddee

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2013, 11:06:19 pm »
Bring me your deeps. I will trade you mediums for them.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline BlueBee

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2013, 11:55:13 pm »
Ray, that’s basically what I do to get my mating frames combed and brooded up.  Only difference is I keep the deeps on the bottom and put the mating frames above them.  I doubt it matters much if you add the new frames above or below, but that’s what I do.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2013, 10:36:08 am »
I'd play it by ear.  In the spring you have a lot of empty frames.  You can juggle frames between hives, you can pull all the empty deeps and then fill out partial deeps from other hives to get as many as you can.  You can also do a cutout of a few frames if necessary and tie the combs into mediums.  You can also put a few frames of mediums in the deeps and later cut the excess comb off of the bottom.  You just have to juggle to keep the boxes that are on the hives full of combs and pull all available deeps.  Also I would pull any with honey or pollen once there is a good flow going, and harvest the honey.  You could cutout the pollen and tie it into frames or scrap it.
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Offline D Coates

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2013, 12:05:47 pm »
Bring me your deeps. I will trade you mediums for them.

Dang iddee, you took my line.  You're closer anyway.
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Offline RHBee

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2013, 07:43:35 pm »
Bring me your deeps. I will trade you mediums for them.
iddee,  I wouldn't mind but your about 230mi from me. I'll probably cut them down and keep them. Looks like I have to wait for better weather on the splits. Night time temps are still to cold. I have to wait till it is consistently above 50F for the lows. I'll cut the boxes down too.
Thanks everyone for the replies.
Later,
Ray

Offline iddee

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2013, 07:49:56 pm »
I'll be coming down I-95 Friday. Jerk them out quick and meet me at exit 122.    :flyingpig: :lau: :lau:
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline bluegrass

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2013, 08:19:31 pm »
I tried all medium boxes several years ago and have since gone back to deep boxes.. This year I am starting to acquire 11.75" deep boxes that hold 12 frames and within a few years want everything in that configuration. No mediums or shallows, all Dadant deep 12 framers.

With the increase in depth and the two extra frames in each box I am reducing the number of boxes I need to keep by 1/3. So for every 3 deep traditional boxes I only need 2 in order to equal the same approximate space.

As far as converting deeps to medium you can shake the bees off of each frame and run them through the table saw... Then you don't have to mess with the deep boxes at all. Over time you can rotate out the cut off frames.
Sugarbush Bees

Offline Foxhound

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Re: Getting rid of deep frames.
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2013, 09:34:18 pm »
Cut the frame bottoms off with a table saw to the appropriate size and nail on a new bottom frame.


mvh edward  :-P

This is exactly what I did to my deep frames. I was given a nuc with 5 deep frames and used a chop saw to cut the side bars down.

I waited for the brood to hatch out and cut them down on a warm day. It wasn't pretty but I used a bow saw with a thin blade to cut through the comb. I used wire snips to cut the support wires first. I then nailed the bottom bar back to the sidebars.