What size frames and boxes are best for suppers? What are pros and cons? Lg. or Meds. ?
Well I use shallows on my hives. The pros of having shallows vs mediums is that the shallows full of honey weighs in at about 40 to 60 pounds and the mediums around 70 to 80 pounds it is easier to carry the shallows then the mediums.
What about spinning honey out of Lg.? Pros and cons?
What are pros and cons when using natural drawn foundations in Lg. ?
you'll need an extractor that takes deep frames. deeps full of honey would be very, very, heavy.
if you are going to use naturally drawn comb in your honey supers, i would think that shallows or mediums would be more secure. they do a fine job with the shallows. that's how i do it. maybe someone has tried the deeps........
Whoa, you don't want to be humping deeps that are full of honey! Mediums and shallows are best from a weight standpoint. Just to get an idea of the weight, try lifting a deep this fall that has been packed with winter stores.
I understand the weight part of it,70-100 lbs. difference.I'm mostly concerned about the spinning honey out of deep frames with only wire or fishing in the natural draw en foundations. Will the comb stay in the frames when spinning honey out ?
There are only three real issues:
What sized frames will the extractor take?
Are you cutting it for comb honey and if so what size?
How much do you want to lift?
IT DIDN't take long for me to go from a deep to a medium super. the deep weighted 95lbs.for me the mediums is the way to go.
QuoteIT DIDN't take long for me to go from a deep to a medium super. the deep weighted 95lbs.for me the mediums is the way to go.
I'll echo this statement. Lifting full deeps flat out sucks. Especially if they are stacked high. Multiply that with numerous hives and it makes for a long day.
If you have only an "x" wired up in deep frames, and you try extracting, you will have more blowouts than you would with mediums or shallows. The nice thing is that you have extract 30% fewer frames.
I'd suggest keeping the deeps for brood. Then you don't have to lift them or extract them.
Agree with Scads. Use deeps for brood and mediums/shallows for honey. OR use all mediums for brood and honey as many beeks have already done!
So,You people don't pull the honey frames from the suppers in the field and shake the bees off ? You just take bees and suppers to the work shed ?
You don't want to take them with bees in them. But if you take the honey when the nights are cool and you get them in the morning, they will be clustered below and not in the supers.
What is best for suppers :? FULL ONE :-D
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
I'll even go one step farther. I am going to make some 5 frame "harvest" supers. Just take out what is filled and capped and put M-T's back in their place. Medium style. Get a 5 frame box full, close it good and start on another if need be.
I am going to long boxes. My back is getting no better. "Arthritis" in my back. Degenerative Vertebra.
I also have "trick Knee". :roll: :)doak