Author Topic: Building Boxes  (Read 7377 times)

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Offline stickbow95

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Building Boxes
« on: May 06, 2014, 07:20:04 am »
I have my hives built for the arrival of my bees scheduled for this Saturday.
I built them according to the plans available on the beesource site and I'm wondering if there is a problem.
Interior dimension on the short end is 14.5". With the wdth of a frame at 1.375" this puts 10 frames at 13.75", leaving 3/4" of space in the box. Is this a problem or does one simply space the ten frames out evenly?

Offline iddee

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2014, 07:52:58 am »
That gives 3/8 in. on the two outsides, which is correct. Always place foundation frames tightly together and centered.
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Offline stickbow95

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2014, 08:41:39 am »
I'm now trying to kick myself in the backside. That should have been obvious for all of the emphasis on bee space... Feel free to needle.

Thanks

Offline blueblood

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2014, 09:31:23 am »
Fresh out of needles but it makes sense to even me now.  I was never proficient at fractions so I didn't catch what Professor Iddee caught.

Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2014, 09:51:06 am »
heheh  No needles here either.. it seemed strange to me when I first saw all that extra space, but fortunately I had an old fellow tell me to center the frames and keep them pushed together so the spacing on each end was even by eye.. if I failed to do that, the bees would make a mess one end or the other. Having a mentor was good, even if I didnt particularly care or understand back then. Some of it still stuck.
 
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Offline blueblood

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2014, 10:43:39 am »
Following up with what Lazy mentioned about spacing, I use my forefingers and my hive tool simultaneously.  The hive tool has morphed into a sixth finger for me while working the hives.  I rarely put it down.  My right forefinger and tool as one unit provide a natural space on the right and then pushes the frames to the left as my left forefinger is the holding the same space on the other side.   And, then I repeat on the other side.  Not really the main subject of this thread but thought it was a good place to mention it. 

Offline pistolpete

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2014, 10:52:14 am »
my frames tend to grow over time.  With bits of wax and propolis it's tough to squeeze te frames in there after a while.
My advice: worth price charged :)

Offline riverbee

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2014, 11:33:07 am »
" Feel free to needle. "

okay, you opened the door stickbow.....NEEDLE...NEEDLE.......how's that?............ :D
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Offline Perry

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2014, 12:34:20 pm »
You always need a little wiggle....err, make that waggle room.  ;)
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2014, 02:37:36 pm »
my frames tend to grow over time.  With bits of wax and propolis it's tough to squeeze te frames in there after a while.

   While I don't like to remove the ladder comb they have built, I do scrape the end bars free of propolis to prevnt the space from opening up.  Kind of important with foundation-less.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2014, 05:56:10 pm »
"my frames tend to grow over time.  With bits of wax and propolis it's tough to squeeze te frames in there after a while."

"While I don't like to remove the ladder comb they have built, I do scrape the end bars free of propolis to prevnt the space from opening up.  Kind of important with foundation-less."

same here lazy, don't remove too much ladder comb but do get after the buildup on the ends of the frames/sides and underneath, it makes for ease of frame manipulation. 

wait til you don't work your bees for two seasons and try to pull frames out of a dead out with nothing scraped off.......non disney language occurs and breaking a frame might happen...... :D
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Offline Garden Hive

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2014, 08:27:54 pm »
Non- Disney language occurs..... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Offline apisbees

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2014, 06:47:37 am »
wait til you don't work your bees for two seasons and try to pull frames out of a dead out with nothing scraped off.......non disney language occurs and breaking a frame might happen...... :D
Turn the box upside down and thump it down on a flat solid surface and all the frames will come out of the box with the end bars propolised together, them separate the frames off one at a time
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2014, 08:14:21 pm »
"Turn the box upside down and thump it down on a flat solid surface and all the frames will come out of the box with the end bars propolised together, them separate the frames off one at a time"

that was a no go apis.....didn't work..... :)
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Building Boxes
« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2014, 07:10:29 pm »
Thump it harder or let the sun warm the propolis first. I have had some that glue everything together and they can be difficult especially when the propolise is cold.
Honey Judge, Beekeeping Display Coordinator, Armstrong Fair and Rodeo.