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  • From: Blair Christian <blair.christian AT gmail.com>
  • To: "durham-county-beekeepers AT googlegroups.com" <durham-county-beekeepers AT googlegroups.com>, "ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org" <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [ocba] FYI: DIY frame assembly notes...
  • Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2012 11:11:07 -0500

It's getting to be the equipment repair/assembly time of year. I find
that you can't buy a decent frame very easily (I like my frames wooden
with polyurethane glue on the joints and 2 horizontal wires). Others
will disagree, preferring plastic frames (so this doesn't all apply to
you).

Also, the certified naturally grown guidelines state that no comb
should be more than 5 years old, so even if you don't have many many
hives, you should still plan on rebuilding frames/cleaning out comb at
most every 5 years, with some folks doing it every 2-3 years. So even
if you use plastic foundation or plastic frames, you still have
maintenance.

Last year, Lewis and Todd of the OCBA gave a great winter time seminar
on building your own gear which inspired me to do it myself. I
thought I'd take some time to pass on what I've learned about frame
assembly in the last year. I've assembled about 500 wooden frames
since I started (most foundationless, some with all foundation, strips
of foundation, or just wax coating, and inherited a couple pieces of
plastic foundation; 500 frames breaks down to 10 hives, 2 deeps each,
3 supers each). I used pneumatic tools and what follows is an overview
of how I got there:


When I started making/repairing my own equipment, I was almost
paralyzed by the amount of information at the wrong technical/quality
level for me, but motivated by the do-it-yourself factor, the high
quality of the final product, and the relatively low cost of doing it
myself.

I spent a lot of time trying to find quality information at the right
technical level, and these videos from the beemaster website were
probably the most useful, each less than 10 min. If you watch them
all, you'll know exactly what terms to search for to find more
detailed information if needed.

Here's a very broad introduction to all types of frames (part 1):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at24aXV5OO0
And an intro wiring and foundation (part 2):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjIJV-oCbO8&feature=relmfu
Manual assembly and prep (part 3):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OYPSBevkrk&feature=channel&list=UL
Jigs and frame assembly with pneumatic stapler (part 4):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvnO-Yqw94&feature=fvwrel


Time needed: I think it comes down to about 1 min/frame if you're
doing it at a leisurely pace, and most of that is at the prep and
wiring phases. I would sneak out to the shop after putting our son to
bed and piddle for about 45 min a night during week nights over a
month or two- if I wasn't doing bees, I'd be piddling on something
else.

Step 1: Prepping frames: removing cleats (a 6" plastic putty knife
helps), cleaning cleat remnants off the top bar (utility knife),
installing eyelets in side bars
Step 2: Assembling the frames 10 at a time
Step 3: (let glue dry at least overnight)
Step 4: Remove any glue remnants (otherwise they can make hiding
places for SHB), and wire the frames
Step 5: Install optional foundation, then install the cleat, mark with
year and foundation type


I have assembled frames from both the cheapest supplier around
http://www.millerbeesupply.com/
(starting at $0.59/ unassembled wooden frame (lowest quality) in a 100
pack before shipping/tax- same frame dimensions/style as Brushy Mtn
from what I can tell)
and the highest quality supplier I've found around
http://www.dadant.com/catalog/
(starting at $0.89/unassembled wooden frame before shipping/tax, but
almost twice as heavy as the millers, and a heavier duty wood with
bigger dimensions)


The rest of this information is about using pneumatic tools to build
your own frames (details from part 4 video above)

Here's what my setup looks like, pretty much the same as video 4 above
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/No_h9uQWnJadoFl4Ft2_99MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

Originally, I built my own frame assembly jig:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8O3RlQrxZ-oGy8oSDD0_H9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-s8IM7M0EMrtyR1Nt5q0TtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
but switched to a Brushy mtn one when I needed to assemble deep, med
and shallow frames and couldn't get my dimensions quite right
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Form-Board/productinfo/693/

Currently, there are a couple models of factory refurbished 18 gauge
nailer/staplers and compressors on sale with free shipping right now
at the CPO tools website (amazon, HD, lowe's etc also have them).
http://goo.gl/9KNjC

Here's the shopping list if you want to DIY frames with an pneumatic
nailer/stapler:
You need a nailer, a compressor (refurbs/craigslist start at $60),
pneumatic tool oil (3 drops in the air connection of the nailer every
time you use it), 18 gauge staples (6 x 1 1/4" long 1/4" wide
staples/frame)/18 gauge brads aka finishing nails (3 or 4 per frame,
5/8" long), glue for the joints (where the end bars attach to the
top/bottom bars- I like polyurethane glue like gorilla glue, but a lot
of companies make it now), wire and eyelets, an eyelet tool to insert
the eyelets, 5/8" or 3/4" nails for wiring (1 or 2 per frame),
foundation, jigs for (1) holding the frames and (2) wiring the frames
(I use a form board from brushy mountain now, but only because I'm
lazy) and foundation if you want to use it.

If you or a close friend have most of those tools, it's not too hard,
but if you don't have any of those tools, you'll have to build a lot
of frames to break even or start making friends at your local club
meeting. I'm sure if there's demand somebody could have an open shop
day.

Best,
Blair



  • [ocba] FYI: DIY frame assembly notes..., Blair Christian, 11/16/2012

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