Hive box size

[splash]

I have noticed that there seems to be some confusion on the actual depth of a hive box. There are 9 1/2, 9 5/8, 9 11/16, and a 9 3/4 inch depth boxes.Most having a 1/2 to 3/4 inch frame rest, no mater what you still have any where from a 1/16 to 1/4 inch potruding below the hive box. Is there supposed to be a gap between the frames or not?

[Michael Bush]

The "standards" have changed over time but mostly the real standard has always been 9 5/8" for a deep. The "standard" for frame rests depends on whether they are designed for the metal rests or not. The ones made for the rests are 3/4" deep. The ones made for use without the rests should be 5/8". This should leave a 1/4" space at the top and a 1/8" space at the bottom. The frames should not protrude below the box.

But, alas, no one seems to follow the standards. Them make them, as you have observed, anywhere from 9 1/2" to 9 3/4" and frame rests from 1/2" to 3/4".

Yes there is supposed to be a 3/8" beespace between the bottom barS of the box above and the top bars of the box below.

[Joseph Clemens]

I would like to take your advice MB and try making and using some 8 frame medium depth supers. I would like to make them as standard as possible, but cannot seem to find the proper width (inner and outer), of course all the other dimensions should be the same as 10 frame supers, I assume.

[Michael Bush]

Luckily medium supers seem much more standard.

All of them that I've ever seen are 6 5/8". All of them I've ever seen have a 5/8" rabbet for the frame rest. All the medium frames I've ever seen are 6 1/4"

Unfortunately the eight frame box width does not seem to be standard, but I've stuck with the ones from Brushy Mt since they make the most accessories for them and I'm pretty sure they are 13 3/4". (I don't have one in front of me to measure.)

I usually fit 9 frames in them in the brood chamber and 7 drawn combs in the supers. smile.gif

[Brent Bean]

I make all my equipment with the exception of frames and foundation, first thing I did was buy a couple of hive bodies form Mann Lake and keep the same dimension’s the same for everything I make. My deeps are 9 5/8 and the mediums are 6 5/8 with 5/8 for the frame rests. I don’t use a raised frame rests bars. The dimensions seem to work well as I don’t seem to have excessive burr comb between boxes. The important thing is to start with a size and stick with it so you can mix things up and everything fits like a glove.

[Joel]

We make our own lids and bottom board because the commercial varieties are pathetic. Bent, where do you find wood inexpensive enough to make it worth the effort? my dad is retired and filling up his shop with saws, jigs and dovetailers. If I don't find him some material soon he'll be cutting up the furniture! Does Sawyer Mich. mean you have sawmills close by?

[Brent Bean]

I have been using a good grade of plywood in making my supers, the only drawback I have noticed is they are a couple of pounds heavier. I have not noticed any warping or problems with moisture. I can make deeps for between four and five bucks. For bottom boards I use 3/4 inch thick pine and just watch for sales and scoop a bunch up. Sawyer doesn’t have any saw mills, can’t tell you how the name came to be. It’s just a small rural town of a few hundred. I have made several improvements to the commercial types bottom boards. Mainly on how the tray fits on the bottom.

[peggjam]

Joel:

We have lots of sawmills here. Got an Amish mill running pine for me as we speak. My cost per hive body is about $3 for deeps and $1.50 for shallows.

peggjam

[Branman]

It took some looking around, but if I drive out of the city, I can find SYP to make mediums for about $2 and deeps for about $3.75

just Yahoo yellow pages under sawmills...there happens to be a good cheap one about 80 miles north of me in between me and my yard in the mtns

[BubbaBob]

Bran, yer gonna post about a cheap mill up near me and not say just where? Baloney...give it up...

BubbaBob

[Branman]

My bad, BB smile.gif Mt Yonah Lumber Company(between Cleveland & Helen) is where I went, 1x8x8' was $2.50 and 1x12x8' is like $4...it's air dried SYP, but worked like a charm for me, not too much crap on the blade.

you heard of them?

[Branman]

their number is 706-865-2422

[HRM]

Maybe comparing some plans will help.

http://www.beesource.com/plans/langstroth.htm
(From http://www.beesource.com/plans/index.htm )

http://nordykebeefarm.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16&PN=1
(From http://nordykebeefarm.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=6&PN=1 )

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1999_Febuary_March/Beekeeping_Basics

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/6231.pdf

http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/equipment/HivePlans.pdf

[Jon McFadden]

I use 9-5/8 for my deep supers and 9-1/8" frames. This creates a space that is 1/2" between some frames. I also use 3/4" rabbets for the frames to hang on but I use metal frame rests. These vary from fancy rolling mill creations (which I prefer) to flat pieces of metal which work fine.
These dimensions are all inherited from my mentor.
I tried to go with the correct spacing using 9-1/2" hive bodies and had problems with the bees propolising equipment together (it happens when a bottom sags down a little or when a top bar warps). I added 1/8" shims to the bottom of these hive bodies and everything was ok again. I would much rather fuss with burr comb than propolis.