Rabbets (frame rests)

[J'smob]

Who uses the frame rests? And why? Are they worth the time and effort to use? Thanks

[Ravenseye]

I have some boxes with rests and some without. The ones with the rests are easier to scrape unless the brads (or staples) are popped up. I've often gouged wood when I scraped an un-rested box. I like the older style ones that offer a high edge that the frames sit on. Makes the frames less likely to glue down but those older rests are hard to find. The newer ones, the ones that are simply an angle of thin metal, are just OK....nothing special.

[Michael Bush]

>Who uses the frame rests?

Not me.

> And why?

First, there are two different kinds. The "L" shaped ones don't add any appreciable height and only, in theory, make the frames stick down a little less. The "T" shaped ones raise the frames off of the rabbet by about 1/8" or so and require a deeper rabbet.

> Are they worth the time and effort to use?

IMO, no.

[belt152]

I love the frame rests and wouldn't build a box without them.
I build my own boxes and use a rabbit joint on the ends which is 3/4" wide and 3/8" deep. While I have this set-up on the table saw I also cut the rabbit for the frame rest which in turn equals out to 5/8" once the frame rest is installed.
I use the T shaped rest from Kelley's. I also use a Bostitch air stapler (with 1/2" staple) to install the rests.
These rests along with Pierco frames makes inspecting so much easier! :)

[Barry]

I use the L style and love them as it makes scraping the frame rest easier IMO.

[tecumseh]

if you live in an active small hive beetle area I would suggest that you not incorporate anything into your boxes that provides a niche for that little bugger.

self positioning metal frame (10 or 9 or 8) rest are the worst offender, followed by the t style, and with the L style being the least offensive.

for myself... I will stick to a wood rabbet and remove any and all frame rest when I encounter them.

[AR Beekeeper]

Go with the L style frame rest. It gives the SHB no place to hide and makes propolis clean up much easier.

[Gene Weitzel]

if you live in an active small hive beetle area I would suggest that you not incorporate anything into your boxes that provides a niche for that little bugger.

self positioning metal frame (10 or 9 or 8) rest are the worst offender, followed by the t style, and with the L style being the least offensive.

for myself... I will stick to a wood rabbet and remove any and all frame rest when I encounter them.

I second this opinion, I tried the L style on the first boxes I put together and found that the SHB did indeed use them for cover. I have since removed them all and do not use anything that will give the SHB a place to avoid the bees' harassment. Wax moth larvae can also utilize them for cover when they are small.

[JaiPea]

> I like the older style ones that offer a high edge that
> the frames sit on. Makes the frames less likely to glue
> down but those older rests are hard to find.

They only work with supers that have deep rabbets, otherwise the frames are too high. Dadants carry the rests, but they are much wimpier than they used to be (the description even admits that these are flimsy).

M00723 OLD STYLE RABBETS - EACH $0.22

Old-Style Rabbet Metal Rabbets protect frame rests in your
supers. Light gauge pre-punched and pre-bent metal parts
fit over frame rests and nail into place. These metal parts
increase the life of your supers and ease super cleaning by
protecting the wooden frame rests during cleaning.

I had been recovering and reusing the old heavy ones as I replace my oldest supers. Last winter was spent refurbing and installing the rests, but SHB arrived in our area during summer so let me echo the previous comments. My project this winter is to uninstall those rests, and remove those still in the older boxes.

[J'smob]

Thank you for all of your thoughts. It helped.

[jjgbee]

Frame rests are a pain. If one must scorch a hive for suspected AFB, Used equip. the rests must be removed. Why put an L shape in just to scrape the prop. from behind it. Why put an item in that your scraper hanges up on. Nails. I never had a box that the frame rest wears out befor the box wears out. That is 30 years of commercial use. It is so much easier to scrape clean wood.