clamp/spreader?

[Beeball Coach]

Has anyone other than me thought about this...

After a long break between inspections, frames can be pretty gooey. I removed one frame to allow enough space to pry the others apart. When I got to the other end of the super, I didn't have enough room to put the frame back in. I could hase use a clamp or spreader to apply pressure on one side of the super and on the last frame in order to squeeze the remaining space between frames and allow the last frame to slide in easier.

Something like this only reversed...http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=134493-1073-DUO65-8&lpage=none

[honeyman46408]

IMO when things get that gooey you should think about useing 9 frames.

I have several clamps like the one you showed but none in my bee tool kit.

[beedeetee]

Every spring this forum gets dozens of questions concerning the "extra" room in the box when they put their 10 new frames in. There is almost room for the 11th frame. I will need to remember this thread to show that in the fall people are suggesting using spreaders and clamps to get the 10th frame in.

There is plenty of room in the box for the frames if you do a small amount of maintenance. Most of the time I can use the 10th frame as a spreader to compress the other 9 frames. The lower part of the frame is smaller and can usually start down in the box. I use it as a lever to compress the other frames. When that happens or I see a lot of buildup of propolis on the frames, when I go through the box I will scrape a few frames where they meet the next frame. It doesn't take much to keep the box of frames tight but usable.

[Beeball Coach]

Thanks to you both...I guess I'll have to utilize the #10 frame better next time instead of just forcing it in like a neanderthal.

Honeyman, do you just leave the tenth frame out and evenly disperse the other 9 frames?
If you leave the tenth frame out, what about all the burr comb? Or, are you talking about a nine frame super?

Thanks.

[Fuzzy]

If you are talking about honey supers, then you can in fact take it down to 9 frames without problems, as long as all the frames are drawn out.
But, in the brood box you will have the same issue. I make it a habit to scrape the edges of the "ears" on the end bars of each frame. The bees continually add glue to these and make it difficult for them to all fit back in properly. Once scraped clean, all 10 frames will always fit nicely back into the box. So, do as your mother told you. CLEAN YOUR EARS !!

Fuzzy

[honeyman46408]

Honeyman, do you just leave the tenth frame out and evenly disperse the other 9 frames?
If you leave the tenth frame out, what about all the burr comb? Or, are you talking about a nine frame super? Thanks.

Until this past season I used to fight to get the 10th frame back in with all the build up on them, then I started hanging around with another keeper that used 9 frames in the brood chamber, his statement is "why fight it" so sometimes I am not so hardheaded (not often) and I started useing 9 frames and it does make things easier.

I just make the space on each side even and generaly dont get any burr comb.

Another thought is just like honey supers when ther are drawn out put 9 frames and then when you have removed 9 frames you have another super :thumbsup:

[Jack Grimshaw]

CLEAN YOUR EARS !!


Get an HT-2-MS http://www.maxantindustries.com/tools.html

Push down between ears,pull up.

When you are done inspecting,push all 10 frames to one side so that the extra space is against the opposite wall.