Frame Jig

[Carriage House Farm]

I am mainly posting this for folks that are new (especially those like me  :) ) and want to give it a try or those wanting to an increase in hives but with not a whole lot of time on their hands.

So I went and dropped some money and rather than build a frame jig I ordered one.

I have to say, this is the first time I ordered from Walter T. Kelly.  Talk about fast.  2 days.

The device is pretty sweet and cost about 20 bucks.

I am just starting out and want a system in place to be able to expand a later date next winter if things go well.  I have my original 100 frames...



and I just NOW got another 300 from Brushy (free delivery rocks, Merry Christmas and Thank You Brushy).  This will give me some enough to do 20 medium boxes, 2 bait traps, 4 medium nuc boxes, and an experimental long hive.





Glued 'em up and nailed them.



Ten frames done fast and smooth.

[malabarchillin]

Thanks for the pics of the jig. Good to remember to install the eyelets when the frame ends are easier to manipulate. Did you install eyelets on all of the frames ? Even the ones with starter strips ?

[taipantoo]

Thanks for the pics of the jig. Good to remember to install the eyelets when the frame ends are easier to manipulate. Did you install eyelets on all of the frames ? Even the ones with starter strips ?

LOL!

[Robo]

Thanks for sharing the pictures.  The frame jigs are great, I don't know how I survived all those years banging out one at a time.

For those without a jig.

Here are plans similar to the one posted in the pictures
http://www.beesource.com/plans/10frjig.pdf

Here are plans for a simpler design
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/framejig/framejig.htm

I have both and prefer the simpler one.  Not only is it easier to build, but easier to use as well.  No springs to deal with either :-D

[Carriage House Farm]

Thanks for the pics of the jig. Good to remember to install the eyelets when the frame ends are easier to manipulate. Did you install eyelets on all of the frames ? Even the ones with starter strips ?

Yes, even the ones with starter strips.  Not too sure why you wouldn't unless you were going to do some cut comb. 

Robo posted this a couple weeks back

I would not do the frames I intended to harvest comb from but to be honest, these new hives won't be producing lots of cut comb anyways.  I just want to build up a fair amount of useable drawn frames.

[Carriage House Farm]

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

I, literally, carry a digital camera with me everywhere these days.  Pictures are as expensive as data storage.  :)

I have "used" other people's reference pics to help educate myself so I like to think its returning the favor.

Here are plans for a simpler design
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/framejig/framejig.htm

I have both and prefer the simpler one.  Not only is it easier to build, but easier to use as well.  No springs to deal with either :-D

darn.  I actually had that website linked from several months ago and forgot why I linked it.

That was why.  I knew it as soon as I saw it.  I knew there was an cheaper version floating around.  THat was it.

Oh well.  Yeah, I have not caught any finger tips in spring "slaps" but I could see it happening if you were rushing and were negligent.  Boy, that would wake you up.

[Cindi]

Richard, you are doing some amazing stuff.  All of you men (and Linda too, and any other women that are) are fantastic about all the stuff that you build.  If there is one regret in my life (and there are absolutely no more, hee, hee,  ;) :)), I regret that I did not take wood working in school, we had a choice of elective subjects, and I chose home economics.  Eeeeks!!!!!  I think that if I had chosen wood working I would have been deemed a certain name for a certain type of girl, hee, hee.  HOme economics was a waster of time.  My Mother taught me all I ever needed to know, and man can I cook. 

If only I could wood work as well as I can cook, oops, I digress again from the subject.

Richard, keep on keepin' on, I love to see the pictures, and imagine myself with those power tools, making all my own bee stuff, and yes, this is indeed in my wildest dreams.  Beautiful day, beautiful life, beautiful beautiful.  Cindi

[Michael Bush]

IMO having a jig is well worth it if you ever build more than ten frames...  I lived without one FAR too long.

[Brian D. Bray]

Thanks for sharing the pictures.  The frame jigs are great, I don't know how I survived all those years banging out one at a time.
For those without a jig.
Here are plans similar to the one posted in the pictures
http://www.beesource.com/plans/10frjig.pdf
Here are plans for a simpler design
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/framejig/framejig.htm
I have both and prefer the simpler one.  Not only is it easier to build, but easier to use as well.  No springs to deal with either :-D

I built my own, the type with the springs, I really don't care for it that much.  I think I'll build the simpler model but make it so I can build 16 frames at a time--2 supers at a time.