# Depth of hive box



## thehackleguy (Jul 29, 2014)

Does the depth of the hive box matter on a Warre' hive? The original Warre' plans are about 2" short of a 1x10 but slightly taller than a 1x8 board. I'm thinking of just using the 1x10" and not cut the extra off the bottom. My thought is that with everything else being the same everything will be interchangeable still.


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## maynard (Jul 7, 2014)

Originally Warre was experimenting with boxes twice as tall, but they were always finding boxes at harvest time have full of honey, and half full of brood and wishing they could cut the boxes in half.

So they did.

I don't think the depth is critical. I could be wrong though.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Aren't the frames for a Warre' hive bottomless? All the pictures/drawings I've seen look like there's no bottom to the frame. If so the depth of the hive box won't matter as the bees should build comb down until they have the correct bee space at the bottom. When making Lang boxes, if my wood isn't wide enough to get 9 5/8" or 6 5/8" I just glue and nail a strip of wood the thickness to get what I need. I use Titebond III so it holds up well to exterior conditions, especially after staining or painting.
Like you said, everything else is the same for length and width.


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## maynard (Jul 7, 2014)

GaryG74 said:


> Aren't the frames for a Warre' hive bottomless?


Warres can have frames or not, have full or half frames, foundation or not. I was assuming framless warres. In which case, I don't think the depth would matter at all. If you had frames and had boxes of incorrect depth for the frames (assuming full frames). Things could get pretty jammed up in there making having frames a moot point.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I have Warre boxes from three different US suppliers, and they differ in width by a total of 1/2", three different widths. The only reason a deeper comb might matter is that it could detach from it's topbar easier. You can always saw them shorter later if you decide they are too deep. I would use your whole depth of lumber. The bees won't know. Some Warre purist might have a cow, however. 
I am consider making one even wider, maybe 14" X 14", or 16" X 16". Bernard, what do you say?


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

It won't matter much. I wouldn't add too much width or depth, but a little won't matter. For a bunch of reasons the Warré dimensions are optimal for keeping bees. You loose some of the advantages if you change the dimensions. Being interchangeable with others is an important reason to stay with standards.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>For a bunch of reasons the Warré dimensions are optimal for keeping bees.

In my climate I think a larger hive will produce more with less work and swarming. These are Brother Adam size hives:


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

Are those live hives in a trailer? What's with the blue painters tape? Is that something Brother Adam did too?


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Charlie B said:


> Are those live hives in a trailer? What's with the blue painters tape? Is that something Brother Adam did too?


Yes, six Jumbo hives on a trailer with screened bottom boards over expanded metal trailer floor.
Blue painters tape with acrylic paint marker for note keeping, date super was placed, or other. 
I think Brother Adam's fellow Monks hand loaded hives on trucks and trailers for moving.

Charlie, we will pull that crop soon, come down and help me and my fellow monks lift off the crop. Only 50 feet travel to the extracting room.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

Fine but I get some honey out of the deal!


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## thehackleguy (Jul 29, 2014)

Awesome, thanks for the replies. I think I will keep them the way they are and then cut them if I don't like it. That is what I do now anyway, I build them and then cut a strip off the bottom once they are ready to go.


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