from deeps to mediums?

[justin]

well if my 4 hives make it thru for till spring i plan on splitting the 2 stronger ones.this will max out all the equipment that i own.i am going to start making equipment now, which has me asking myself if i want to stay with deeps or since i only have 6 hives worth of deeps start switching over to mediums,and grow with that.when a hive freed up a deep i could cut it down(i have a cabinet shop) and i assume i could cut down the frames as well.the part i cant wrap my brain around is how to get the bees into the mediums.any thoughts?thanks justin

[RayMarler]

Hiya Justin,
When you have a deep full of brood and honey, nice and populous, put a medium on top of it. As the bees build up into it and you see the queen laying in it, then move the medium to the bottom of the deep, with a queen excluder inbetween. Also put another medium on the bottom of the stack. You'll then have a medium on bottom, a medium over that with the queen and some brood, a queen excluder, then the deep on top. As the brood hatches out of the top deep, the bees will fill it with honey. The broodnest will then be all in the bottom two medium boxes.
It sounds like you've done very well so far, I hope your fortune continues!

[justin]

well i can contribute all the bad decisions i've made to me ,and all the good decisions to all of you at bee-source.thanks from me and the bees

[Pete0]

I've done this a couple of ways. If you're not going back to deeps then I think this is the easiest way. You'll need a hammer, hack saw, razor knife and possibly a wire cutter. Make up some bottom bars out of scrap, drill and preset a nail on either end for nailing into the side bars, and make a measuring jig so you know how much to take off the deep frame side bar. Once you have these made go into the hive, brush the bees off the deep frame, use your measuring jig to mark the side bars, take the new bottom bar and use it as a rule for cutting a line through the comb side bar to side bar. Take a hack saw and cut the side bars at your marks and remove the comb and old bottom bar (you may need the wire cutter if the original foundation was wired). Stand the frame up on the top bar and nail on your new bottom bar. The bees will reattach the comb to the new bottom bar over time. Place the new medium frame into a medium super and continue. I've spent time allowing the bees to transfer onto new frames but this way it is done in a day. You can set your table saw fence at three inches and cut the bottoms off all your deep supers to build up your supply of medium supers.

Good luck,

Pete0
Bena, VA

[Jeffzhear]

Why not just put new mediums on the deeps, let the bees draw them out and once you have ample brood in the mediums, do walk away splits. Add a medium and a cover to the medium you split off. Put a top and bottom on the deep and sell it. Use the money generated to buy new materials and build new medium equipment. This way you cycle out the deeps and don't have to go through the hassle of rebuilding frames, dealing with broken/cut comb, etc. Just a thought...

[justin]

i dont sell bees, i buy them. i like the idea of doing the splits but i would never be able to part with them. i am only kind of joking. thanks again justin

[USCBeeMan]

Why not stay with the high body box and 1 medium box? Don't see the need to go through all of the trouble. When the queen has moved up into the medium box, swap boxes. How often will you do this each spring? 1 deep and 1 med give you a lot of brood a honey storage space for the winter.

JMHO

[Saltcreek]

I switched to all mediums and cut down MOST of my deeps on a table saw. However I kept a few to use as a top box in case I use my half gallon top feeder bottles, or someone gives me a free swarm or so of bees on deep frames, or someone gives me a split on deep frames. I wouldn't be hasty and wait to cut them until you have to use them. Only takes a couple minutes. Also pay attention you cut off the bottom and not the top half. :doh:

[justin]

thanks again,uscbeeman,here we winter in 2 deeps,and if things go well its just enough.if i switch to med's i will be wintering in 3 of them.

[magnet-man]

Justin, sell the deeps hives to a new beekeeper and buy new mediums.

[Bobb]

You can set your table saw fence at three inches and cut the bottoms off all your deep supers to build up your supply of medium supers.

Good luck,

Pete0
Bena, VAYou also have instant 3" shims to use for baggie feeding on top of the inner cover.

[Cacklewack]

I've done this a couple of ways. If you're not going back to deeps then I think this is the easiest way. You'll need a hammer, hack saw, razor knife and possibly a wire cutter.

MacGyver just jumped into my mind and won't get out. Thanks!
:cry:

Matt