[BeeCurious]

Yes, or no....

 

[jim lyon]

Yes

 

[KPeacock]

I make my own frames and have tried making them with brads, staples, and glue, in every combination possible. the "Angry Gorilla" test (pulling on them until they fail) does not quantify the strength of the frames, but it is pretty darn clear that glued frames are much stronger than those that are only mechanically fastened. FWIW, i use titebond II glue. It's a little bit thicker than TBIII and doesn't drip/run as much. The angry gorilla test doesn;t indicate any noticible difference between using TBII and TBIII.

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

Of course proper application of glue* makes frame joints stronger.


The cost of the glue itself is inconsequential. Of course, the other investment required is the time to apply the glue, but that investment is more than recovered in frame life and/or the time & dollars spent to deal with broken unglued frames.


* a proper glue is one meeting similar PVA specifications as Titebond II or Titebond III. CA "superglues" are not appropriate for this application.

 

[Edymnion]

Yeah, a common thing you'll hear is that the nails are just there to hold the frame together while the glue dries. I've seen properly glued wood break on either side of the glued joint before, but not on the joint, and that pretty much sold me on the stuff.

 

[ralittlefield]

Yes

 

[Lauri]

I am generous with tightbond II. Crazy generous! LOL

 

[Pete O]

Kind of a silly question. Of course glue is better unless you are using a glue not meant for the purpose.

 

[Levi's Bees]

* a proper glue is one meeting similar PVA specifications as Titebond II or Titebond III. CA "superglues" are not appropriate for this application

what would be a good glue for the application for frames??

 

[crofter]

Glue strength for frames vs staples; no contest. I used to build and fly Radio Control planes so I was already a believer! It takes me longer to properly apply glue to a joint than some people spend on the whole operation but they don't come apart even when someone wracks away on the top bar with a frame gripper

 

[Mr.Beeman]

Yes.

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

> what would be a good glue for the application for frames??

I use Titebond II. Another popular glue for exterior wood-wood applications is Titebond III. There are also exterior wood glues by other manufacturers, but be sure to choose exterior wood glue.

 

[NewJoe]

yes

 

[sqkcrk]

I think Dunkel is just being contrary.

 

[philip.devos]

Have to ask after reading some of the replies, does anyone use glue on frames and NO NAILS?

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

> does anyone use glue on frames and NO NAILS?

Yes, I use no nails. However, I do use staples along with glue.



Those who wish to see how individual members voted can click on the underlined numbers when looking at the poll results above.

 

[Ian]

who voted no? lol

 

[sqkcrk]

who voted no? lol

Dunkel

 

[Acebird]

Have to ask after reading some of the replies, does anyone use glue on frames and NO NAILS?

I think this is an important question. Is the pole asking if glue is stronger than the a proper stapled joint applied in the correct way? If you are going to use both then the poll is a dumb question.

I suggest that this can only be answered by qualified testing. In one case you glue the joint with no other mechanical fasteners. The other cases you staple the joint with a number of staplers of different lengths and sizes. In all cases there must be a cross staple in the top bar. There must be a minimum of 100 frames tested in each category so you get a good standard deviation. The frames should be put in strong hives for one season and have the bees propolize the heck out of them (like they do in my hives). At the end of the season a standard pull test machine should be used to pull the frames apart recording the maximum pull force. Many engineering labs in schools across the country can do this for free.

Now the only thing to ask is what is necessary and what is overkill. If the comb would be thrown from a frame in an extraction process before the frame parts come apart then there is no sense in having the frame joints stronger. Unless, unless, the failure of the frame occurs at the time of removal from the box and not from the extraction process itself.

When I helped Mark B. extract honey in NewHartford we flipped the boxes over and dumped them on to a flat surface and if the frames didn't fall out you could just push on the bottom bars and remove the box and all the frames would just fall to one side. There were a few where the frames just collapsed under their own weight and I would hear Mark mumbling to himself about buying someone else's equipment and then he would start throwing frame parts in the corner of the room. I guess it was a burn pile.

Taking a pole of what beekeepers think is not very scientific ... just saying. In another topic the forum was ridiculing STEM as it has no usefulness in beekeeping. Really?

 

[sqkcrk]

Brian, the question is clearly stated in the Thread Title. Though I guess nails or staples are understood to be used also. That's the way I read it.