This post is for all of us builders/tinkerers that like to make our own stuff. Frames….don’t do it! Late last year I did an experiment to see how long it would take me to make 100 deep frames. I believe it took me about 6 hours which it entirely too long. Not sure why I did not remember that but was desperately needing new frames and told myself I was just going to build them…because I could.
Stupid….just stupid. I started out picking up about $100 of 2x4s and got to cutting sides. I then found all these old 2×12 cutoffs that were too short for anything other than frames….had a bunch of them! Used my dado to make the ends and ripped them all. I counted about 700 of them! That was more than I need but I know they will be put to use so got to finish. Made the top bars next which is not quite a difficult as the sides but still a time issue….especially when you make 350 of them! The bottoms are very simple comparatively.
The bad news….it took about 15 hours to get through them all and still hadn’t assembled even one. I know I did not use all $100 worth of 2x4s (they will get used eventually) but if I use the $100 math and figure that unassembled frames are about $180 per 100, I saved about $440 for 300 frames. But when you factor in the time to build and the wear on saw blades and fingertips…
Yes, I really do enjoy building stuff but unless I swallow a stupid pill again this should be the last time I build my own frames. Below you see the first 80 assembled frames. I added foundation and waxed them up…I think I have 20 left that are not yet in hives. Now I need to find time and space to build the other 200+.
OK, one cool thing….how many people have cedar frames in their hives? I got to admit I really like the cedar frames and, yes, they are already in some hives now. There are even some oak top bars on some of those frames! When you have spare wood laying around you use it for frames. Did I say I would never build frames again….
