Used super comb quality.

[bobba]

Can't quite see the benefit of paying extra for Manleys, again for castellations and combining the two.

Yes, 9-frame castellated boxes hold more (in good years, 4.5 lbs/SN frame) but in the end I found it too much of a fiddle and converted to Manleys rammed up tight with a board at the end, or a cut-down frame, to fill the space and hold them so. That way, carrying boxes out of a field held no fear of frames slapping about and leaking.

Not had wild comb in-between Manleys.

I have only used manilys in supers, so have no experance with other frames. I have had no wild come problems either. I tried 9 frames on 2 supers. I found the extra weight of the 9-frames when full to be inconvenient to lift. 9 frames is also harder to handle with a 2/4 extractor (if you like to extract 1 super at a time like me). You also end up with a mix of fat (for 9 frame) and thin (10 frame) super frames.

So 9 frames has its + and - points.

This year I am going for cut-comb too, so I will be going back to 10 frames.

 

[bontbee]

Hi Tia,

Don't be disheartened if, after following all of the above advice, the bees still build deranged comb, like the one on the right. Sometimes they just do!

 

[robmort]

Don't see the point in fiddling around with Manleys or castellations. Like many others I use simple frames and plain frame runners and space the frames closely with one bee space by eye to start with and then remove one and space them wider, if necessary, as the comb is drawn to make wider comb.

 

[Nordicul]

Hi Again,
As an after thought, what is the best strategy to get the super comb drawn out from foundation now that I have a couple of supers worth of drawn comb?

Do I keep the drawn comb together or do I mix foundation with drawn comb or do I keep foundation only in a super....and which arrangement should I start with?

Tia Nordicul

 

[bontbee]

Hi Again,
As an after thought, what is the best strategy to get the super comb drawn out from foundation now that I have a couple of supers worth of drawn comb?

Do I keep the drawn comb together or do I mix foundation with drawn comb or do I keep foundation only in a super....and which arrangement should I start with?

Tia Nordicul

Hi,

Just wondrin', is it right to address you as Tia, or is it Thanks in Anticipation Nordicul??? Ta

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As an after thought, what is the best strategy to get the super comb drawn out from foundation now that I have a couple of supers worth of drawn comb?

Do I keep the drawn comb together or do I mix foundation with drawn comb
Tia Nordicul

Put the frames with foundation, every other frame in the super

 

[Nordicul]

Thanks,everyone.

 

[Ian123]

Don't see the point in fiddling around with Manleys or castellations. Like many others I use simple frames and plain frame runners and space the frames closely with one bee space by eye to start with and then remove one and space them wider, if necessary, as the comb is drawn to make wider comb.

Am happy to used finger spacing on any shallow frames, but if your producing cut comb then you’ll need something to hold them rigid. Won’t be the first time I’ve chucked a load of boxes in the back of the van. Only to find bruised frames when I go to unload, irrelevant if you’re going to extract, rather a waste if there good frames!!

 

[ericbeaumont]

which arrangement should I start with?

However you set them in the box it's worth checking with a spirit level that the hives are level, esp. if you want to produce comb honey in the future (Manleys are best for this).

Bees build comb on the vertical and a level hive will prevent comb sagging outside the the frame perimeter.