Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: DayValleyDahlias on February 23, 2008, 04:47:38 pm
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I will be ordering hive bodies and frames from MannLake and foundation from Dadant.
How difficult is it to assemble frames?
Will the foundation from Dadant fit fine in the frame purchased from MannLake. ( I am making sure to purchase the 6 1/4" )
Will I need nails? Glue?
MannLake does not sell small cell, that is why I am purchasing from Dadant.
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Assembling is easy enough, just tedious.
I wet the places the frames go to gather and apply gorilla glue (or similar) Place the sides into the top bar pop a couple of brad nails into it on each side bar and then place the bottom bar after glue and pop a couple brads on each end.
I then immediately place them in the hive body to check for squareness and adjust as needed then Let dry. Some people use a frame jig. Do several frames at a time and it squares them up.
Then you do it again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again.....
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Ack...okay...I will "git 'er done"
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I've been doing exactly the same as jerry. Seems to be working so far !
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Brad Nails...I am guessing I can buy these from the bee catalogs.
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You can get brad nails at any hardware store.
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do you have a pneumatic nailer/stapler and compressor? that is a really slick and fast way to put them together. the gorilla glue is also great. i use it for repairs. you can nail them by hand, but that takes forever. with the gun you get the fun of shooting the staples and it only take me about a minute per frame.
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I think it is time to buy a pneumatic nailer, we have a compressor...the DH has been talking about purchasing a nail gun... :-D
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Hey! That's right. I went to one staple instead of two brads after I got the pneumatic nailer that would do both.
I can't see me doing frames with a hammer. It is bad enough doing it with glue and air popper.
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yup. get the one that does both. you can nail boxes and staple frames.
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i'm poor ill just stick with a hammer !
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Hey Dahlia, I decided to use real frames and plasticell after using Dadants EZ frames. I started with the EZ frames as the thought of buliding my own was kind of "provoking" to me.
Building frames (at least the "Grooved Top" type)
Is Amazingly EASY! You're gonna be surprised at how easy you will find it!
I use the hammer and brads (maybe a nail or staple gun late..I did look at them at Lowes and home depot though after i ordered my frames). Also, I used wood glue(tan colored Elmers)..Gorilla glue is GREAT glue . I've used it many times on other projects. I built my first hive box with Gorilla glue. For me though, I find that I have a sticky mess everywhere untill it dries. Being that its such a good glue its also more difficult to clean up..The more times you "Dab and smear" the more mess you make.(At least for me its that way)
The guys are correct about using Gorilla glue...I dont think you'll find another glue that bonds so well with wood. Jerry mentioned "wetting the ends"...To make the Gorilla glue work right you need to wet the wood.
I cant remember what foundation you are gonna use. As for me The plasticell just snapped right into the frames!
The foundation looked even on both sides of the frames so I guess they were square...I didnt think of checking for squareness.
Well, thats all I guess.
Your friend,
John
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Thanks John,
I appreciate all the great advice here! Gorilla Glue it is!
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Oh yeh,...by the way,
At first glance,your husband looks like Rudy Guilliani(NY Mayor, past)
in the pic. with Stanley!
your friend,
john
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sssshhh don't tell anyone my husband is Rudy Guilliani :-\
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Oh yeah. By the way. Gorilla glue is messy. It finally wears off of your hands after about a week. (I don't use gloves for anything except working bees.)
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Oh thanks for the heads up Jerrymac! I will wear some gloves heehee
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If it has any sort of odor I would air out the frames in the sun quite awhile until smell wears off. (meaning that gorilla glue)
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If it has any sort of odor I would air out the frames in the sun quite awhile until smell wears off. (meaning that gorilla glue)
Oh I have to do that to my hubby once in a while!
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Your tools(hammer and nails) will get stuck to your gloves...hee heee....And if your frames have a drip that sticks to your wood to your worktable or floor you may have to chisel the frames away from whatever they get glued to...Thats ok though as your gloves will be glued to your hammer by that time!!
OH BOY!! this is getting FUN!
your friend,
john
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Airing out the hubby??? Now Sharon that doesn't sound like you!!
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Your tools(hammer and nails) will get stuck to your gloves...hee heee....And if your frames have a drip that sticks to your wood to your worktable or floor you may have to chisel the frames away from whatever they get glued to...Thats ok though as your gloves will be glued to your hammer by that time!!
You must really go to town on the gluing. Stand back and squirt it at the item to be glued do you? :-D
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Yeah Jerry,...Gotta stand back!
As a matter of fact the last shoes I wore out there are still glued to the floor! I stood in one place toooo long!
ROFL now!!!!
your friend,
john
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Hey Jerr, now that i think of it...Next time I think I'll use propolis! I got that stuff on my face right at this moment and I bet if I threw myself at a wall with my face first, I'd STICK!! I'm not even sure if its gonna wash off! I mite have to bathe in lighter fluid!
your friend,
john
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well for god sake don't get any on your hands , it could end up being very embarrassing either for you or your wife !
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uh oh....no wonder i cant let go of the mouse!!!
your friend,
john
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fast frame assembly...
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/framejig/framejig.htm