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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: adamant on October 09, 2011, 06:02:08 pm

Title: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: adamant on October 09, 2011, 06:02:08 pm
shallow frames  5.5 '' from top to bottom? if so are shallows popular in honey production?
Title: Re: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: iddee on October 09, 2011, 07:55:49 pm
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/honeysuper.htm (http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/honeysuper.htm)

Mediums are for extracted honey, shallows are for comb honey, as a general rule. You can use either for either.
Title: Re: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: adamant on November 04, 2011, 06:35:17 pm
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/honeysuper.htm (http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/honeysuper.htm)

Mediums are for extracted honey, shallows are for comb honey, as a general rule. You can use either for either.

it looks like i cant find plastic foundation for the shallow size. is that correct?
Title: Re: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: Michael Bush on November 05, 2011, 12:26:51 pm
Sure you can.  Just buy medium and cut it down on a table saw with a very fine tooth plywood blade put in backwards... Or you score it good with a sharp utility knife and then break it...

Title: Re: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: mikecva on November 05, 2011, 02:00:25 pm
Because shallow is commonly for comb honey, to few people would buy plastic foundations for it to be profitable for distributors to stock it. Thus you buy the medium and cut it down to fit.
 
Several comb cutters are a better fit to the shallow frames so not to waste any honey if doing comb honey sales.

Most all of us use boxes that we can lift easily. That is why I use all mediums and no deeps.  -Mike
Title: Re: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: lenape13 on November 05, 2011, 02:58:50 pm
I find plastic readily available from each of the suppliers I deal with.  I currently use all shallows for honey production, only because that's what came with the equipment I bought from two beekeeper estates.  I will start using mediums next year for my outyards, but will keep the shallows for the hives at home.
Title: Re: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: BlueBee on November 05, 2011, 07:52:25 pm
Put the blade on backwards to cut plastic foundation  :?

I’ve cut boxes full of black plastic pierco foundation on my table saw using a general purpose Freud Diablo blade mounted on the saw in the PROPER direction and had no problems cutting the plastic.  It cuts like butter.  I use low cost Frued Diablo blades from Home Depot, 10” 40 teeth, thin kerf.  Good enough for most basic work.

If you cut foundation, here’s a couple of tips.  ALWAYS wear goggles because you get splatted with a lot of wax (and plastic) when cutting plastic foundation on a table saw.  I would also suggest wearing a breathing mask or you’re going to end up eating some wax and plastic too.  If the foundation is waxed, it does not slide on your table saw very well due to the friction from the wax.  I solve that problem by setting the foundation of a thin sheet of luaun or cardboard and then sliding that assembly through the saw.  That prevents the friction problem and is much safer.  I find that if you try to cut more than 2 sheets at a time on the table saw, you get chipping.

If a person happens to be making their own shallow super woodenware you can buy full sheets of deep foundation, cut them in two and end up with 2 foundations for shallows.  Depending upon exactly how to you do it, those frames end up being about 5” tall.
Title: Re: if my medium frames are 6.25'' from top to bottom are
Post by: adamant on November 05, 2011, 08:39:13 pm
i made them into mediums. i added 1'' spacers ..see pic..
(http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/2042/boxspacers.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/690/boxspacers.jpg/)

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