[BlueRidgeBee]

I'm in my fourth year of beekeeping and things are going just great, finally. Wanted to share what I think may be the BEST advice I got starting out: using one box size for everything. Since I started in middle-age and want to keep bees for as long as I possibly can - I went with 8-frame mediums to minimize the weight of supers. That's not the important part although I am amazed at how much a super of honey weighs in real life vs reading those weights on a page! HA!

Being able to exchange ANY box and ANY frame in the whole apiary has been a total, utter, blessing and I thank my lucky stars I had a mentor to tell me to choose one box size and use it for EVERYTHING. (And the mentor learned it from Michael Bush who I thank for loads of wonderful info.)

The times the one-size system has come in most handy are when I needed to move a frame of eggs or a swarm cell to a queenless hive regardless of where in the hive I find either. I can easily renew brood comb by using a super frame that had honey in it last year. The question is simply 'do I have a box' rather than 'do I have the right sized box' when I need to split a hive or hive a swarm or pull a nuc. (Same with frames - only one size needed.)

Just wanted to put this out there to anyone new who hasn't bought too much equipment to change course easily.

 

[trunkman]

This is my first year of beekeeping and have 2 ten frame and 1 eight frame hive. I bought two nucs for the 10 framed and a package for the eight frame hive with all mediums, I'm like you, I like that idea better, you never have to worry that parts won't fit. I think I'll only own 2 ten frame hives from here on out and many 8 frame with all mediums.

 

[JakeDatc]

Yep, all 8 frame medium here. only have 1 hive so far but will eventually split off a nuc to make another.

 

[David LaFerney]

One of the beautiful things about 8 frame mediums is that you can use a single exactly like a nuc for just about any purpose. So you really can use one box for everything if you want to.

But I agree - whatever size you favor stick with just that at least until you have enough comb to fully equip your target hive count. I have never regretted doing all mediums, but if deeps are what you like then go all deeps - at least for a few years. Everyone I know who didn't says it is quite frustrating.

 

[S-2]

I tried to go "all medium" but found it very difficult to find medium nucs for sale.

 

[David LaFerney]

When you can you should sell them then - probably plenty of unsatisfied demand in your area. There is in mine.

 

[wild-b]

When you can you should sell them then - probably plenty of unsatisfied demand in your area. There is in mine.

I don't understand David ! unsatisfied demand for what ?

 

[CajunBee]

I tried to go "all medium" but found it very difficult to find medium nucs for sale.

Stack two empty mediums and put the deep frames in. Build up from there and when time to rotate boxes next spring, you can remove the deep frames and cut the comb to fit mediums. Trade the now empty deep frames for whatever you need.

 

[Barry Digman]

I tried to go to mediums only. Apparently I'm genetically incapable of getting rid of serviceable woodenware, which results in deeps and shallows either worming their way back onto a stack or housing a swarm.

 

[78-79fordman]

Agreed all deeps here other than 12 shallows that I got before I knew anything . Lol anyone need 12 shallows ??

 

[David LaFerney]

I don't understand David ! unsatisfied demand for what ?

Medium nucleus hives. Sorry.

S-2 tried to start with all mediums but couldn't find medium nucs. I suggest that when he (or she) has built up his apiary to the point that it is possible to do so they should consider producing and selling medium nucs to satisfy the demand for them in the area, because apparently no one else is. Not unusual - medium nucs are not all that widely sold.

I sold 25 this year, could have sold twice that if i had them. But I have never heard of anyone getting stuck with unsold local nucs - of any size - the demand routinely exceeds the supply.

 

[Riverderwent]

One of the beautiful things about 8 frame mediums is that you can use a single exactly like a nuc for just about any purpose. So you really can use one box for everything if you want to.

Yes. We started with 10 frame equipment but quickly switched to all 8 frame mediums and converted the 10 frame deep boxes to swarm traps. We have one lonely 10 frame hive and keep the extra boxes beside it. My 10 frame hive tool and smoker seem to work okay with 8 frame mediums.

 

[JWChesnut]

A five frame deep nuc contains 8600 cm2 of comb.
A 8 frame medium hive contains 8600 cm2 of comb.

The old style deep Nucs sell for $90 to 140. (typically $110 this year).

You can sell a "eight frame foundationless medium" hive for a massive premium to the nuc price, despite the fact it has identical biological investment.

The big producers don't want to deal with the market or break their standardization.

 

[clyderoad]

A five frame deep nuc contains 8600 cm2 of comb.
A 8 frame medium hive contains 8600 cm2 of comb.

The old style deep Nucs sell for $90 to 140. (typically $110 this year).

You can sell a "eight frame foundationless medium" hive for a massive premium to the nuc price, despite the fact it has identical biological investment.

The big producers don't want to deal with the market or break their standardization.

Good post.

 

[S-2]

Medium nucleus hives. Sorry.

S-2 tried to start with all mediums but couldn't find medium nucs. I suggest that when he (or she) has built up his apiary to the point that it is possible to do so they should consider producing and selling medium nucs to satisfy the demand for them in the area, because apparently no one else is. Not unusual - medium nucs are not all that widely sold.

I sold 25 this year, could have sold twice that if i had them. But I have never heard of anyone getting stuck with unsold local nucs - of any size - the demand routinely exceeds the supply.

I'm a He

NO question that the nuc demand exceeds supply around me. And I hope I can get to the point where I am proficient enough to produce and sell nucs. But so far I am still in the, "look in the hive, scratch my head and mutter" stage of learning.

 

[mbevanz]

The best advice i think i have received was from Dr Debbie Delaney. Find a local club, THAT YOU LIKE, and attend the meetings.

 

[Daniel Y]

I use deeps and mediums. A medium fits in a deep just fine. and the bees will draw the comb all the way down attached to the bottom bar. a deep can be added to mediums by stacking to mediums on top of each other same result with the bottom bar. I use deeps for brood chambers and mediums for honey supers. So there is less need to put deeps in mediums or mediums in deeps. But it does happen. I do not like putting a deep frame in a medium box but have no issue with a medium in a deep.

I would make mediums nucs but there is not enough demand for them. most beekeepers fell shorted if you sell them a medium nuc. I will make them up by special request.