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Author Topic: Cutting deep frames down to mediums  (Read 4980 times)

Offline rayb

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Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« on: June 17, 2006, 10:34:25 pm »
I have a bunch of deep supers and frames and want to cut them down to mediums. The super cut is no problem.

Has anyone cut a frame down? Can I just cut straight through the wood, drawn comb, and vertical wires with the table saw or would it just be a big mess?

Could I reuse the split bottom wood piece or make up something new?

I know, I know, I could just buy new stuff but I enjoy the projects!

Thanks, Ray

Online Michael Bush

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Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2006, 09:57:37 am »
>I have a bunch of deep supers and frames and want to cut them down to mediums. The super cut is no problem.

Excatly.

>Has anyone cut a frame down?

Probably a thousand of them.

> Can I just cut straight through the wood, drawn comb, and vertical wires with the table saw or would it just be a big mess?

I never tried it with the comb. I was converting to small cell and wanted to dispose of all the comb.  The wires would be DANGEROUS.  I'd get rid of the wires for sure.

I set the table saw at 6 1/4" and ran all the frames trhough.  Then I set it at 3/8" on the outside (1/4" on the inside) and cut the end bars off of the bottom bars.  Then I put the (now shorter) bottom bars between the end bars and nailed them from the ends.

Here's the pictures. Also pictures of cutting ten frame boxes to eight frames.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeseightframemedium.htm

>Could I reuse the split bottom wood piece or make up something new?

You can do either.  I have done both.  I used a 1/4" crown stapler with 1" long staples and the worked well with the split bottoms by putting the two pieces togehter and getting one leg of the staple in each piece.  I cut the tirangular ones to replace the ones that broke and so I could get better attachement on the bottom bar with foundationless comb.

>I know, I know, I could just buy new stuff but I enjoy the projects!

I would definitely cut down what you have if you have any skill with tools and are careful not to hurt yourself.
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Offline mark

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Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2006, 11:36:36 am »
i nkow that the idea of mediums for supers is lighter weight and i agree with that.  i only use mediums now for that but i think cutting down a deep is wasted effort when you can simply dedicate it to brood box use.  you want to have the largest brood area possible and a deep gives the most uninterrupted area.  as a brood box it's not that heavy

Online Michael Bush

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Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2006, 02:10:13 pm »
>i nkow that the idea of mediums for supers is lighter weight and i agree with that. i only use mediums now for that but i think cutting down a deep is wasted effort when you can simply dedicate it to brood box use.

One deep is not big enough for a prolific queen.  Sometimes two deeps aren't big enough for a prolific queen.  Typically here people run two or three deep boxes and come spring one or two will be full of honey (90 pounds worth) and later there will be brood in two or three boxes.  I use all medium eight frame boxes and full of honey they weigh 48 pounds.  If you give the queen enough room for a brood nest sometimes one of those deeps will be full of honey and you will have to lift 90 pounds.

> you want to have the largest brood area possible and a deep gives the most uninterrupted area.

But that "interrupted area"  has better communication over winter as the bees have more horizontal access to contract the cluster when it gets cold.

>as a brood box it's not that heavy

Until they fill it with honey, which they will.

Here are the points:

Uniform frame size:  http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#uniformframesize

and Lighter boxes:  http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#lighterboxes

If you want only one box for brood, you'll need at least 12 frames of DADANT deeps (11 5/8" box). or 20 frames of deep or 30 frames of medium.  Any of those sizes, and that's much longer than a standard 10 frame box.
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Offline Dale

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Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2006, 06:09:15 pm »
But then again, its one less box to worry about, 10 less frames to contend with....

It is heavier when its full, but that really should not be till the end of the season, and you won't do a whole lot of lifting it then anyway.  I keep my deeps as open as possible.  If they start storing excess honey in the top deep, then I did not add enough supers.  Granted at the end of the season, they will pack what they want where they want, and I usually don't mess with it.

 I ran 3 deeps like suggested somewhere, and found running 2 deeps works just as well.  In fact I wasted alot of honey one year running 3 deeps.  I still don't use an excluder with 2 deeps.

I think it really comes down to personal preference.
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Online Michael Bush

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Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2006, 08:28:41 am »
>I think it really comes down to personal preference.

And a strong back.
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Offline Hi-Tech

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Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2006, 12:10:02 am »
I went to all mediums and love it! It is so nice to be able to move any frame to any body on any hive....
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Offline shakerbeeman

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Re: Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2007, 09:53:18 am »
When I cut back my 10 frame to 8 how much do I deduct? I expect the width of 2 frames or a total of 2 3/4 in.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2007, 02:25:20 am »
The standard width of an 8 frame super is 13 1/2 inches.  Western Bee makes them from 13 1/2 to 14 1/4 in 1/4 inch adjustments.
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Online Michael Bush

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Re: Cutting deep frames down to mediums
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2007, 10:33:18 pm »
>When I cut back my 10 frame to 8 how much do I deduct? I expect the width of 2 frames or a total of 2 3/4 in.

The Brushy Mt. and Miller Bee Supply ones are 13 3/4"  So I cut off 2 1/2".  Betterbee and Mann Lakes are 14".

Here's step by step pictures of the process:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeseightframemedium.htm
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin