Can you re use frames

[REDWOOD]

Obviously so wealthy and so professional with millions of hives you can afford not to recycle? As for shrinking, what utter baloney. If you did ever recycle so as to not waste the planets resources you would know that remark is patently untrue.

It would be interesting to know the carbon footprint and man hours involved with recycling old frames, It costs about 70p to boil 30 litres of water x how long it takes to get them clean, x min wage. If you have a way of heating the water off grid then it would reduce the costs.
For me I can earn enough money working a saturday to buy 171 14x12 new frames.
No Baloney about the shrinkage, I have a few boxes of frames that I can't be bothered dismantling and re nailing because the joints between the top and side bars are so loose.

 

[Finman]

No Baloney about the shrinkage, I have a few boxes of frames that I can't be bothered dismantling and re nailing because the joints between the top and side bars are so loose.

When you melt wires into foundation, frames are totally rigid.
Look right angle from foundation edge.

 

[Erichalfbee]

But what about supers? ........................Why change super comb?

What do you do?


Dusty

I change super frames when they eventually disintegrate in the extractor. Only lost a few in six years when I let husband do it.
With the very few cut comb I do I just clean superficially in my trusty old tea urn, dry in the greenhouse and replace starter strip....

 

[Eyeman]

Brood frames are reused after they have been through the wax steamer then after cooing into the washing soda bucket for a last scrub.
I can't see the need to boil the frames in washing soda once they have come out of the wax steamer.

 

[Arfermo]

Brood frames are reused after they have been through the wax steamer then after cooling into the washing soda bucket for a last scrub.
I can't see the need to boil the frames in washing soda once they have come out of the wax steamer.

Nor me - one or the other but not both surely? The "washing soda bucket" may not be near boiling anyway? Bit confusing.

 

[enrico]

Actually I don't see any reason to be too worried about frames that you prepare from your own apiary for the same apiary. Melt the wax off, and clean with a scraper has served me well. I think some on here seem a little paranoid about disease. If you think you apiary is disease free why all the washing soda etc? A few winter therapeutic hours of scraping is good for me...... I have my tin hat out of the bag.

 

[Finman]

Nor me - one or the other but not both surely? The "washing soda bucket" may not be near boiling anyway? Bit confusing.

When I boil frames, I keep water in 100C. In lower temps work is too slow.
But it Does not need to boil like mad.

They are like new, except no need to put new wires,

 

[enrico]

When I boil frames, I keep water in 100C. In lower temps work is too slow.
But it Does not need to boil like mad.

They are like new, except no need to put new wires,

Most of our foundation comes ready wired. We don't tend to use frames with wires as you do.
E

 

[Finman]

Most of our foundation comes ready wired. We don't tend to use frames with wires as you do.
E

Yes, you pay for that badly!
Mere frame sticks 2.4 fold price.
No real competition. Unreal situation compared to us.

Our frames are made in Estonia.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you did ever recycle so as to not waste the planets resources you would know that remark is patently untrue.

If you were that au fait with saving the planet's resources you would know that frame timber is a sustainable resource and is probably kinder on the 'planet's resources' than you stomping your carbon footprint around endlessly boiling frames and using chemicals such as washing soda.

 

[Arfermo]

I don't think that comes into it.
QUOTE]

Your view - but his reply and yours has no relevance whatsoever to the question that was asked in the first place. FRAMES ARE REUSABLE if one chooses to do so - finish. The questioner will not care one jot about your preference if she has any sense and all that has happened is that you and others of the same ilk have gained a statistical credit for an irrelevant post to boost your egos. Not clever and wastes valuable time that they haven't got so some say.

 

[enrico]

Ooooooohhhhhhhhh!

And there's another one

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don't think that comes into it.
QUOTE]

Your view - but his reply and yours has no relevance whatsoever to the question that was asked in the first place. FRAMES ARE REUSABLE if one chooses to do so - finish. The questioner will not care one jot about your preference if she has any sense and all that has happened is that you and others of the same ilk have gained a statistical credit for an irrelevant post to boost your egos. Not clever and wastes valuable time that they haven't got so some say.

Ouch!

 

[maddydog]

Somebody had a bad harvest? Putting the tree hugging argument to one side (or should I say - chop tree/boil in washing soda discussion) is it possible to source pre-wired frames in national sizes? I burn my frames at the moment for the same reasons as Erica and redwood but I would likely recycle if the frames were pre-wired as per those across the channel

 

[maddydog]

Hmmm Park beekeeping and the local honeyman seem to but not 14*12 (local honeyman osr £7.50 a pound! With the claimed health benefits I should live to 130!)

 

[Finman]

.
Just do it!

There are many who do not want to mix sugar and water and they prefer to pay 3 fold price for sugar. Then they say that bees over winter better with expencive sugar. Halleluja to that!

And calculate hour cost to you free time?

The more expensive, the better hobby.

 

[maddydog]

.
Just do it!

There are many who do not want to mix sugar and water and they prefer to pay 3 fold price for sugar. Then they say that bees over winter better with expencive sugar. Halleluja to that!

And calculate hour cost to you free time?

The more expensive, the better hobby.

Finnie any chance you could ask your Estonian friends how much for 200 pre-wired 14*12 national frames with delivery to the British empire?

 

[Finman]

Finnie any chance you could ask your Estonian friends how much for 200 pre-wired 14*12 national frames with delivery to the British empire?

I am certain that they are already delivering.
I will not spoil their business. They work hard and long days. Tough people when I have seem them working in Helsinki.