Making frames for Layens hives.

[Bob Wilson]

All you Layens hives beeks out there.
I'm making some frames.
1. Some plans call for 1 1/8 inch thick bars and some for 1 1/2 inch. What do you all use?
2. How many of you have solid touching bars and how many keep a gap (like langstroth frames) and cover with a cloth?

[Bob Wilson]

After doing some research, I am going with 1 1/2 inch wide frames.
I will make them straight, so they touch with no gap, like the langstroth frames have.

[Occam]

In my experimental log hive I made my frames straight so they touched and had no issues due to that. They were no harder to remove than regular frames.

[Bob Wilson]

I found that too, Occam. I like how it keeps the brood sealed, but they are harder to separate. The reason behind it, as I understand, is that gaps are not needed because the hive is not vertical, and the bees don't need to pass upward into another box.
I know some beeks use frames with a gap in between, like langstroth, but then they lay a cloth square over the top on the hive, which can be peeled back as needed to expose frames.

[Michael Bush]

I would do 1-1/8".  That's what the bees want in the brood nest and they can cover twice as much brood at 1-1/8" rather than 1-1/2".  Ideally I find 1-1/8" in the brood nest and 1-1/2" where the honey is works the best as that's what the bees want to build.

[Occam]

How many frames are in your layers hive Bob? I really like the idea of a layers hove but had decided earlier this year to go with a horizontal using deep frames since I also have langs. I wanted to simplify my equipment and be able to use my frames universally if I needed to swap a frame of brood over in an emergency situation or some other situation.

[Bob Wilson]

Michael. I was hoping to keep only one size frame. That way I can migrate brood frames to the back to be filled with honey. I was thinking of 1 1/2 inch, but now you make me question the choice.

Occam. I hope to build the hives this weekend. 4 feet long. About 28 frames.
I am stopping use of horizontal hives with deep frames. I found that the bees pulled the brood nest through 19-20 frames of a 30 deep frames hive, and the bees had difficulty storing nectar and capping honey in just the 10 remaining frames. Layens hives have deeper frames (although more narrow) but there is more comb area overall. I like the deeper frames.

[Michael Bush]

If I were doing one size I would do 1-1/8".  But I think you'll be happier with what they do with 1-1/8" and 1-1/2"

[Occam]

I wonder what the weight difference is between the two frame sizes when fully capped.

[Bob Wilson]

My first built Layens frame. They are way too expensive to buy, so I am sawing lumber, and making them from scratch.
Thanks for the advice.

[Ben Framed]

Looks good Bob..

[Bob Wilson]

Occam,
Add two pounds from a medium, two more to a deep, and two more to a Layens.
So a Layens is about 10-12 lbs.