# 8 frame langstroth plans?



## Moonlight (Nov 12, 2013)

Does anyone know where I can find some free highly detailed and easy to read 8 frame langstroth hive plans? I would also like some detailed plans for building foundation-less frames. I'd like to have them built by Febuary so that I'm already set up and ready to go by the time spring comes around.

Any help would me much appreciated. Thanks!


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

There are plans for both frames and hives in the _Build-it-Yourself_ section:
http://www.beesource.com/build-it-yourself/

The hive plans are for 10 frame boxes, but you could simply subtract the appropriate width from the shorter sides. The frame plans are fine as is, but if you are going foundationless, selecting a desired comb guide and including that in your manufacturing scheme would be a good idea.

For info on possible comb guides, this Michael Bush page is useful:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm#guide


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## Moonlight (Nov 12, 2013)

What would the appropriate width to subtract be?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Opinions vary. 
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?252726-8-Frame-Hive-Plans

Either subtract 2 1/2 inches or 2 3/4". Two "standard" frame widths combined are 2 3/4". If you are going to build everything yourself, take your choice. If you want to match up with some purchased equipment, decide what you want to match with and go with that.

Note that even for commercially manufactured 10 frame equipment, the "standard" is not standard. Manufacturers do not all make boxes to the same identical dimensions.


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

select one of the main companies that supply the equipment you want to make. Order one of each item you want to make. Buy their "select" and not the "budget". Then you have your pattern in hand.


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## adson (Nov 25, 2009)

I make my 8 frame boxes at 13 7/8" width, some make them at 13 3/4"
either width will give you more room for the frames than you are used to if you have used 10 frame boxes before

those are outside dimensions


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## Davacoles (Jun 30, 2013)

There are very detailed plans with a helpful video here. http://www.michiganbees.org/beekeeping/in-the-beekeepers-workshop/

I'm probably going to follow a simpler design with butt joints found here (it has a nice plan for rabbet joints too). http://www.workman.com/static/assets/622059_Beekeep.EquipSamplePgsV2.pdf


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## Colino (May 28, 2013)

I built mine the fat beeman way below is the link to a 3 part series where Don explains it simply but in detail. Cut size for front 13-3/4, for sides 19-1/8 with 3/4 by 3/8 rabbets on front and back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AXcuyi53ao

Also here is a link for making your own frames by Ryan Bekke, really easy.
http://youtu.be/FrK2mG44wpQ


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## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

And Don (FatBeeMan) also has the plans for sale as a download--if you need a paper copy. His plans are cheap--$5.

He is at http://dixiebeesupply.com/Dixiebeesupply/Sales__Beekeeping_Supplies.html

HTH

Rusty


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## NewJoe (Jul 1, 2012)

everything is the same as the standard 10 frame box except for the width. The width when using 3/4" lumber would be 13 3/4". I make all of mine with these measurements, and I like the little extra room that it gives to get the frames out during inspections.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Follow the standard plans, but make the everything 14" X 19 7/8", instead of the standard 16 1/4" X 19 7/8".


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

A note on corner joints:
the box joint used on most commercially cut hives isn't necessary for a sound hive box.

They do make it easier to square the boxes when assembling, but the hassle of making all of the cuts outweighs any labor saved.

I use simple butt joints, glured, with four or five nails at each corner.

A bear attack tested ther strength: not a single joint failed, though the boards were broken next to them.
I doubt a beekeeper will put a bigger stress on on the joints.

Have fun.

BTW, many of us make foundationless frames by simply turning the wedge cleat of a wedged frame so that it makes a starter strip and stapling it in place.

At less than a buck a pop for frames in quantity, It's not worth the hassle (to me) to make them.


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## Colino (May 28, 2013)

Beregondo said:


> At less than a buck a pop for frames in quantity, It's not worth the hassle (to me) to make them.


You must live near your supplier. The one I found nearest to me is 5 hours away in Edmonton. For 10 frames it costs just over 11.00 and 17.00 for shipping, I think it works out to 2.80 a frame. So I've been making my own with scrap lumber and for my 32 medium super frames it took about an hour and a half. Does anyone know of a supplier closer to southern Alberta?


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

I do.
And I usually buy in lots of at least 50 or 100.

Westernbeekeeper has a pretty good photo tutorial on making your own here.


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## Colino (May 28, 2013)

Beregondo said:


> I do.
> And I usually buy in lots of at least 50 or 100.[/URL].


The next smallest amount I can buy is 100 at a cost of: 
Products $93.00
Shipping	$46.68
Taxes	$6.98
Total	$146.66
Not bad but I don't need 100 frames for 1 or 2 hobby hives. 
Thanks for the link to frame building. They are a lot prettier than mine.
Colino


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## LSHonda310 (Mar 30, 2013)

Colino said:


> The next smallest amount I can buy is 100 at a cost of:
> Products $93.00
> Shipping	$46.68
> Taxes	$6.98
> ...


It does't take much longer to box up 100 frames for shipping compared to 10, so when you only order 10 you still need to basically pay for the same amount of labor that is used to box up 100 frames.
So if you take $10 worth of labor for 100 frames, that is only $.10 per frame compared to the same labor with 10 frames is $1.00 per frame.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Plans for foundationless medium frames (the image is also a link to the SketchUp plans)-->
​


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Colino said:


> Not bad but I don't need 100 frames for 1 or 2 hobby hives.


You probably do actually - that would only be 5 ten frame boxes for each of 2 hives. Depending on what depth you use it might not even be enough. Besides you need more than one or two hives to have reasonable bee-security. 2-3 at least. It is far better to have a few extra frames on a shelf somewhere than to be short.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I usually don't buy frames in lots of less than a thousand... sooner or later you'll need them. That's only a hundred boxes and in a bumper crop year, that's only about ten hives with ten boxes...


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## Colino (May 28, 2013)

David LaFerney said:


> You probably do actually - that would only be 5 ten frame boxes for each of 2 hives. Depending on what depth you use it might not even be enough. Besides you need more than one or two hives to have reasonable bee-security. 2-3 at least. It is far better to have a few extra frames on a shelf somewhere than to be short.


I see your point David, so I've made 250 because I have free material and lots of time and no budget. Also I've got hundreds of board feet of 1x4 that I've figured out a way to use for supers.


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