Opinion: Medium or Deep Supers???

**nmbee** · 01-07-2008, 07:22 AM

I have heard that the bees will sometimes not fully cap the supers when deeps are used and was considering going to mediums to prevent this from happening. I am just getting started and can change at this point in the game. Opinions would be appreciated.

Who sells and ships boxes the cheapest while retaining quality??

I tried to search for information on this subject and the results were overwhelming.

Thanks,

David

**shawnwri** · 01-07-2008, 07:52 AM

Friends don't let friends lift deeps.

**Dan Williamson** · 01-07-2008, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by nmbee

I have heard that the bees will sometimes not fully cap the supers when deeps are used and was considering going to mediums to prevent this from happening. I am just getting started and can change at this point in the game. Opinions would be appreciated.

Who sells and ships boxes the cheapest while retaining quality??

I tried to search for information on this subject and the results were overwhelming.

Thanks,

David

Well I had no problems getting deeps fully drawn last year on a good honeyflow. It depends on the strength of your colonies and the strength of the flow. HOWEVER, weight is the much bigger issue in my opinion. Deeps are VERY heavy when full of honey.

I only used a few deeps for Honey supers so that I could get comb drawn for splits this spring and for nuc sales.... I mostly use meds for everything. They are lighter and interchangeable.

In regards to shipping.... That is very location specific. You'll have to do your research on the various suppliers to your location. It can significantly add to the cost of the woodenware. I've been quoted prices where the shipping added 50% to the cost of the product. Do your homework... my guess is that the shipping will be the bigger concern there.

**odfrank** · 01-07-2008, 08:00 AM

The problem of partially capped frames relates more to the strength of the flow rather than the depth of the frame. A full deep honey super can weigh more that 60 lbs., the super that this frame came out of probably weighed more than 90 pounds. The older you get the heavier they feel, use shallows or mediums for honey supers. Put handhold cleats on all of your boxes.

**BULLSEYE BILL** · 01-07-2008, 10:11 AM

>Who sells and ships boxes the cheapest while retaining quality??

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215300

**berkshire bee** · 01-07-2008, 06:05 PM

I heard even Superman only uses mediums now, since he's gettting older and deeps are ridiculously heavy

**Ruben** · 01-07-2008, 06:45 PM

Mediums are heavy and deeps are REALLY, REALLY heavy. Go with the mediums and in the fall you will be glad you did not go with deeps for supers.

**blueskybeesupply** · 01-07-2008, 07:58 PM

Back in the day, when I first started, I heard about an old-timer (90+ yrs) that used deeps exclusively. I figured what the heck . . . I want to expand quickly= this year's deep supers are next year's brood boxes for splits, etc. Well, I don't know what spinach that 90 year-old was eating before lifting a 4th and 5th box off of a hive--but, they didn't sell it at my grocery store. Knock over a few hives lifting a 91 pound super off and it gets old pretty quick on a hot 88 degree day . . .

Medium Supers definately.

Nice way to expand now, is to run 1.5 story hives. That way, this year's drawn medium super becomes next year's brood box (over or under a deep depending if doing a split or dumping packages). 1.5 stories really push the honey up into the supers--especially with comb honey.

Or, consider 8-frames . . . we are liking them (and selling) more each year. Great solution for us up north.

**bwyatt** · 01-07-2008, 08:14 PM

If you are just starting out go to all mediums.

I have a few deep brood chambers left but I am slowly cutting them down to mediums.

I think all mediums is definately the way to go.

I'm 61 years old and even the mediums seem heavier than they used to. I guess it's just time and gravity catching up with me.

Good luck and have fun.

Bill

**Michael Bush** · 01-08-2008, 04:49 AM

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#lighterboxes
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#uniformframesize
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeseightframemedium.htm

**nmbee** · 01-09-2008, 08:07 AM

Thank you for all of the advice, will use Mediums!

**shughes** · 01-09-2008, 09:28 AM

i plan on incorporating some deeps as supers this year for the very reason Williamson mentioned with future splits. Depending on how I deal with the weight issue I may start using deeps for my supers in my beeyards that are farther away. Seems like deeps would help reduce the time interval for checks.

**Ian** · 01-09-2008, 12:19 PM

keep in mind, meduims will take longer to extract than the same honey in deeps.

**Michael Bush** · 01-09-2008, 06:03 PM

>keep in mind, meduims will take longer to extract than the same honey in deeps.

That would depend on your extractor. My 9/18 will only extract 9 deeps and it will extract 18 mediums...

**Sogal** · 01-09-2008, 07:23 PM

David, I'm also a newbie, as I just got my first hive last week (two deeps, though I am hoping to start an all-mediums hive in March). It actually came to me via the local beekeeping club. One of the members knew a woman with a few backyard hives that was moving, checked out the condition of the hives, emailed everyone -- one of the members even helped me move the hive. I have found a lot of very friendly expertise there -- and I haven't even been to the first meeting. They also seem to know the best local suppliers, though they disagree at times on that one. One of the members has allowed me to watch a lot and help a little when he worked with his hives this past fall. It's been incredibly helpful so far, and I'd encourage you to see if there isn't a local club out there in the Land of Enchantment. Good luck!

Sogal

**Ian** · 01-10-2008, 10:54 AM

>>That would depend on your extractor. My 9/18 will only extract 9 deeps and it will extract 18 mediums...

But your handling 18 meduims as compaired to 9 deeps. Twice as much to handle.
But time probably isnt the issue in his case, as it is for many others.

**odfrank** · 01-10-2008, 11:03 AM

Right, you are handling half the amount of boxes and frames per extractor load while 50% again as much honey comes out of the extractor per frame. So for half the work, you get 150% as much honey coming out of the extractor. Is my math right?

The slow down in my extracting system is the filtering box, and you can sure see the difference of volume coming out depending on what size frames are being extracted.

**Ian** · 01-10-2008, 11:10 AM

My bottle neck in the extraction room is the uncapper and everything before it.
If I can get the guys to keep the uncapper full at all times during the day, we are sailing!
Then its a matter of extracting as fast as the uncapper works.