# Walter Kelly Foundationless frames



## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

I am thinking about buying some of Kellys foundationless frames, and would like to hear from someone who has them, what their bees think of them?


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## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)

I bought 50 of these frames last year. Used 10 so far. I placed the frames between drawn frames and the bees did well with them. I plan on using the other 40 later this year when I find the place I apparently hid them from myself.


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## SilentSam (Jul 9, 2011)

I like them & my bees like them. No problems yet with them and as with any Kelley product, they are nice, heavy duty frames too. 

SS


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## jdg1938 (May 16, 2010)

In my opinion the side bars are to thin, they want to squeeze together in the hive causing the frame spacing to be to close. But my problem could be that I make my own boxes and they are not a perfect fit like Kelly's would be. I would go with wedge top frames especially if Mann's still has free shipping I bought 120 frames for 108 dollars last month.


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## kincade (Feb 3, 2011)

Love the kelly frames. Robust, easy to assemble, and the girls seem to love them!


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## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)

Thanks for starting this thread. Soon after I said I had some but they were misplaced, I found them. If you want, I can post some photos of the frames. They are rough compared to mannlake frames. However, they fit together much tighter and hold themselves together better when assembling. Right now I do it one frame at a time. If I had a jig, it would not matter one bit.


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## SteveBee (Jul 15, 2010)

We bought 400 of them the beginning of this season and have about 250 of them in hives. The bees seem to like them, and they were easy to assemble.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

Downside is they don't extract worth a darn.... don't know how you run, but I extract a lot of deep frames in the fall.


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## SilentSam (Jul 9, 2011)

gmcharlie said:


> Downside is they don't extract worth a darn.... don't know how you run, but I extract a lot of deep frames in the fall.


I wouldn;t think of extracting foundationless frames with out support, YMMV.  I have heard of people using fishing line opposed to standard frame wire. 

I am curious how well the medium foundationless frames to extracting. 90% of all my honey super are foundationless medium frames.


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## bwdenen (Feb 3, 2012)

I agree with jdg1938. I bought 50 and had several of the side bars split inserting the top bar. I've never had that hapen with a wedge top bar.


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## monrovi (Jan 22, 2012)

I was unimpressed with the frames I bought. Maybe I got a bad batch. The end bars did not slip into the top bar. They were to tight and split like said above. I had to go back and remove material so that they would fit. Also had to modify bottom bar. If I would have assembled as they came the overall height would have been 9 1/4"-9 5/16". I just bought frames from dadant. Extremely nice. I will buy from them again.


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## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)




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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

Thanks Nick, did you have any trouble with the end bars, like some other people have?


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## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)

The only issue I really have had is with the bottom bar splintering if I use a 1/4 staple to hold it down. The staple is just not wide enough to span the gap in the bottom bar. The splintering does not happen when I use a 18 gauge 1" brad in the bottom bar.

My frames are mediums and I did not measure the height of the finished frame. Each frame is glued and then held together by 8 brads or 4 staples.


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

I got my frames today and just got done putting 50 of them together. I used a staple on the tops and a couple of nails in the bottoms. I had no trouble with any of the frames at all. They went together nice tight, and square. I made the jig that was shown somewhere on here, thanks for that that, and thanks everone else.


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## kangaroo (Oct 10, 2010)

sfisher said:


> I am thinking about buying some of Kellys foundationless frames, and would like to hear from someone who has them, what their bees think of them?


I have not use WTK foundationless frame, but have used their 17n, Medium frames in between drawn frames and they have no problem going straight down the frame. I thought about buying some, but 17ns work just fine


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

Kangaroo, what do the bees use for a guide to start their combs?


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## kangaroo (Oct 10, 2010)

I place the empty frames in-between 2 drawn frames and they have no problem drawing it straight.


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

So there is no comb guide what so ever?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>So there is no comb guide what so ever? 

A drawn brood comb on each side is a very effective comb guide.


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