Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: richter1978 on December 13, 2013, 11:16:05 am

Title: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: richter1978 on December 13, 2013, 11:16:05 am: I haven't been able to find the answer to my question.

That is, when cutting down 1 3/8" frames to 1 1/4", should the lower portion of the end bars be cut down also? That space gets awfully small. Additionally I want to make my already assembled and used frames narrow, any pointers? Thanks!
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: Michael Bush on December 13, 2013, 08:26:52 pm: I just plane down the edges of the wide part. Nothing else. You can if you're inclined...
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: richter1978 on December 14, 2013, 07:23:29 pm: Thank you! Don't want to do any unnecessary work!
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: flyboy on January 07, 2014, 09:20:53 pm: I am new here. Why would you cut them down?
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: Moots on January 07, 2014, 11:16:19 pm: Quote from: flyboy on January 07, 2014, 09:20:53 pm
I am new here. Why would you cut them down?

If you fit 11 frames in a 10 frame brood box, or 9 frames in a 8 frame brood box...Your in essence gaming the system, that extra frame allows for more comb, hence more cells, hence more place for the queen to lay, hence more bees in the same amount of space.

Sort of the opposite of what a lot of folks do in their honey supers...One less frame there allows for thicker comb. The folks that do it claim you get more honey, or at least as much, per box, with the thicker comb. Advantages are fewer frames to uncap and extract, as well as being easier to uncap.

Not saying I'll never give one or the other, or both a try....but for now, I'm content simply using the standard # of frames in both my brood boxes and honey supers.
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: Vance G on January 07, 2014, 11:23:11 pm: Quote from: flyboy on January 07, 2014, 09:20:53 pm
I am new here. Why would you cut them down?

What Moots said plus the small cell plastic frames are drawn out a lot more concisely to pattern when the frames are packed in tighter.
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: flyboy on January 08, 2014, 01:46:37 am: OK Thanks.
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: Variable on March 18, 2014, 08:03:25 pm: I do not want to hijack this thread but my question about cutting frames is highly related. Sorry if this is a problem.

If I cut down the 1 3/8 to 1 1/4 (centers) by cutting off 1/16 from each side will that not cause a problem with "bee space" between the top bars? The gap on my Kelly frames (1 inch top bars) will then be 1/4 inch..... I thought that was "too small"???

I am getting fully regressed small cell bees to put on these frames in about 3 weeks and before I take a saw to the pile of frame parts I want to be sure I am doing this properly and do not need to modify the top bar also. Thanks!
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: Michael Bush on March 18, 2014, 08:58:03 pm: 1/4" to 3/8" is the range of bee space. 1/4" is not too small. Bees will squeeze through 1/6" if they need to but will often propolize that size space if they don't need to get through it. They can't get through less than 1/6".
Title: Re: Question on narrow frames.
Post by: Variable on March 19, 2014, 12:08:38 am: Thank you Michael. I thought I had read that somewhere but could not find it. I was afraid I was about to make a queen excluder or worse.