Foundationless Frames

[3bees]

I am trying to make up some foundationless frames. I am having trouble securing the horizontal fishing wire that strengthens the comb. Any suggestions?

3

 

[Finman]

.
You have 10 hives.. Big job to nurse them.
Why dont you use stainless steal wire?

This time of year bees like to draw frone cells, but it does not harm in super behind excluder.

 

[Anduril]

I am trying to make up some foundationless frames. I am having trouble securing the horizontal fishing wire that strengthens the comb. Any suggestions?

3

Wrap the end of the fishing line around a gimp pin and nail it into the frame to secure it, then do the same with the other end.
Are you using eyelets or staples to stop the wire cutting into the wood?

 

[Tom Bick]

I am trying to make up some foundationless frames. I am having trouble securing the horizontal fishing wire that strengthens the comb. Any suggestions?

3

Knock a frame nail half way into the side bar, wrap the fishing line around the nail a couple of times and then hammer the nail into the side bar. Pull the fishing line tight and do the same on the other end to keep the line tight.

Snap Anduril should have read your post first.

 

[pargyle]

I am trying to make up some foundationless frames. I am having trouble securing the horizontal fishing wire that strengthens the comb. Any suggestions?

3

Look up how to tie a half blood knot ... if you use normal knots on nylon monofilament it just slides loose (Fishermen use these knots for tying hooks on). You could tie the line to the first nail with one of these and then tension the line around a nail at the other end an hammer the nail down ?

I use stainless steel wire and crimpers ... both cheap as chips from china on ebay ... just wrap and nail it.

Wire £8.99 - Crimpers £4.99 - both on ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New...074?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234227a252

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o....TRS0&_nkw=beekeeping+wire+tensioner&_sacat=0

 

[BeeJayBee]

I am trying to make up some foundationless frames. I am having trouble securing the horizontal fishing wire that strengthens the comb. Any suggestions?

Ditto the above replies, but would like to add that if you're using monofilament nylon fishing line you can fasten it with gimp pins or even drawing pins. You won't need staples or eyelets to stop it biting into the frames.

 

[Bosleeu]

I have used foundationless Standard brood frames for a number of years, although not exclusively, as sometimes due to time constraints I buy assembled frames.

I have never wired any of them, and find the bees fill the whole frame with comb. You obviously have to handle the frames very gently initially whilst they are building the comb. After a few brood cycles the comb is the same stregth as that of a wired frame.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Slight topic drift; sorry. Do you guys use foundationless frames on the Q+ side of AS?

 

[dexter's shed]

Slight topic drift; sorry. Do you guys use foundationless frames on the Q+ side of AS?

I do

https://youtu.be/SLR1u0WfmdU

 

[Bosleeu]

Slight topic drift; sorry. Do you guys use foundationless frames on the Q+ side of AS?

Yes. Just make sure your strips (if you use them) are well fitted, if a lot of bees cluster on them they are quite heavy and once a strip of foundation got dislodged which then led to some brace comb on the hive floor.

 

[fatshark]

Slight topic drift; sorry. Do you guys use foundationless frames on the Q+ side of AS?

And they're also ideal for bait hives … the arriving swarm can start building in an orderly fashion immediately and the scout bees find what appears as an empty 40 litre box so are attracted in the first place (see Honeybee Democracy by Seeley). 10 foundationless frames, one manky old brood frame and a couple of drops of lemongrass oil.

 

[Bosleeu]

And they're also ideal for bait hives … the arriving swarm can start building in an orderly fashion immediately and the scout bees find what appears as an empty 40 litre box so are attracted in the first place (see Honeybee Democracy by Seeley). 10 foundationless frames, one manky old brood frame and a couple of drops of lemongrass oil.

Do you put the full frame in the middle or one end? And do you find they work better with the entrance reducer in place or without?

 

[fatshark]

To keep the 'space' as free as possible I put the old frame at one side. If you put two old frames in, one on each side, a large swarm divides into two as the bees tend to start from the drawn comb. There might be advantages to put the single tatty frame, orientated the warm way, at the entrance (aroma etc.) but I've never bothered making a comparison.

 

[Bosleeu]

To keep the 'space' as free as possible I put the old frame at one side. If you put two old frames in, one on each side, a large swarm divides into two as the bees tend to start from the drawn comb. There might be advantages to put the single tatty frame, orientated the warm way, at the entrance (aroma etc.) but I've never bothered making a comparison.

Makes sense, thanks.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Great tips: thanks all. Bait hive going out next to the water supply this evening. Hopefully not three hours too late :-/ (Temp is meant to "pop" this afternoon).

 

[Tom Bick]

Personally I place a comb and ideally part drawn comb central in the bait hive. Bees moving into a cavity previously occupied would be very confident in finding some comb and would be more confused over foundation. One thing they also like is to scorch the box as bees know a tree recently hit with fire could be a nice clean nest site.