Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: erbs honey on April 08, 2017, 11:05:48 pm

Title: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: erbs honey on April 08, 2017, 11:05:48 pm
The guy that makes my bee equipment built my supers with handles on the short sides of the super.  He is willing to put them on the long sides, like I asked him too, but says it's harder on your back holding a super from the long ends.  We have nine hives side by side in one apiary and 5 side by side in another.  It's awkward/almost impossible to lift a heavy honey super from any of the middle hives.  I can't think any too many reasons to have the handles on the sides.  Pros?   Cons?
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: cao on April 09, 2017, 01:11:47 am
I think the main reason for handles(or cleats) on the short sides is that with migratory tops you can put hives side by side.  This could come in handy when transporting them of during the winter to conserve heat.  For most hobbyists with a couple hives it really doesn't matter.  I try to leave enough space between hives to be able to work them from the sides.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: Acebird on April 09, 2017, 09:17:40 am
I need hand holds on the short side to use my jacking device.  If I made it to use the long side holds the boxes on top would tip too much.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: Rurification on April 09, 2017, 03:12:33 pm
Any reason he can't put them on all four sides?   
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: Acebird on April 09, 2017, 09:59:14 pm
Costs. Two are cheaper than four.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 10, 2017, 06:40:34 am
I would stick with your original request. Most of my supers  have 4 handles. The first couple of hives that I built have creats on the short sides. I work from the back of my hives. Often times when I go to pick up supers I reach for the ones on the long sides and there are none there. It is easier, from the back side, to lift from the long sides to remove supers. Once they are off the hive, I carry them from the short side.
Jim
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: erbs honey on April 12, 2017, 12:46:13 am
Any reason he can't put them on all four sides?
Yes. That is what he is going to do.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: erbs honey on April 12, 2017, 12:47:52 am
I would stick with your original request. Most of my supers  have 4 handles. The first couple of hives that I built have creats on the short sides. I work from the back of my hives. Often times when I go to pick up supers I reach for the ones on the long sides and there are none there. It is easier, from the back side, to lift from the long sides to remove supers. Once they are off the hive, I carry them from the short side.
Jim
My findings exactly!  And I think I will have four handles on my supers from now on.  I'm switching to 8-frame, so the timing is good there.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: little john on April 12, 2017, 06:18:31 am
Short sides - that way the centre of gravity of the box is nearest to your body.  Easier on the back - as the man said.
LJ
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: Acebird on April 12, 2017, 11:40:10 am
That is why I only put two hives together side by side.  I can work the hive from behind and pick up the boxes from one side.  I really don't need the handles on the long side but they are there already.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: BeeMaster2 on April 13, 2017, 12:09:09 am
I would stick with your original request. Most of my supers  have 4 handles. The first couple of hives that I built have creats on the short sides. I work from the back of my hives. Often times when I go to pick up supers I reach for the ones on the long sides and there are none there. It is easier, from the back side, to lift from the long sides to remove supers. Once they are off the hive, I carry them from the short side.
Jim
My findings exactly!  And I think I will have four handles on my supers from now on.  I'm switching to 8-frame, so the timing is good there.
Good for you Erbs. Thanks for bringing this up. I had a couple of new bees here today, we were trying to pull honey. It was a good time to show them why you want handles on all 4 sides and because of this discussion, I brought this up.
Jim
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: Michael Bush on April 13, 2017, 05:53:54 pm
Mine only have handles on the ends, not the sides.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: little john on April 14, 2017, 06:33:56 am
Standard British beehives are square, so this issue doesn't normally arise - but - I'm currently in the process of commissoning four custom-built 3-box 8-frame hives which have an oblong footprint.  The boxes have built-in grab handles in the short ends, with the longer sides being left plain.  I can't imagine having them any other way.

I also inspect from the back of the hive, and will lift the boxes by simply standing to one rear corner - which is what I've always done with our normal square boxes which have grab handles in only two of their four sides. 
At 70 years old and 6'4", I can't afford to lift in any other way.  :smile:
LJ




Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: Captain776 on April 14, 2017, 09:15:54 am
The guy that makes my bee equipment built my supers with handles on the short sides of the super.  He is willing to put them on the long sides, like I asked him too, but says it's harder on your back holding a super from the long ends.  We have nine hives side by side in one apiary and 5 side by side in another.  It's awkward/almost impossible to lift a heavy honey super from any of the middle hives.  I can't think any too many reasons to have the handles on the sides.  Pros?   Cons?

For me, it is easier to pick up a box by the handles on short side.  65. 2 back surgeries
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: swarmtrap on April 15, 2017, 08:37:24 am
i sell these cypress hive bodies unassambled to the guys around here with  handholds on all four sides and they like it and it really takes a short amount of time to cut em in, i really think it helps to sell them better too
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: Beeboy01 on April 19, 2017, 01:31:12 pm
I have handles on the long sides of all my deeps but am planning to put them on the front and back just in case I need to lift from the side not back of the hive.
  Not sure why I started with the handles on the sides, if you stop and think about it putting them on the ends gives better weight control with a full deep.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: swarmtrap on April 19, 2017, 05:00:22 pm
i think the side handlolds are mainly if you need to work hives from the back, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: erbs honey on April 21, 2017, 12:36:30 am
I would stick with your original request. Most of my supers  have 4 handles. The first couple of hives that I built have creats on the short sides. I work from the back of my hives. Often times when I go to pick up supers I reach for the ones on the long sides and there are none there. It is easier, from the back side, to lift from the long sides to remove supers. Once they are off the hive, I carry them from the short side.
Jim
My findings exactly!  And I think I will have four handles on my supers from now on.  I'm switching to 8-frame, so the timing is good there.
Good for you Erbs. Thanks for bringing this up. I had a couple of new bees here today, we were trying to pull honey. It was a good time to show them why you want handles on all 4 sides and because of this discussion, I brought this up.
Jim
Oh, good!! So glad to be of service.  Especially if it helps newbees!
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: beebad on July 27, 2017, 06:53:01 pm
Make your own. All my equipo have 4 hand holds. Man, a good hand hold is great when climbing or bee keeping.
Title: Re: Super handles on the short ends or long ends. Why?
Post by: tycrnp on July 29, 2017, 01:22:50 am
We make ours with handles on all 4 sides....then we have options.