First stab at frame parts

[Perry]

Due to the high cost and sometimes disappointing quality of woodenware, I have been thinking longer and harder about trying to figure out a way to manufacture more of this stuff myself (with friends of course).
I build all my own boxes, bottom boards, inner covers, telescoping covers, and even bee escapes. About the only thing I haven't tried seriously is frames. Everything I have read has led me to believe that it just isn't worth the time and effort, but with high prices jumping even higher it is something I have decided to look at.
From a previous pile of frame parts I realized I have around 60 top bars, but no end bars (I had already made up around 180 bottom bars which I thought were relatively easy).
I went to my local mill and found a nice piece of 2 x 8 rough pine, 8' 6" long. I bought it for $14, and for that price I had them plane it down to 1 3/8" thickness.

I then marked the board down to pieces 18 3/8" long and cut them to length. These would end up being my 9 1/8" end bars, but I left them as "doubles" so there was more to hang on to for the next step. I ran each end of the pieces into a jointer about 6" in, leaving the narrow part of the end bar at 1" width.
Once that was done I cut the pieces to their planned length of 9 1/8".


All I have left to do is run dados on either end to accept the top and bottom bars, and then slice each block into pieces 3/8" thick. That very last part will be tedious and time consuming unless I can figure out a way to "gang rip" them.


I ended up with 10 blocks for deeps (and 1 block for mediums). Each block when cut should yield 16 end bars, so enough end bars to do 80 deep frames.
If a person had the right tools (an 8" jointer makes life easier), a person could put a serious production run together and save some money, trading it for spare time in the winter. Instead of one 8' board, think 20! You get the idea.
Am I crazy or just cheap?

[iddee]

A good bandsaw will make that last cut a lot faster, easier, and safer. Also, the thinner blade will give another piece or two.

[apisbees]

A good bandsaw will make that last cut a lot faster, easier, and safer. Also, the thinner blade will give another piece or two.

The blade used, quality or the band saw and blade will be the deciding factor in whether  this works real good or turns in to a nightmare with the blade wandering and the thickness not bring constant.

[G3farms]

Apis do you have any pics of the shop you helped to set up?

Wee the machines just standard tools or special made for a certain operation?

Perry those are looking really good. I would think cutting the dado, for the top and bottom bar, would be easier done before tapering the side bar block.

some video I found on youtube, I had not seen them before, you may have though. This was how I always thought a set would look like. The handle cutter is just too simple.

[Perry]

Haven't looked at those videos yet G3 but they look interesting.
I only had the tapering done first cause I had to go to a friend who has a 8" jointer when it was available.

[LazyBkpr]

Id love to have a jointer that big. Mines only a 4 inch cut. I end up cutting the bars, then stacking them on the jointer etc for deeps.. its why i dont make many deeps. Kerfing the board with a good sharp table saw blade works OK for mediums..  The hard part for me is cutting down all the danged top bars and bottom bars. Seems to take a coons age to get them all done..  I have about three hundred of the 4000 frames I need done at this point...
   



   I have always cut the top/bottom bars from a piece of 2x10 to 7/8 thickness for the top bar and 3/4 for the bottom bar..  I have just today finished my last set doing it that way. From this point forward the top bars will be cut from 1x boards, so they will be 3/4 by 3/4 to save me a couple hours a day in cutting boards. It will also allow me to router the grooves for the bars into the side bars before I kerf the sides, so no changing the router table around for top bars and bottom bars..  This will also allow me to cut the grooves for the foundation with one setting on the table saw for both top and bottom bars.  I'll let you know if the bees complain.
   Edit; About Forgot.. Photo Curtesy of the Painter! (TedH)

[Perry]

Hey buddy, instead of using a router for your grooves why not use a dado blade, way quicker?

[Lburou]

Way to go Perry, it looks like you will save some money and have exactly what you want when you finish. 

[Zweefer]

Lazy, are you not concerned the 1/8 will increase the propolis?

[LazyBkpr]

I have one of those fancy three blade bits out on loan and used it for the last twenty boxes.. it works quicker, but I have to NOT get impatient and PUSH or it rips the wood out of the side of the handle slot, but yeah, a bit quicker, about the same as far as ease..  Dado blades.. I am too cheap. Bought a set, use them till they were dull, priced having them sharpened, cringed and walked away.. all the way to the 5 dollar router bit isle. With the jig I have built the router works really well, if not as fast as that table saw bit thingy.
   Zweef.. Propolis, no, but the extra 1/8th might encourage more bur and ladder comb..  Going to try it and find out. I am hoping they won't mess it up any more than they do the bottom bars. If thats the case I will be good with the decision. Will let you know how well it works in a few months!