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Author Topic: switching frame sizes to supers  (Read 2912 times)

Offline rookie2531

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switching frame sizes to supers
« on: October 19, 2014, 02:05:49 pm »
This is kind of a spinoff question about going to all mediums. But i have been thinking since my deep broods look all nice and uniform and my medium supers are drawn out more in some spots and have very deep cells especially at the tops. When these mediums become there brood, will they adjust the comb or do I cut it down more even with the frame, like when uncapping?

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: switching frame sizes to supers
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2014, 11:36:19 am »
All honey comb is as thick as room will allow.  All brood comb is only as thick as the proper depth for brood.  It has nothing to do with deeps or mediums, but a lot to do with how tight the frames are together or how much extra space you have.  If you shave them down to 1 1/4" they will be very uniform in thickness...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesframewidth.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#framespacing
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline rookie2531

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Re: switching frame sizes to supers
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2014, 12:15:18 pm »
All honey comb is as thick as room will allow.  All brood comb is only as thick as the proper depth for brood.  It has nothing to do with deeps or mediums, but a lot to do with how tight the frames are together or how much extra space you have.  If you shave them down to 1 1/4" they will be very uniform in thickness...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesframewidth.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#framespacing

My typing and asking doesn't come across very well, I guess what I'm asking is when my medium supers full of honey right now, start becoming a brood frame, will the girls chew it down to the proper depth as the cells look too deep for her to lay in? Especially the frames on the ends that they had much more room to make deeper cells? I want to be able to checkerboard (open the brood) these frames and want to know if once she starts laying will they make the cells right. I do appreciate your time and input. So thank you.

Offline mikecva

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Re: switching frame sizes to supers
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2014, 01:21:09 pm »
As Michael Bush said, it is the distance between the frames that is important. If too little bee space the bees will not work it well, if at all. Too much space between frames the bees will make deeper cell but only to their limit then they will start bridging the frames (and make a mess for you.) If you are trying to convert a medium super into a medium brood box and I had very deep cells on it, I would harvest the honey then put the frames into your brood area ( remember your honey stores for the winter) -Mike
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Offline rookie2531

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Re: switching frame sizes to supers
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2014, 09:05:18 pm »
I do plan on making my own frames this winter. I will try this frame size. Thanks Mike and Mike.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: switching frame sizes to supers
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2014, 09:48:51 am »
>when my medium supers full of honey right now, start becoming a brood frame, will the girls chew it down to the proper depth as the cells look too deep for her to lay in?

If they want to use it for brood, yes.  If they don't they may draw some other comb the right depth for the queen...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline rookie2531

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Re: switching frame sizes to supers
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2014, 05:37:47 pm »
OK, thanks again.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: switching frame sizes to supers
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2014, 09:06:57 am »
If it's honey and you want it thinner, get a sharp knife and cut it down...

"...if the space is insufficient, the bees shorten the cells on the side of one comb, thus rendering that side useless; and if placed more than the usual width, it requires a greater amount of bees to cover the brood, as also to raise the temperature to the proper degree for building comb, Second, when the combs are too widely spaced, the bees while refilling them with stores, lengthen the cells and thus make the comb thick and irregular--the application of the knife is then the only remedy to reduce them to proper thickness."--J.S. Harbison, The bee-keeper's directory pg 32
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

 

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