adding supers to cut down split

[kalium]

Hi. I am wanting to do a cutdown split for comb honey. I use 'shallows' (we call them 'ideals'). Should I add just one box at a time and add more as they are capped, or throw a few on at once? The hives are in my backyard, so easy to monitor.

[GSF]

It seems I've seen it both ways. Traditional wisdom will tell you to add one on at a time so they won't have all that empty space to guard. However, I've seen this guy on the way to work throw about 4 or 5 on at one time. Some folks can break all the rules and get away with it. Others can't. I was busy making bees this year, maybe next year I can answer a question like this with experience.

[kalium]

So the point with comb honey is to get them to draw and cap as quick as possible. So logic says to do one at a time (so they are all working in the same super). However, I don't know whether there is such a thing as cramming them in too much with cut downs.

[jayj200]

I hear two things
1 add more melted wax to the frames
2 spray with sugar water
this will get things rolling faster

[johng]

For Comb honey, I assume you will be starting out with thin foundation? Right? If so you will have to add one box at a time until the bees have started working 8-9 frames, then you can add another box of foundation. You don't have to wait until the bees cap all the frames you just need to make sure they have 8-9 frames started before you add another box. If not they will build out 5-6 of the middle frames in each box and may never touch the frames on the outside of the box.
The bees can draw out a box of foundation in a week on a good honey flow. You need lots of bees and a good honey flow. Doing a cut down split is a good way to make comb honey without having too many swarm problems. Good luck with your comb honey!

[kalium]

Thanks John. I split one of two hives the other day. I did not use foundation, just because I didn't have any, and I've had nice comb honey before without using it (I still may try it sometime, I've heard
good things).

Anyway, I found doing a cut down split on a reasonably sized hive (four boxes, no excluder) quite unwieldy. I'm not much good at spotting queens at the best of times, and when there
are that many bees I find it quite difficult (although I don't even bother looking in the top box). Going through frame by frame also really really annoys the girls. I was being chased all over the place for the
rest of the day.

I'll probably try the same again with the other hive I wanted to do, but in the future (unless I'm working with marked queens) I may just end up doing 'regular' splits.

[Culley]

kalium,

with ideals I'm guessing you don't use wire in the frames? so you'd just cut the honeycomb out from the frame, cut it into a few pieces and drain it? Do you use special frames with sections?

My old bee books say to put the piece of comb in a jar with a wide opening, and then fill with the lightest honey you have - is that how it's done?

Too bad you didn't find the queen this time

I have a couple of ideal boxes but no ideal frames (or they might be 'half size', I'm not sure) - this might be a good use for them . might have to get some frames :)

[rookie2531]

Culley, I am pretty sure that Kalium is just cutting squares out and that is comb honey. People put bites of comb filled with honey in there mouth and eat it. No crushing or straining. I think it sells for more because you are losing comb, but not sure yet. I just started this past spring and haven't robbed this year.

[Michael Bush]

With drawn comb I would throw on a lot of supers.  Bees need to spread the nectar out to dry it.  Without drawn comb, it may go faster to put them on one at a time until they are mostly drawn.