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Author Topic: modifying frames  (Read 1052 times)

Offline brer

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modifying frames
« on: May 29, 2010, 12:46:35 pm »
I just got into beekeeping actively about two months ago. Thanks folks for all the information that kept me from making some very big mistakes. :)

About a week ago, just on a hunch, I cut most of the plastic cell base out of a pierco frame, leaving about a one inch run along the top and inserted it into my first super.  The bees, which have been relatively slow to make comb, went hog wild on it.  They covered the remaining plastic area and then proceeded to make some very good looking free hanging honeycomb off of it, while staying within the guidelines of the frame.

Are there an downsides to doing this a few frames at a time?  I think effectively I'm getting a top modified bar hive.  I am not planning on using an extractor come fall, so that point is moot.



Offline harvey

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Re: modifying frames
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2010, 12:52:22 pm »
I pulled all the plasticell out of my frames and put in a 3/4 inch starter strip of just wood.  The bee's seem to draw out on the starter strip much more rapidly than they did on the plasticell.  I have done this in five hives in all the deeps for the brood chambers.  I have not supered yet as they are not ready but I have also put starter strips in all my super frames and pulled all the plasticell out.  Not sure what I am going to do with a couple hundred brand new sheets of plasticell?   The only drawback I see is that a couple of the frames in the deeps were drawn out wide,  Best to put a drawn frame in to give them some idea of space I think?  problem doing that in a deep is that they put brood in the drawn frame and I really didn't want to keep the drawn frame in there.  Now I will have to wait till most of the brood hatches and move the drawn frames to the outside.  Then later I can pull them and put in foundationless there also.

Offline Thymaridas

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Re: modifying frames
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2010, 04:35:56 pm »
For my honey supers for comb honey, I put a beeswax covered 3/4 inch piece of cardboard in the top grove as a starter strip for them. If the frame is brand new I rub a piece of beeswax on all of the comb-side of the frame. They do a great job.