Walter T. Kelley F-style Frames

[salvo]

Hi Folks,

Junior here. I'm all foundationless except for the frames that came with my first year nucs. Year one, 2011, with two nucs, was not that difficult. I kept using the original built out frames as guides. I was prety much prepared for the medium supers with no built out guides.

I use a grooved top bar frame, slat turned on side, glued and stapled. This year I'm using a small 3 x 1.5 patch of foundation stapled to my top bar, just to "sharpen the edge" that the bees cling to. My new packages really built those frames out fast,... and purty too.

As has been stated, talk to your bees. Most of them are willing to listen. They'll cut you some slack because you gave them a nice home.

Salvo

[Brother Dave]

I started a hive last year foundation less using Popsicle stick comb guides and no drawn comb. I was lucky no cross comb. I did take a quick peak after a few days. I could correct any problem early. The bars were kept tight together and I affixed my queen cage inside a frame instead of between them. And removed it promptly when the queen was released.

Hope this helps
David


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[bbbthingmaker]

My first year I used the kelly F-style frames. In one hive the bees started  the comb to one side of the v-shaped comb guide. It was all straight but offset from center.  That made it very hard to inspect. 

[T Beek]

My first year I used the kelly F-style frames. In one hive the bees started  the comb to one side of the v-shaped comb guide. It was all straight but offset from center.  That made it very hard to inspect. 

You'll hear/see this a lot;  One 'wonkey' frame leads to another.  Addressing it immediately upon noticing it is the best approach IMO.   The sooner you correct wonkey comb the better.   

If no drawn comb frames are available there's nothing wrong with using a few frames with foundation to help get things started and straight.  Just replace them when they hatch out with empties (foundationless), while increasing your stock of drawn comb by doing so regularly.

[critter]

we have been wiring are frames ,two across and three down ,on mid. and 3 by on brood     

[critter]

that's 3 by 3 on brood , it help's on extacting too.it stop the cavering and about all the cross combing and you can add a little foundation on the wire with your embedder 

[James M. Wagner]

I recently ordered some shallow foundationless "F" frames from Kelley and they came in last week. I've assembled maybe 50 or so of them.

The frames are well-made though the wood is quite soft. That would make it easier to insert eyelets, if you do that. (I don't wire my shallows, so that point is moot for me in this case.)

These frames are a bit short (length-wise) for my Mann Lake boxes. I had heard Kelley uses different dimensions for their woodenware especially in the way beespace is calculated. Inside length is apparently different, as well. I hope there will not be excessive burr comb on the end bars.

New beeks take note: There is NOTHING wrong with the way Kelley calculates beespace - it is simply different from the manufacturers I normally buy from (Miller Bee Supply and MannLake). You will want to avoid mixing woodenware of different manufacturers unless you know they are compatible. I knew this applied to the boxes, but now know the frames make a difference, as well.

I don't know that I will assemble any more of these unless I just need them for this season. I may sell them or trade them off to other local beeks who use Kelley boxes and go back to using the MannLake frames even though I will have to continute removing the wedge and turning it sideways and also deal with the grooved bottom bar.

[KeyLargoBees]

Just realize that if you order online from Kelly and there is anything wrong with your order you are screwed....3 weeks and counting....5 e-mails....3 voice messages and hold time of 45 minutes + before I got fed up and hung up.....and no one is answering. They shipped me shallow F type frames and not medium frames as requested and as documented on the invoice.....and no recourse to return or exchange is no one will return my calls or answer e-mails.

Best bet....go the Popsicle stick route...you get a good start to foundationless....enjoy a frosty treat as you accumulate sticks...and don't have to deal with Kelly's absolute lack of customer service.

[Eric Bosworth]

Better bet... Build your own. If you have the tools it really doesn't take that much time. Especially if you use shallow or medium frames. The end bars are the tricky part. If you have a router with a routing table and a table saw, 2 passes on the router for the comb guide and cut off with the table saw. Then with a jig cut off the comb guide from the ends. I use the router for that as well. I need to start taking pictures of the process.