ordered some manley frames to try!

[Cuckmere couple]

on good advice from PH

excited to see how i get on

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yuk. Hate them.
I threw all mine away. Nobody wanted to buy them. They are a pig to prise apart if you are checking them. I haven’t the gift for telling when frames are capped. I’ve been told off so many times for not knowing I’ve given up. All my supers have castellations; wood 10 poly 9. I get thick enough comb for comb honey and I can see at a glance what’s happening

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks for that....well, im exploring so ill keep you posted!

 

[Jonnyl]

Erichalfbee: what is this gift thy spake of? Is there some alchemy to Manleys which one would require to use them? I bought a pack in readiness for trying them, just for an experiment when I'm a little more learned but you've vexed me. Is there a trick to using them? Thanks.

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[butchtaylor909]

fun you mention it. i fitted one of my supers with manley this year just to see how they get on too. They have just started to draw it out as it only went on, on Sunday.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

as i understand it the side bars are in contact with the next all the way down and therefore get stuck with propolis and harder to remove than a hoffman or castellation etc

 

[butchtaylor909]

True, but some claim that since they are deeper all the way down it's easier for the bees to draw out and can theoretically fill with more honey per frame. But only time will tell how my ladies like them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Erichalfbee: what is this gift thy spake of? Is there some alchemy to Manleys which one would require to use them? I bought a pack in readiness for trying them, just for an experiment when I'm a little more learned but you've vexed me. Is there a trick to using them? Thanks.

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You tell me.
How can you tell the whole super us capped without pulling the two outside frames and a couple toward the middle coz I can’t.

 

[Jonnyl]

You tell me.

How can you tell the whole super us capped without pulling the two outside frames and a couple toward the middle coz I can’t.

Good point. Hadn't considered that. How is it meant to be managed? Thanks

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[Anduril]

Erichalfbee: what is this gift thy spake of? Is there some alchemy to Manleys which one would require to use them? I bought a pack in readiness for trying them, just for an experiment when I'm a little more learned but you've vexed me. Is there a trick to using them? Thanks.

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The side bars get propolised and can be a pain to prise apart, I split them all sideways first with the hive tool and then lift up. Depending how you have nailed them together, the odd top bar may come apart from the rest of the frame, but easily fixed. I use castellations and Manleys, different boxes of course.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

I haven’t the gift for telling when frames are capped.

good point

with my hoffmans i can usually see that the frames are capped and, once a number of cells are capped on the outer frames...its usually all well within the 20% water content level i find

 

[Beefriendly]

No trick at all, they will make excellent kindling for your log burner.

Manely was a very good beekeeper but his frames are blot on his otherwise impeccable landscape.
Bees rarely draw them fully, tapering off towards the tops bottoms and sides.
Don't even think of trying 11 in a national super...slightest bit of damp and you will literally destroy a frame trying to lever it out. they jam absolutely solid.
I used them side by side with SN4s for a few years before giving up on them.
When they are fully drawn and you use them for cut comb the chunks are too thick for the standard boxes....and so it goes....not sure why PH likes them so much. I find SN4 gives fine cut comb as attested to around the 2-300 I cut out from them last season using the much derided cut comb cutter....which does what it says efficiently and quickly.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i also have a cut comb cutter....

in some peoples minds i'm doomed....

its all learnign what works best for you i guess

 

[Jimmy]

r...slightest bit of damp

Why are your frames damp?

I have mostly Manley frames in Swienty poly supers, (450+ frames) tempted to move to Sn4s mainly due to needing to be compatible with a larger extractor. I recognise the prising apart problems but don't have an issue with them drawing the frames.

 

[Beefriendly]

Why are your frames damp?

I recognise the prising apart problems .

Some of it comes from that process where the bees reduce the moisture content of the nectar and the wood absorbs some of that moisture....

 

[Poly Hive]

Well well people. I just do not suffer from these problems, and never have.

I've been using Manley frames of some 30 years now and the bees draw them out as bonny as you would wish. I freely admit that sometimes they are a BIT tricky to open but as I don't run them jammed in that's never been an issue. Just a tad more pressure on the hive tool sorts it out.

I've used them on floral and heather with no issues. I have no issues with them and for CC they are perfect.

*Shrug*

PH

 

[Jonnyl]

Well well people. I just do not suffer from these problems, and never have.



I've been using Manley frames of some 30 years now and the bees draw them out as bonny as you would wish. I freely admit that sometimes they are a BIT tricky to open but as I don't run them jammed in that's never been an issue. Just a tad more pressure on the hive tool sorts it out.



I've used them on floral and heather with no issues. I have no issues with them and for CC they are perfect.



*Shrug*



PH

Would you suggest only 9 frames in the super PH?

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[Poly Hive]

I usually run nine in timber and 8 in poly. No issues and the bees draw them right out.

PH

 

[Cuckmere couple]

or alternate with hoffman

 

[Jimmy]

Some of it comes from that process where the bees reduce the moisture content of the nectar and the wood absorbs some of that moisture....

The propolis is the contributing factor to the wedged in frames in my experience rather than damp wood.