I’ve watched at least a dozen different TH-camrs build various hive parts but this is the only one who seems to have made a complete set of videos to make all parts of the hive and on top of that it’s the best produced video series and uses the best techniques. Don’t know how it took me so long to find this TH-cam channel but glad I did before starting my hive building in earnest. Just in time because I’m just finishing putting together my own beekeepers workshop here in CT. Thank you so much.
I was scared at first to build my own frames. I then came across this series and and just like that the fear disappeared. Best videos on beehive building on the net.
I made a couple hundred frames based on this video. Couple things. - Regarding the tack strip - I noticed that if I used a thin kerf blade to make the cut out for the tack strip, the waste piece was sufficient to be the tack strip thereby eliminating the need to make one. Also regarding the drill bit and combination square measuring method for cutting narrow strips. It certainly has it's appeal. I have used this method on many occasions when making up to a handful of pieces. However when making hundreds.....having to stop and adjust the fence for every cut takes a lot of time. So I made a fairly wide sacrificial push stick. The saw blade does cut into the heel of the push stick but so what. Now one can have the narrow piece of interest between the blade and the fence, but the push stick pushes it on through. If you set up a cardboard box on the floor on the far side of the table to catch them, one can just push the narrow stips off the end of the table. No kickback and no reaching over the blade for your work piece. Regarding the foundation wire holes in the side bar - Since I was making 200 of these, that's 400 side bars =1200 holes. So I made a little jig that I clamped to the drill press table so I didn't have to measure or mark for the holes.
Sometimes I get lucky. Like finding your TH-cam channel and website for instance. You and your plans/videos have made an old man very, very happy. Wishing you all the best from the Adirondack Mountains.
I found your plans, so exact and easy to read. Now with some printouts we are all set, ready to go. : ) My husband is first going to start with the odds and ends of 1x and 2xs that have accumulated over many years of crafting. We live in dry southern California, nowhere's near a bee supply store and shipping what it is , my husband will try and make the frames himself, at least give it a try. We will let you know our results. We are backyard beekeepers for many years with successes and failures. We love our bees who are right now very happy, because of the honey flow we are in for the first time in years. Thanks lots. : ) Sigrid Skarda.
Very nice demonstration on making frames. You answered all my questions about making my frames or buying unassembled frame pieces from a commercial dealer . At $0.87 each, I have decided to buy pre-cut frames and enjoying putting them together. However , I found that I had experienced making them myself by watching your video . It was a very nice experience . Thank You , Roadrunner
the title does what it says on the title actually build the bloody thing rather than putting it together and calling it a build....great video thank you man
You are doing such a wonderful job, I can't stop watching, the one thing you left out is how many frames you make out of how much lumber. How much 1 x 6 and 2 x 6 do I have to buy for at least 20 medium frames? I would really appreciate your help. Thanks.
I USE A BELT SANDER FOR THE BEVEL> PUT THE PATTERN ON TOP AND STOP WHEN IT REACHES IT> SAME WITH THE CORNER PIECES just a lot faster> IT DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT > JUST CLOSES > VERY TRUE! HAVE AT LESS A 100 FRAMES ON HAND! THEY GO FAST ON SPLITS AN SWARMS
You can cut the tapered ends one a 1x8 (or 1x6 or 1x10, whatever) using the tenon jig. First, cut the board to the length of the top bar (19 inches for a standard length frame or 9-1/4 inches for a mini-frame). Second cut the lower dado on both ends (Step 4 in the plans) a 1/4 inch deep and 5/8 inch from the end. Measure carefully. Third, rotate the blade to 6 degrees. Then clamp the board to the tenon jig, dado side out. Carefully adjust both the fence and the height of the blade to make the taper. You might want to make the first angled cut less than you need (fence further from the blade) and move the fence toward the blade in small, minute steps until the cut just touches the bottom of the dado. Once you find the sweet spot, you can flip the board over and make the tapered cut on the other end. Finally, after all tapered ends are done, rip the board lengthwise to a width of 1-1/16 inch. It helps to go thru the above once to gets things down pat. Then you can crank up the production. I recently had to make about 50 frames for a couple of mini-nucs and did just as described above. It was a definite time saver.
Thanks so much for this very instructional video. I'm going to try starting beekeeping this 2018 year and your information is of much help. I have a question, what is the purpose of reducing the bottom widths of the side bars as you do in your previous video.
Hi Acevedo, Been away and am just getting back to the channel. In regards to your question as to why the side bars have a reduced bottom width... I don't really know. I suspect it is to help eliminate the amount of wood in contact with the adjacent frame in order to help reduce the amount of propolis (bee glue) holding everything together. This would make the frames easier to remove.
Why don't you use the piece of wood you cut from the topbar to hold the wax in? I know it will be a bit smaller than cutting piece the right size but it would save wood. When I was a beekeeper I made all my own equipment even rolling my own wax. The beach was a good source of top quality pine for making frames.
Hi Jose, The tapered ends make it easier to pry out the frame once the bees have glued everything together in the hive. It is a subtle detail, but well worth the effort. All commercial frames that I have seen have this detail. It is there for a reason.
Your video is great, but I am confused. The saw kerf of the bottom bar which is 3/4 inch wide should be in the middle. according to your video the middle is 3/8 inch away from the fence (at 13:02). If I am correct it should be 5/16 away from the fence to make a middle of the kerf.
Greetings... and thanks for the question. The "dadant" style frames have the kerf on the bottom bar you reference exactly centered on the 3/4 inch wide board. Which is why I mention that the middle of the saw blade is 3/8ths inch from the fence. That would make the outside side of the kerf 7/16ths inch from the side of the bottom bar. This corresponds to the 7/16th inch wide of the wedge which is made subsequently. Also, if you are making a "grooved" style frame, you want this bottom kerf centered. However, all of this is really not critical (particularly for "wedged" style frames, which most people use). A 1/16th of an inch one way or another won't make a difference in the bee hive.
I would like to ask you a question. If the official side bar thickness is 1/8 inch less that the thickness of a 2X4, would it still work if you were to use the 2X4 as is and keep the 1/8 inch? I realize you would loose a frame on an 8 frame box which will make it a seven frame box , but would the bees still work it without adding bur comb in between ? Thanks Phillip Hall
The 1-3/8 inch width of the side bars in a wood frame are that size for a reason. Besides, it is an industry standard. This width was arrived at long before I became a beekeeper, so I do not know its origins. I suspect it has to do with bee space. The comb will only be drawn out so far. And you want to maintain that 3/8 inch bee space between drawn comb. I also suspect you are correct in that a wide frame would promote burr comb. Thanks for your comments and question.
Thanks for your reply. And thank you for the wonderful, helpful videos!!! This is something that has been on my mind for quite sometime and something that I am tempted to (experiment) with.. sometimes I like to think out of the box just for the experience. 😁. Keep up the good work and the good videos also.. Again thank you. Sincerely, Phillip Hall
I haven't really thought about it that way. I would say probably an hour or so. Most of this time is taken up with setting up the saw for the cut. That is why once this is done, you might as well go ahead and make a bunch of frames at a time. While it might take an hour to make one frame, it would only take - say - an hour and a half to make 10 or more. That said, I would still recommend that you start by making just one frame - you will learn a lot. And when you gear up for making a lot of frames, the whole process will go smoother. This is particularly true if you are not an experienced shop worker.
I really like the Ridgid contractor's table saw (a 10-inch table saw on a portable stand). It is very accurate, easy to use and the portable stand makes storing and moving the saw around the shop a breeze. That last feature is very nice particularly for shops that are tight on space. I would add to it a zero-clearance insert plate, which can be found online and is not very expensive. I have never regretted buying this saw and wish I had done in years earlier.
That "yellow plate" is a sheet of wax foundation. The foundation is installed into the frame after the frame is finished and all the glue joints have dried. I show how to install wax foundation in Part 2 of our channel's "Mini-Nuc" series. I usually install was foundation just prior to using the frame. That way it won't get broken while storing the frame.
Mark Patrick Did you find it, if not here it is www.michiganbees.org Then when you get there go to Beekeepers Workshop at the top of the page and click on it then you will see all the videos and each video has on it download plants. It took me a little while to find it to. Hope that helps
Plans for this project and all other projects in the video series can be found at... www.michiganbees.org/beekeeping/in-the-beekeepers-workshop/ Enjoy! Steve T.
I’ve watched at least a dozen different TH-camrs build various hive parts but this is the only one who seems to have made a complete set of videos to make all parts of the hive and on top of that it’s the best produced video series and uses the best techniques. Don’t know how it took me so long to find this TH-cam channel but glad I did before starting my hive building in earnest. Just in time because I’m just finishing putting together my own beekeepers workshop here in CT. Thank you so much.
Now this MAN actually Built a Hive Frame in the Proper Manner, Thank You Soooooo much for taking the time to Show how it is Properly done.
I was scared at first to build my own frames. I then came across this series and and just like that the fear disappeared. Best videos on beehive building on the net.
How to you imake and insert the wax orprastic frames that go inside?
So was i.
@@kevincole9062 There are wax foundation making videos as well as how to install them. Or buy them from your local bee keeper.
I made a couple hundred frames based on this video. Couple things. - Regarding the tack strip - I noticed that if I used a thin kerf blade to make the cut out for the tack strip, the waste piece was sufficient to be the tack strip thereby eliminating the need to make one. Also regarding the drill bit and combination square measuring method for cutting narrow strips. It certainly has it's appeal. I have used this method on many occasions when making up to a handful of pieces. However when making hundreds.....having to stop and adjust the fence for every cut takes a lot of time. So I made a fairly wide sacrificial push stick. The saw blade does cut into the heel of the push stick but so what. Now one can have the narrow piece of interest between the blade and the fence, but the push stick pushes it on through. If you set up a cardboard box on the floor on the far side of the table to catch them, one can just push the narrow stips off the end of the table. No kickback and no reaching over the blade for your work piece. Regarding the foundation wire holes in the side bar - Since I was making 200 of these, that's 400 side bars =1200 holes. So I made a little jig that I clamped to the drill press table so I didn't have to measure or mark for the holes.
I watch each step of your videos when making frames, etc. Without them, I’d be lost.
Sometimes I get lucky. Like finding your TH-cam channel and website for instance. You and your plans/videos have made an old man very, very happy. Wishing you all the best from the Adirondack Mountains.
Thanks for your detailed, inspirational videos. They have helped me to make my own hives.
Great videos. I'm made all of my own frames. I go foudationless so I put a 45 degree bevel on the bottom of the top bar. It works really well!
Thank you for this excellent and valuable video. You are a great.
I found your plans, so exact and easy to read. Now with some printouts we are all set, ready to go. : ) My husband is first going to start with the odds and ends of 1x and 2xs that have accumulated over many years of crafting.
We live in dry southern California, nowhere's near a bee supply store and shipping what it is , my husband will try and make the frames himself, at least give it a try.
We will let you know our results. We are backyard beekeepers for many years
with successes and failures. We love our bees who are right now very happy, because of the honey flow we are in for the first time in years.
Thanks lots. : )
Sigrid Skarda.
Great videos, very informative. Clear concise directions. Can't see how anyone could give these a thumb down.
Very nice demonstration on making frames. You answered all my questions about making my frames or buying unassembled frame pieces from a commercial dealer . At $0.87 each, I have decided to buy pre-cut frames and enjoying putting them together. However , I found that I had experienced making them myself by watching your video . It was a very nice experience . Thank You , Roadrunner
Exactly the information I have been looking for. Thanks for all the work you did.
Just found your channel, really enjoying your videos. Thanks for sharing!
Great work, Thanks so much for all your video's really helpful.
I have very much liked your tutorial, especially because you give dimensions. I'm going to try making one myself.
Your videos are great! Thank you very much!
You are so good and make this so easy! I love watching your videos thank you so much !
A wealth of information, thanks for posting.
Another excellent tutorial, thank you.
Très bon travail.Merci pour les détails.Thank you .
i enjoyed this series, thank you.
I can now tackle doing this a lot easier now, thank you for sharing with us, 👍
thank you.i used a radial arm saw and my router table.and also my dewalt planer.
gostei muito desta 2 parte tb ! parabéns !10
Thank you for the great teaching.
great video very easy to understand your teaching
Muy buenos los videos, MUCHAS GRACIASSSSSS!!
precious ! god bless you.
the title does what it says on the title actually build the bloody thing rather than putting it together and calling it a build....great video thank you man
you can get a lot of free stuff for your saw like a new table,blade guard,handle, and a shroud that blows the saw dust away from you FYI .
Thank you so much!
Mad skills brov
Yeah we love you .Zion
Must watch as I make the first time and thanks
You are doing such a wonderful job, I can't stop watching, the one thing you left out is how many frames you make out of how much lumber. How much 1 x 6 and 2 x 6 do I have to buy for at least 20 medium frames?
I would really appreciate your help.
Thanks.
This information is in the downloadable (free) plans at www.michiganbees.org/beekeeping/in-the-beekeepers-workshop/
Reply
I USE A BELT SANDER FOR THE BEVEL> PUT THE PATTERN ON TOP AND STOP WHEN IT REACHES IT> SAME WITH THE CORNER PIECES just a lot faster> IT DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT > JUST CLOSES > VERY TRUE! HAVE AT LESS A 100 FRAMES ON HAND! THEY GO FAST ON SPLITS AN SWARMS
Thank you
When doing the tapered ends on the top bars using a table saw; could you clamp several top bars to the tenon jig and cut them all at the same time?
You can cut the tapered ends one a 1x8 (or 1x6 or 1x10, whatever) using the tenon jig. First, cut the board to the length of the top bar (19 inches for a standard length frame or 9-1/4 inches for a mini-frame). Second cut the lower dado on both ends (Step 4 in the plans) a 1/4 inch deep and 5/8 inch from the end. Measure carefully. Third, rotate the blade to 6 degrees. Then clamp the board to the tenon jig, dado side out. Carefully adjust both the fence and the height of the blade to make the taper. You might want to make the first angled cut less than you need (fence further from the blade) and move the fence toward the blade in small, minute steps until the cut just touches the bottom of the dado. Once you find the sweet spot, you can flip the board over and make the tapered cut on the other end. Finally, after all tapered ends are done, rip the board lengthwise to a width of 1-1/16 inch.
It helps to go thru the above once to gets things down pat. Then you can crank up the production. I recently had to make about 50 frames for a couple of mini-nucs and did just as described above. It was a definite time saver.
are you aware of the safety recall on the radial arm saw you have
Thanks so much for this very instructional video. I'm going to try starting beekeeping this 2018 year and your information is of much help. I have a question, what is the purpose of reducing the bottom widths of the side bars as you do in your previous video.
Hi Acevedo,
Been away and am just getting back to the channel. In regards to your question as to why the side bars have a reduced bottom width... I don't really know. I suspect it is to help eliminate the amount of wood in contact with the adjacent frame in order to help reduce the amount of propolis (bee glue) holding everything together. This would make the frames easier to remove.
Yep, it's all about making our - beekeper's work more comfortable. Those are "modified Hoffmann's" type. Making less propolis contact surface.
Thank you for your video! Are there downloadable plans for boxes/frames?
Yes. Go to www.michiganbees.org and search for "workshop" (it is under the "BEEKEEPING" tab). No charge. Enjoy.
Thank you for sharing!
Why don't you use the piece of wood you cut from the topbar to hold the wax in? I know it will be a bit smaller than cutting piece the right size but it would save wood. When I was a beekeeper I made all my own equipment even rolling my own wax. The beach was a good source of top quality pine for making frames.
What is the purpose of the tapered end on the ear?
Hi Jose, The tapered ends make it easier to pry out the frame once the bees have glued everything together in the hive. It is a subtle detail, but well worth the effort. All commercial frames that I have seen have this detail. It is there for a reason.
Any books I can download for notes
Your video is great, but I am confused. The saw kerf of the bottom bar which is 3/4 inch wide should be in the middle. according to your video the middle is 3/8 inch away from the fence (at 13:02). If I am correct it should be 5/16 away from the fence to make a middle of the kerf.
Greetings... and thanks for the question. The "dadant" style frames have the kerf on the bottom bar you reference exactly centered on the 3/4 inch wide board. Which is why I mention that the middle of the saw blade is 3/8ths inch from the fence. That would make the outside side of the kerf 7/16ths inch from the side of the bottom bar. This corresponds to the 7/16th inch wide of the wedge which is made subsequently. Also, if you are making a "grooved" style frame, you want this bottom kerf centered. However, all of this is really not critical (particularly for "wedged" style frames, which most people use). A 1/16th of an inch one way or another won't make a difference in the bee hive.
Do you have any books I can download?
Excellent instructional video. Is there a file with the dimension pictures that you can share Great job...!
Plans for this and all projects in the video series can be found at... www.michiganbees.org/beekeeping/in-the-beekeepers-workshop/
Enjoy! Steve T.
I would like to ask you a question. If the official side bar thickness is 1/8 inch less that the thickness of a 2X4, would it still work if you were to use the 2X4 as is and keep the 1/8 inch? I realize you would loose a frame on an 8 frame box which will make it a seven frame box , but would the bees still work it without adding bur comb in between ? Thanks Phillip Hall
What would be the results?
The 1-3/8 inch width of the side bars in a wood frame are that size for a reason. Besides, it is an industry standard. This width was arrived at long before I became a beekeeper, so I do not know its origins. I suspect it has to do with bee space. The comb will only be drawn out so far. And you want to maintain that 3/8 inch bee space between drawn comb. I also suspect you are correct in that a wide frame would promote burr comb. Thanks for your comments and question.
Thanks for your reply. And thank you for the wonderful, helpful videos!!! This is something that has been on my mind for quite sometime and something that I am tempted to (experiment) with.. sometimes I like to think out of the box just for the experience. 😁. Keep up the good work and the good videos also.. Again thank you. Sincerely, Phillip Hall
Nice wood shop
It is a good place to get away from the world...
Steve
Great video! How much time does it need to make one frame?
I haven't really thought about it that way. I would say probably an hour or so. Most of this time is taken up with setting up the saw for the cut. That is why once this is done, you might as well go ahead and make a bunch of frames at a time. While it might take an hour to make one frame, it would only take - say - an hour and a half to make 10 or more.
That said, I would still recommend that you start by making just one frame - you will learn a lot. And when you gear up for making a lot of frames, the whole process will go smoother. This is particularly true if you are not an experienced shop worker.
I think I got the point. Thank you!
Hello, i'm thinking of buying a table saw. I Will only use iT for making beekeeping
equipment. For starters😄Which table saw should i buy?
I really like the Ridgid contractor's table saw (a 10-inch table saw on a portable stand). It is very accurate, easy to use and the portable stand makes storing and moving the saw around the shop a breeze. That last feature is very nice particularly for shops that are tight on space. I would add to it a zero-clearance insert plate, which can be found online and is not very expensive. I have never regretted buying this saw and wish I had done in years earlier.
Perhaps I missed it but did you not show how to make the side pieces?
look up " making frames- part 1"
What is that yellow plate in the example frame? Why you don't assembly that thing to the new frame?
That "yellow plate" is a sheet of wax foundation. The foundation is installed into the frame after the frame is finished and all the glue joints have dried. I show how to install wax foundation in Part 2 of our channel's "Mini-Nuc" series. I usually install was foundation just prior to using the frame. That way it won't get broken while storing the frame.
Where can I find the downloadable directions you keep talking about
Mark Patrick Did you find it, if not here it is www.michiganbees.org Then when you get there go to Beekeepers Workshop at the top of the page and click on it then you will see all the videos and each video has on it download plants. It took me a little while to find it to. Hope that helps
Thank You Sir very nice
How (From where we can buy frames ( assembled or unassembled ). kaisacp@hotmail.com
You elude to downloadable plans. I can't find where they are available.
Plans for this project and all other projects in the video series can be found at... www.michiganbees.org/beekeeping/in-the-beekeepers-workshop/
Enjoy! Steve T.
Where's the Downloadable Plans?
Is there a tutorial for rims and spacer?
No. I usually take an old hive box and cut the rim/spacer to widtk.
First I want to thank y’all for your contributions to beekeeping. Mr. Tilmann is a rockstar in my universe. How wide should my spacers be?