An easy way to tie comb into frames

[David LaFerney]

I'm sure this isn't an original idea, but I've never seen it mentioned before.  After I first hived my bees I had to straighten out some collapsed comb, and I used rubber bands to hold it in the frames.  That worked, but for a noob like myself it was pretty awkward to hold the frame and comb and get rubber bands around it all without doing too much damage - while wearing gloves.  After thinking about it I added some string and thumbtacks to my kit, I recently had a chance to try out my idea.



I used the thumbtacks and string to form a web on one side of the frame.



Once you have put in the thumb tacks, and secured one end of the string on the other side, you can (put your gloves on) just lay in the comb, and wrap the string around.  Once you get to the end you don't even need to tie a knot, just push the last tack all the way in and you're finished.  All easily done while wearing gloves

For Guys like J.P. who've had lots of practice I imagine that rubber bands are much quicker, and more efficient. But if you are planning your first cut out you could prep some frames like this in advance and it might make the learning curve a little less steep.

By the way, the reason I had to do this tie in is because when I did the first one back in May I didn't get the mid lines of the comb completely straight and centered in the frames and as you built out away from  that some of the new comb was built progressively more crooked. 

Lesson learned: when tying in comb center the comb by the mid line, not by the thickness - it might be drawn out more on one side than on the other.  Then check it out before too long and straighten up any thing that looks even a little bit wonky.  If you don't it will come back to haunt you later.

[Natalie]

Thats the way I do it as well but I use small finish nails and string, I keep a jar of them in my tool box but try to keep some already made up on hand as well.
I learned it on this forum actually.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,13767.msg166093.html#msg166093

[Robo]

It works OK if you have big pieces of comb and they can  just attach it to the top bars.   Otherwise they will build the comb to the string and then it becomes a big mess.

[David LaFerney]

Thats the way I do it as well but I use small finish nails and string, I keep a jar of them in my tool box but try to keep some already made up on hand as well.
I learned it on this forum actually.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,13767.msg166093.html#msg166093

Yeah, something that simple gets "invented" over and over I guess.  I might point out that the tacks don't require any tools to install, and they pry out pretty easy with a hive tool. 

[David LaFerney]

It works OK if you have big pieces of comb and they can  just attach it to the top bars.   Otherwise they will build the comb to the string and then it becomes a big mess.

I'm not picturing what you mean.  Though It probably would be better to use light cotton string that they can chew out pretty easily instead of masons line like in my pictures. 

[Robo]

I'm not picturing what you mean. 

I'll try to take some pictures if I can remember.  I tried the string around nails once and it didn't work so hot.  I quickly went back to the cut-out frames.

[Kathyp]

even rubberband can get incorporated into the comb if you  neglect to remove it and the bees don't get it all off.  a couple of years ago, i got some super-duper rubber bands.  to this day, i find bits of them in the comb.  the bees did a nice job of working them in   :-D

[David LaFerney]

even rubberband can get incorporated into the comb if you  neglect to remove it and the bees don't get it all off.  a couple of years ago, i got some super-duper rubber bands.  to this day, i find bits of them in the comb.  the bees did a nice job of working them in   :-D

Yeah, I'm still seeing rubber band coming out from May.

[Jim134]

I'm sure this isn't an original idea, but I've never seen it mentioned before.  After I first hived my bees I had to straighten out some collapsed comb, and I used rubber bands to hold it in the frames.  That worked, but for a noob like myself it was pretty awkward to hold the frame and comb and get rubber bands around it all without doing too much damage - while wearing gloves.  After thinking about it I added some string and thumbtacks to my kit, I recently had a chance to try out my idea.



I used the thumbtacks and string to form a web on one side of the frame.



Once you have put in the thumb tacks, and secured one end of the string on the other side, you can (put your gloves on) just lay in the comb, and wrap the string around.  Once you get to the end you don't even need to tie a knot, just push the last tack all the way in and you're finished.  All easily done while wearing gloves

For Guys like J.P. who've had lots of practice I imagine that rubber bands are much quicker, and more efficient. But if you are planning your first cut out you could prep some frames like this in advance and it might make the learning curve a little less steep.

By the way, the reason I had to do this tie in is because when I did the first one back in May I didn't get the mid lines of the comb completely straight and centered in the frames and as you built out away from  that some of the new comb was built progressively more crooked.  

Lesson learned: when tying in comb center the comb by the mid line, not by the thickness - it might be drawn out more on one side than on the other.  Then check it out before too long and straighten up any thing that looks even a little bit wonky.  If you don't it will come back to haunt you later.

                                
                                  <a href="http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp254/Jim134MA/?action=view&current=3085657153-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp254/Jim134MA/3085657153-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">[/url]

       Did this in the Peace Corps 1983-1985 in North Africa in Tunisia but use frame wire and nails.


            BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)

[spencer]

But isn't this just a temporary fix until the brood is hatched and then the whole frame is removed and the wax is melted down? So why would it matter if the comb is imbedded into the string?

[David LaFerney]

But isn't this just a temporary fix until the brood is hatched and then the whole frame is removed and the wax is melted down? So why would it matter if the comb is imbedded into the string?

Not at all.  The bees will fill in around it and fully attach the comb, then they will chew out the string (or rubber bands) if they can, and it will be just as good as any comb and they will use it over and over.  What my bees actually did with this string was to build around it, but not embed it - some brood was sacrificed because of that.  They've chewed on it and made it all fuzzy, but it's really tough nylon masonery twine and so far they haven't cut any of it out - I'll remove it when they have the comb attached better.  Next time I'll use light cotton string.  I'll take a picture next time I get into the hive.