Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: Palouse on March 30, 2013, 09:25:45 pm

Title: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: Palouse on March 30, 2013, 09:25:45 pm: I'm new at this and have assembled my hive bodies, and I got to my frames today. I put ten frames in my super, and there's what appears to me to be an inordinate amount of space for the ten frames in the super. I can almost, but not quite, fit eleven frames in the super. Internal dimensions of the hive body are 18-1/2" x 14-3/4". The top rails or bars of the frames 1-1/16" deep. A photo is below to better illustrate my problem, if it is one. Is this normal? And if so, how do you properly space these the frames in the super? Nowhere in the book I have is this mentioned, and I'm concerned that the bees I pick up in two weeks won't have a proper home.

Many thanks for any response.

Looks like I can't post a photo, but the space left in the box when I have all the frames pushed to one side is 1-5/32" from the edge of the box to the top bar and 1-1/32" from the edge of the box to the stile/side piece of the frame.
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: capt44 on March 30, 2013, 10:40:29 pm: The wood used to build the boxes should be 3/4 inch thick.
Some wood is planed to 13/16 inch something to think about if using a finger joint jig.
The dimensions should be 19 7/8 inches long and 16 1/4 inches wide (external)
You should have some space to move the frames around.
The Deep Box should be 9 5/8 inches deep.
The frame rest should be 3/8 inch X 5/8 inch.

(http://s9.postimg.org/hni4pc9cb/2122_deepsuper_92522_std.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: AllenF on March 30, 2013, 10:43:06 pm: You have to space the frames out evenly in the box. If the frames were tight in the box, you would not be able to get the frames out after the bees had glued everything in.
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: Palouse on March 31, 2013, 02:03:43 am: Quote from: capt44 on March 30, 2013, 10:40:29 pm
The wood used to build the boxes should be 3/4 inch thick.
Some wood is planed to 13/16 inch something to think about if using a finger joint jig.
The dimensions should be 19 7/8 inches long and 16 1/4 inches wide (external)
You should have some space to move the frames around.
The Deep Box should be 9 5/8 inches deep.
The frame rest should be 3/8 inch X 5/8 inch.

Thanks. My boxes match the dimensions you list. The stock is 3/4" thick.

Quote from: AllenF on March 30, 2013, 10:43:06 pm
You have to space the frames out evenly in the box. If the frames were tight in the box, you would not be able to get the frames out after the bees had glued everything in.

I figured I'd need some room, but I was surprised at how much room I have. I searched quite a bit before posting here, and I kept looking after posting. I finally found a post that stated that you should push the frames together and center them in the box.
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: rbinhood on March 31, 2013, 03:23:37 pm: Push your frames tight together in the center of your box and have equal amounts of space on each side.
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: fshrgy99 on March 31, 2013, 10:02:03 pm: I was right where you're at about a year ago. Sounds like your O.K. If you follow in my footsteps please share your thoughts the first time you lift a full honey super! :)
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: Michael Bush on April 01, 2013, 11:27:28 am: It is normal. Push the frames together in the center.
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: buzzbee on April 01, 2013, 07:45:06 pm: Palouse,
If you would like pics posted until you are able, forward them to:
photos@beemaster.com
And mention the post you would like to attach them. We will be glad to help you. :)
Title: Re: Help with frames in deep super
Post by: Palouse on April 25, 2013, 02:57:29 pm: Thanks for everyone's help. Despite doing a lot of reading, the experience has been more humbling than I thought it would be. Fun, but humbling.