As soon as I get a band saw I'll be starting in on the load of frames I need to make since I want all narrows for the brood nest. Less waste with the band saw, I get a "free" top bar from each blank.
The other advantage is that if you want to make non-standard sized hive boxes for some reason, you can still use standard style frames. I'm thinking of trying some extra deep boxes this year for brood (standard 1x12 width, whatever that is) and I can easily make my own frames, or just end bars if I want.
Here's what I do:
Find some nice straight, flat 2 by stock (any width, but 8 or 10 inch is easier). Cut to 19" long or a shade less, then run through the planer to get it as close to flat as possible without taking more than 1/16" off each side. Joint one side true -- the other will be waste most likely.
Set up the table saw to cut an angled cut across the end for the angled end (18 degrees, I think -- I just match a Kelley top bar). Cut the slot in both sides of the 2 by blank.
Repeat for a pile of blanks -- this is one job you need to do in discrete steps, that way once you get it set up correctly you can make a couple hundred at a time.
Set up the band saw to rip the blank into double bars the correct width (7/8" for narrows, 1 1/16" for standard top bars). Cut the whole pile of blanks. Discard any thin or knotty ones -- always a surprise in that 2 by somewhere.
Set the band saw up to split the doubles exactly in half (another reason to plane the blanks down a bit, they will all be exactly the same thickness). Split the doubles into singles.
Set up the table saw with the dado blade to cut the notches in the sides 1/16" to 1/8" deep. Cut all the bars, both sides, both ends using a boat or a correctly set slide. Double check for square before cutting, and make sure you have the inside edge of the slot exactly 1" from the end of the bar.
Set the dado higher to cut the correct depth on the bottom of the bar to get 5/8" of material left. Cut both ends -- this will cut off the extra under the taper.
I use a wedge type bar, so I cut a single kerf just off center so that the center of a sheet of foundation will be exactly in the center of the top bar, then cut another kerf to almost free a strip on the thin side. For grooved top bars just cut a centered kerf.
Top bars are done.
Plane down some 2 by stock to the correct width for your end bars. Narrow frames need 1.25", standard 1.375". Cut some sections of planed down 2 by to the correct length for the frames you are making. Don't remember the exact dimensions off the top of my head, but they are standard. Set the dado blade for the correct width to fit your top bars (measure!) and mill a slot across one end of the blocks 5/8" deep. Best to do this in a couple passes, at least on my saw. Again, you can use a "boat" jig, it's safer.
Mill whatever slot you need in the bottom of the end bars -- i use 2 slots 1/8" apart that are 5/16" x 5/16" for square bars that size for a divided bottom bar, you can use whatever you like.
Set the band saw up to cut the blocks into end bars lengthwise. Purchased end bars run close to 5/16", I've made most of mine so far at 3/8", they are a bit stronger that way. Make sure they are just a tiny bit narrower than the slot you cut in the top bars so they slide together. Slice your blocks into end bars.
Set up a jointer to cut 1/8" deep and cut the sides down on the end bars if you want to make Hoffman style bars, or just leave them full width, either works. Supposed to be less propolis with the Hoffman style.
Cut the bottom bar of your choice. I've been using up scrap for mine, although it's also easy to cut them from the left overs and 2 by stock. If you use 3/8" end bars, the bottom bars will be 17 3/4" long.
I hand drill the holes for the cross wires, but I'll probably fix up a drill jig this year to get them spaced better and closer to the center of the bars. I like cross wires.
Assemble with glue and nails. Verify that the frames are square and flat before the glue sets!
This project works best if you do all of one step before moving on to the next. I'm collecting scrap 2 by at the moment (got some nice 2 x 10 cedar at Menard's in the scrap bin for 69 cents a couple weeks ago). Once I get enough to give me the 100 or so top bars I want this year, I'll get going and start filling cardboard boxes with partially done work. It's pretty boring -- doing the same job over and over and over, but it's pretty fast once you get set up. Takes longer to set up each set than to do it most of the time, especially cutting the dados on the blocks for end bars. I highly recommend you make as many as you think you'll use in a couple years at once, that way you don't have to set up again.
Peter