Frame Building Tips

[@patrickwalsh2006]

thank you. I am new at bee keeping you are my mentor on line i have three hives over wintering want to get into selling nuc in North Carolina i have a ways to go but i am learning, thanks

[@altaylor6655]

Joe taught me this process a couple years back and I have been using it since. It works great. It is important that the staples be the coated ones. I have used 20# and 30# (whichever is on sale) and both work ok. Smaller than 20# it was my experience the bees would chew through it. Also I have found the Mann Lake frames are the best. Thanks Joe.

[@robere2011]

Been to Lowes,Home Depot and on line looking for the "coated staples". Is there another name for them? Thanks

[@jameykelsey3321]

Great video, Joe. Thanks for creating content and helping other beekeepers. You mean a lot to the community.

[@OklahomaBeekeeper]

Joe, I never thought about turning the bottom bar over. Thanks for your idea

[@mikesbeesllc]

Thanks Joe. I turn the wedge sideways, tack it in, brush a little melted wax on it. Really works great as the center frame in a swarm trap. Bees will build on it first every time.

[@beefitbeekeeping]

Great video!

[@Solar_Apartment]

Merry Christmas Joe! Thanks for sharing your experience

[@chrisbgarrett]

Good one Joe,this should help a lot of people.

[@beeman1350]

Thanks Joe I never thought about turning the bottom bar upside down great idea. I'm gonna give that a try. It makes to much sense not to. Thanks for the video and keep up the good work.

[@virgilcrites7482]

Thanks for sharing, Merry Christmas!!!

[@LycomingWarrior]

Joe, can you do a video on making a nuc box from start to finish? Emphasis on dado cuts and measurements would be appreciated. Thanks

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

I got it on my to do list.

[@larrypeterson4945]

Joe, great video! Would a plain flat wax starter strip work as well as one that is embossed? Thanx, LP

[@showmebees9431]

Thanks for the video Joe, and Merry Christmas to you. Have you ever tried the foundation-less frames available from Kelley? The top bar is sort of V shaped on bottom to give the bees a point to draw from and the bottom bar is solid with no groove. My bees seem to draw them out just fine.

[@MsDaddyrabbit1]

Excellent - Joe

[@jpthedelawarebeeman6239]

Thanks for the tips on frame building Joe. What size nails did you use to secure the fishing line? Also I have seen all different pounds of line used what pound test do you use? I'm guessing 10lb test would work ok maybe even 12lb test.

[@Dstick1Spearfishing]

Merry Christmas Joe, Love the video. What made you choose fishing line over wire - was it the price? In the comment people were talking about the cleat being used instead of the starter strip, would you mind explaining that please. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Fishing line is easier to work with. You can turn the cleat down and wax it I just like starer strips.

[@Dstick1Spearfishing]

What Does that mean Joe, "You can turn the cleat down and wax it I just like starer strips." I am not a wood worker and I have not idea what it is referring too. Sorry for missing the detail, your help would be greatly appreciated.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Usually you put foundation in then put the cleat board back just like it came out. They are talking about turning it 90 degrees so it hangs down so the bees will draw down from it.

[@KevinsNorthernExposure]

I've been doing a bit of research....I am not sure those staples have "glue" adhesive on them. From the color those appear to be DeWalt 1/4 crown 18 ga staples....they are color coated special for Dewalt (they love their yellow)....but glue collated means the staples are glued together...just like, as an example, collated pages of a book are glued together at the binder. But researching DeWalt website and the products own description (nor any manufacturer for that matter) could I find that there was adhesive on the staple itself to glue parts together when stapled. I just didn't know if you knew that or not and thought I'd share what I've found with you. Glue or not, your frames appear to not need to be glued. Thanks for the vids.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

These are not DeWalt staples they are grip fast coated.

[@KevinsNorthernExposure]

@@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay I looked those up as well from Menards bright finish zinc/galv or stainless....glue collated. Merry Christmas Joe.

[@steveluepke9654]

Kind of a late reply but Menards Grip Tite have some kind of coating on them. I know they are glueed together in a strip but they have resin on them. I put 2 1/4 crown 1 1/4" staples in the top bar on each end with no glue and you cannot pull them apart. I also use a 1/4 crown 3/4" staple to hold the fishing line on. It seems to work and is much easier than trying to hold a nail with my fat fingers😁

[@josephrawls]

Nice one Joe.

[@MacLux4]

Thank you Joe, once again for a great tutorial... Question, would you ship your bees to Ontario Canada? or have you before?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

I don't have the permits required to ship to Canada sorry.

[@MacLux4]

@@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay, thank you Joe for the reply and also for being such a great mentor buddy. I follow your channel closely (also Don)... I'm getting geared up to start in the spring. Been listening and watching all your videos for a couple seasons now, and believe I'm ready for a spring start myself. Thank you for all the time you take in sharing your knowledge with us, we truly appreciate it. Have a merry christmas.

[@blurtmenow]

do you find a difference in brood pattern where the fishing line is? does it bother them or cause them to do anything different from natural.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

If I showed you a frame you wouldn't know it was in there.

[@blurtmenow]

@@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay Thankyou for the reply.very much appreciated.

[@skooterbumm]

Im curious why the X an not go straight across, is there any reason?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

I have tried it both ways with the x they draw a lot straighter comb don't know why.

[@jpthedelawarebeeman7887]

What size and type of nail do you use on the fishing line to anchor it?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

5/8 wire nail.

[@jpthedelawarebeeman7887]

@@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay Thank you Joe I'll have to look in Lowes from some I don't have anything that small. would this work ? --> www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-5-8-in-18-Gauge-Bright-Steel-Brad-Nails-2-oz/3036014

[@steveyoung4286]

Hey Joe Kelly has a foundation less frame needs no starter has a wood piece that hangs down small distance the bees build comb rite to the frame I still put fishing line. On frames for me must be at least 30# test or they chew it in half thanks again

[@privatebubba8876]

You can do the same with Mann Lake frames.

[@fezwhy]

Is starter strips recommended for new beekeepers or is full sheets better? It looks like I should be able to get about 8 starter strips per sheet if I go that route.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

If you are starting from a package you will need a few full sheets to give the bees something to rest on.

[@bhamby9305]

I cant find small nails that have a head on them. Where do you get yours?

[@jimvanbeek7317]

Any hardware store should have them, look by the Brad's.

[@theblueshadow9365]

I dont like the starter strips I turn the cleat sideways and staple the bees draw it with no problems and less work for me Merry Christmas Joe

[@segami2808]

I just put fishing line in em. Sometimes not, just the frame. Can't see the bees care.

[@privatebubba8876]

@@segami2808 Hard to spin a frame without support but it's good for cut honey comb. Bees definitely don't care. I've never seen one take fishing line into the hive, lol. But a starter strip be it a cleat or a strip of wax helps deter cross comb.

[@segami2808]

It can be spun. Just got to be careful. I never get cross comb, because of where I put the empty frame. Between brood. Not enough problem for me to add the extra cost and labor. I try to keep it lazy.

[@privatebubba8876]

​@@segami2808 That's fine if you have drawn comb but for the newbie they start out with little to no drawn comb. When I started I used plastic foundation coat with wax checker boarded with foundation less frames. The bees drew out the foundation less frames first so I just kept swapping out a couple of frames when I could until the plastic that had been partially drawn were put in Swarm traps. Bees don't care what we put in the box they are going to draw comb or abscond.

[@segami2808]

Yeah that's true. Joe ain't no newbie though. I've found they draw foundationless quicker than even wax foundation. I as well get smaller cell than small cell foundation. I think it's a gimic myself.

[@davidw4346]

Merry Christmas

[@jpthedelawarebeeman6239]

Hi Joe when is your chat ? I think I got an invite but can't find it :(

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

It's on my main youtube page under the Community tab.

[@gburchett1]

what pound fishing line do you use?

[@privatebubba8876]

I use Mann Lake FR901frames with 30 lb. test (It was on sale for 2.00.)and a starter strip. After assembly I paint the line with melted beeswax. I only have 5 hives and don't sell bees so I don't go through a ton of frames.

[@gburchett1]

@@privatebubba8876 Thanks

[@moebees3060]

You aren't building frames. You are assembling frames.

[@kenthompson6539]

Why don't you just drill a hole or holes in the top bar preferably the size of a bamboo Barbecue sqewer and push it to the bottom of the frame and this will support the comb

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

That give support from blowing out when extracting honey but not much support vertical when moving boxes from yard to yard. In bee keeping there are a lot of ways to do something and none of them are wrong I just tell how I do it. Thanks for the idea.

[@privatebubba8876]

Could you imagine doing that for a thousand frames? Mann Lake does sell rods that go through the side holes in the frame taking the place of wire or fishing line.