Guide: Assembling Frames

Here's my attempt at a guide to assembling frames. All photos are linked to a larger image if you click on them.

1) The gear:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3593/3...297a24be_m.jpg
What we have here, from left to right is:

• Mallet
  Handy for knocking tight fitting parts together.
• Hammer
• Foundation
• Gimp Pins
  That's what they're called, honest.
• Top Bar
• 2x Side Bars
• 2x bottom bars
• Wedge, removed from top bar
• Can of beer (optional)

1) The wedge is normally attached to the Top Bar and should be removed.

2) Attach the side bars to the Top Bar. Make sure the foundation Groove faces inside and nail a gimp pin on each side. (On Hoffman frames you can leave out the nail on the angled side if you wish):

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3405/3...1340b237_m.jpg

3) With the Side Bars attached, add one bottom bar on the opposite side to where the wedge was removed:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3371/3...05095de3_m.jpg

4) Nail the bottom bar in place:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3557/3...2d7cca5e_m.jpg
(before inserting the foundation it can be prudent to only nail one side so that you can adjust the spacing to ensure a good fit of foundation to frame).

5) Bend the wire loops on the foundation sheet over and insert the sheet into the frame using the grooves:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3656/3...c7da041f_m.jpg

6) Insert the wedge into the top of the frame and nail so that the nails are between the foundation wire loops, this will ensure that the foundation cannot slip out of the frame.:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3543/3...fcc5c73c_m.jpg

7) Add the second Bottom Bar and nail into place:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3583/3...b8eb8c71_m.jpg

8) Drink the beer. :D

If hammering away starts to drive you mad, another option for making frames is a Rampin:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6...4f9796b4_o.jpg

On soft pine-wood frames, this can be quite handy. Stick the gimp pin in the end and push it into the frame.

I invested in one this winter and when they work, they work well. If you hit a knot in the wood though I do find that they tend to bend the pins far more frequently than using a hammer.

Cool, do hyou have a guide like this for actual hive building as im thinking about building my own?

Try this from Paynes for a brood box or super:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGOBtS2gP-8

I like the way he does it. Not quite the same as was in the Thornes leaflets which is the one I usually use and which seems to be the procedure you can see here (click the hive part to see the instructions):

http://highfieldbees.co.uk/faq/hive-assembly/

On the other had, maybe you mean that you wish to make hives from scratch? If so, you can't go wrong with the old MAFF instructions on the SBA website. Go here and look for No 4:

http://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/Pra...ataSheets.aspx

cheers

Gavin