Double deep hives.

[Bob Wilson]

I understand the term double deep hive refers to hives with frames that are double the size of a standard deep langstroth frame, usually made by screwing two deep frames together, one under the other. This means each frame will be roughly 19X18 inches.
Certainly, the hive body will be about twice the height of a deep langstroth box, and probably longer, holding 15-20 or so frames.

QUESTION:
Have any of you experience in how the queen adapts to the frame bars through the middle of her brood nest on the double deep frames?

With the Layen's hive, they create a larger honey band across the top of the frame and the brood pattern is lower down on the deep frame. On mine, it is bisected by a horizontal wooden dowel for strength, but the bees build shallow comb over dowel, encasing it, and the queen walks over the solid comb surface unobstructed. However, with a double deep, assuming two frames are screwed together, there is an inch plus wooden divide through the middle of the extra large frame. Does the queen lay above and below it?

[BeeMaster2]

Bob,
My double deep is a frame with no bar in the middle. I was given two frames that had plasticell in them. The rest were foundation less. The one plasticell foundation is placed in the top slot and the other one is turned upside down in the bottom slot. One of the foundations was drawn but the other one was not. They loved the drawn frame but as of the last inspection, they did not use the other plasticell. They are quickly filling up the rest of the box with comb.
They are growing at an astonishing pace considering they were a small swarm that came from my observation hive. I put a super on them last week.
Jim Altmiller

[Michael Bush]

I use a lot of PF120 plastic frames.  The bees build comb straight through all the boxes and you have to pry the frames loose from each other to get it apart.  The result is the same, which is one large expanse of comb.  The queen moves up and down unimpeded which means she's unlikely to run out of room to lay.  I don't think most of the double deep frames are two screwed together.  First, it doesn't come out right (3/8" too short) and second, it defeats the purpose which is uninterrupted comb.  Since it's not standard I can't say what any particular person is doing...

As far as terminology, people usually mean a hive that consists of two normal ten frame deep boxes for the brood nest when they use the term "double deep hive".  They don't usually mean a frame that is twice as tall.

[Bob Wilson]

I do not understand, then.
On one hand, I can see that two frames can be be joined together by their bottom boards (one upside down). I can see how the thinner, cojoined bottom pieces are thinner and could be covered by comb as it is drawn out.
But are these not two standard deep frames put together (screwed?) to make a double deep?
Or is it just a single frame built extra large?
Can you post a few pictures?

Thanks for explaining that the usual meaning of the term double deep refers to brood boxes. I have been watching horizontal hive videos and the phrase is used there to mean a long hive with frames double the size of a standard langstroth deep frame.

If a double deep (brood box) can work, with extra large frames, then I suppose a box holding 20-25 (not just 10) frames could work as a long hive.

[BeeMaster2]

Bob,
I went back through my BeeFest pictures and I couldn?t find one of the frame. There is one of the double deep box with the frame tops visible but that doesn?t help much.
The frames are special built. The tops and bottoms are pretty much standard, except these are made of oak but the sides are more than twice as long as a standard deep frame. They have holes in them to put pins in to help hold the plasticell in the proper place.
The next time that I go into this hive I will try to remember to take pictures.
Jim Altmiller

[Bill Murray]

Bob, They are 18 inches deep period.  They take 2 plasticell 9 and 1/4" foundation, one over the other, or just go natural if thats what your looking for.

The bees love them as far as I can see. They have drawn them out well, and are laid in well.

 I dont particularly care for them, They are hard to manage. They are heavy, and require one of your 2 deeps to be cut down. Manipulation of the frames is not friendly. Now with that being said I tried them, dont personally like them, but you might, depending on what you want the outcome to be.

 sorry for not getting back to you ive been kinda strapped for time. I just  hand waxed the last 2 going in the box last night. Ill try and snap a photo

[Acebird]

Didn't they have a hive and double deep frames at beefest 23 demonstrated?

[BeeMaster2]

Yes. That is the hive that I put a small swarm in and it is now close to filling that hive.
Jim Altmiller

[Bob Wilson]

I was holding two deep frames together recently, and thought it huge and unwieldy.

[Michael Bush]

>I was holding two deep frames together recently, and thought it huge and unwieldy.

I think "unwieldy" is the perfect description.

[Acebird]

I was holding two deep frames together recently, and thought it huge and unwieldy.

I think once the frames are drawn installing bees in a 10 deep could be too much real estate for the bees to protect against beetles..