# How To Make Your Own Frames - Photo Tutorial



## westernbeekeeper

_Continued from previous post_

16. Lower the bit to 1/8" and run each side of the end through. Repeat on other end.















17. Each end should now look like this:















18. Now set your table saw blade to run exactly down the center on the top bar, which would be 1/2" OC. Set blade height to 1/4". Run the bottom side of the top bar throught to make the foundation groove.








19. The finished groove:








20. The finished top bar:








End bars:

1. Cut a piece of 2-by to length for frame size. These are 6 1/4" for medium depth.








2. Plane/saw the width of the 2-by down from 1 1/2" to 1 3/8".








3. Now use 3/4" router bit to run exactly down the (length-wise) center of the piece, like this:








4. The piece should now look like this:








5. Now rip the piece into 1/4" wide strips for the endbars.








6. Each piece should look like this:








7. Now set your 3/4" router bit to hang just 1/8" outside of the fence cutout. Also install a stop block on the fence.








_Continued on next post due to photo limit_

Don't mind the attached thumbnail.


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## westernbeekeeper

_Continued from previous post_

8. Run each endbar through the router like this, and then repeat on other side.















9. The finished endbar:








Bottom Bars:

1. Each bottom bar is a simple stick of 3/4" x 5/16" x 17" (with a groove, shown later).








2. Set the table saw to run exactly down the center, and set the blade height at 3/16".








3. The finished bottom bar:








_See next post for assembly_


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## westernbeekeeper

_Continued from last post_

Frame Assembly:

1. Get everything you'll need. I use 1"-long 1/4" crown staples and glue.








2. Glue the top of each endbar:








3. Connect the endbars to the top bar.








4. Staple the top bar.








5. Add glue to the endbar where the bottom bar attaches.








6. The bottom bar/endbar joint is a butt joint (not stapled in this photo).








7. Staple the endbars to the bottom bar. I use two staples.















8. Add side staples.















9. The finished frame, one of the best.


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## JRG13

nice tutorial Ben.


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## westernbeekeeper

Thanks!


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## Jaseemtp

WoW! That is great, thank you


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## odfrank

Could you put this on something like Photobucket with titles so that it would be easier to view? Or a PowerPoint Presentation would be best. Folks would pay you $$$.


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## broodhead

A lot of work went into this nice presentation, my compliments to you,well done! Wish I had a wood working shop to do more of my own building, but when all is tallied up I guess it is about as cheap to buy the supplies. Wish there was some way to drastically reduce foundation cost, let me know when you have a good idea. Thanks again, great job. Broodhead


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## westernbeekeeper

Thanks everyone. It goes quite quickly when you make the parts in quantity. Including my time, I can make assembled frames for $1.95 each, and that is cheaper than most bee supply places.


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## Rader Sidetrack

broodhead said:


> Wish there was some way to drastically reduce foundation cost, let me know when you have a good idea.


You can _drastically reduce foundation cost_ by going foundationless. :lookout:Here's more info:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm
Make sure you use a comb _guide _of some sort. See the link.


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## westernbeekeeper

Rader Sidetrack said:


> You can _drastically reduce foundation cost_ by going foundationless. Make sure you use a comb _guide _of some sort.


Right on, Rader. I go all foundationless in the brood nest: we'll see about the honey supers, but they'll probably have Pierco foundation.


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## broodhead

Try doing that in a few hundred supers, foundationless wwill not work very well going through the Silver Queen and extractor.


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## westernbeekeeper

broodhead said:


> Try doing that in a few hundred supers, foundationless wwill not work very well going through the Silver Queen and extractor.


Right on; exactly.


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## Beehaive

Kudos Ben, great stuff!:thumbsup:


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## SippyBees

excellent.... Its people like this that put so much effort into helping others that deserve the highest kudos... Just an excellent presentation... Thanks


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## DC Bees

I like the idea of using 1/4" bit for the side grooves on the top bars, that has always been a problem for me. The standard thickness of the end bars is 3/8" and I do not have a straight 3/8" bit but I do have a 1/4" bit, thanks for the good info. I guess I am going to bee making more frames.:applause:


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## westernbeekeeper

DC,
They (1/4" thick endbars) work fantastic for me. All the older Dadant frames I own have 1/4" endbars and work great.


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## mtndewluvr

Well done, Ben! Very informative....thank you!


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## Brian Suchan

westernbeekeeper said:


> Thanks everyone. It goes quite quickly when you make the parts in quantity. Including my time, I can make assembled frames for $1.95 each, and that is cheaper than most bee supply places.


Is that with the sheet of foundation figured in to the estimate?? How much time does it take to make the frames ecpecially if u do a large quantity


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## westernbeekeeper

That cost does not include foundation. I can make 50-60 unasembled frames per hour, 20-30/hour if assembling them.


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## Brian Suchan

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/page19.html


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## westernbeekeeper

Yes, ML's are $1.65 for unassembled frames. I have about $0.67 in each frame in materials. It comes to about $1.90 when paying myself well for my time.


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## soupcan

I see $.70 in the larger lots.
Even in the 400 lots they are only $.72.


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## westernbeekeeper

My costs also get a bit lower when I buy in quantity. But I know what you're saying; you're right.


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## DC Bees

I would like add a word of caution when splitting the top bars. Look out for the wedge it can come lose and cause kick back or take flight, good thing I had safety glasses on.


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## westernbeekeeper

What do you mean by "splitting the top bars"?


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## soupcan

The quality on Mann Lakes select frames that are now being put together for our next season are some of the finest quality I have byfar seen in my 35 years in the business!!!


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## westernbeekeeper

I have purchased quite a few frames from ML recently, and I'd have to agree with you. My frames work well, but in a pinch or on a spending spree, I definitely turn to ML!


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## DC Bees

In pictures 10,11 and 12, when ripping the 1 1/2" strip of wood into two for the top of the frame the wedge can come loose and shoot out at you.


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## westernbeekeeper

westernbeekeeper said:


> 10. You should end up with several peices that look like this, basically cross sections of the original piece:
> View attachment 4128
> 
> 
> 11. Now set your saw to rip each piece exactly in half, like this:
> View attachment 4129
> 
> 
> 12. You should end up with a bunch of these:
> View attachment 4130


If you mean one of the halves shooting/kicking back at you, I know exactly what you mean. Two minutes before I took those pics, it happened and I still have a good-looking bruise on my thigh.


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## delber

You MUST use a push stick to push through both pieces at the same time. The saw will cut through the foot of the push stick, so keep the push stick in the same place every time. (I typically put it against the fence and then I'm fine. You'll need a 1" wide stick for this purpose) It will save your thigh. A push stick or a piece that would sit flat on the top of the top bar with a foot (To catch the pieces) and handle on it would be even safer. Other than that you'd need to go slowly / carefully trying to flip the piece end to end to cut through the piece. (which would be risky for sure!!!)


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## B-Rant

Great job on the tutorial. As I begin making mine for this year, I'm thinking of removing the taper on the top bars. Every time I remove frames during inspections, I "free" SHB that have been corralled under the top bars. I'm going to experiment with a couple boxes to see if flat bottomed top bar ends would be too hard to remove when propolized by the bees. If I can remove this dead space under the taper, maybe I can remove a hiding spot for SHB. Has anyone else tried this?

Matt


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## delber

I think you'd be fine to keep it straight. Kelly's makes their boxes so that the rabbit at the top has the matching angle so that there's no space there. The SHB do get inbetween the ends of the top bars and the box, however a hive tool does wonders to take care of them there as long as you do it before moving / breaking the frame free or else they'll just go down into the box. I have had bees propolis the whole frame around closing that gap. It was still easy enough to get the frames out.


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## BoilerJim

Westernbeekeeper, 
Excellent photos and explanations on putting it all together! :applause: Also, thank you delber for the advise on the push stick. :thumbsup: I'm thinkin I might just try this this weekend.

Jim


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## westernbeekeeper

BoilerJim said:


> Also, thank you delber for the advise on the push stick. :thumbsup:


Yes, use the push stick! it'll save you about 10 minutes of grovelling on the floor in pain.


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## delber

westernbeekeeper said:


> Yes, use the push stick! it'll save you about 10 minutes of grovelling on the floor in pain.


Or perhaps a trip to the ER if it had been a few inches in a different direction.


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## westernbeekeeper

Course by then there's nothin to live for! :lpf: :applause:


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## Knisely

Great series of images & instructions. Now I need a router table.


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