# How deep are your deeps?



## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

9 5/8 is standard depth.


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Boxes MUST be 3/8" deeper than the height of frames (to provide bee space between frames when boxes are stacked). Make them "fit" the frames you plan to use.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I regret having sawn new ones down to 9 1/2", because over the decades they shrink down. Is Sawn a word?


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## beebze (Sep 24, 2007)

Also make them 14"s wide. Maybe that's standard now but when I started all eight frame were 13 7/8's.

I don't think sawn a word. Well, maybe it is, just depends on what part of the US you are from.

Andy


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## jjgbee (Oct 12, 2006)

You have not read the chapter on bee space. You should research it. On your question. Make your box so when setting on a work bench the frame bottoms will be touching the bench and there will be 5/16 to 3/8 in free space between the top of box and top of frames. That is your bee space. Your bee space on the bottom box is created by the rabbet on the bottom board.


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## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

does anyone supplier make frames a 1/8 inch shorter so you can make boxes 9 1/2 deep and use a 1 x 10 instead of a 1 x 12. Seems really stupid to make deeps 9 5/8 so you need a 1 x 12.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

This may help:
This verb has two forms of past participle : sawed / sawn

As far as I remember I have always used "sawn", possibly because my former teachers of English preferred this form.
Ernie


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## Velbert (Mar 19, 2006)

Several years back finished lumber use to be 9 3/4" on a 10" board it's the lumber industry that has changed

sawn/sawed kinda like dad use to say clumb a tree


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## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

Velbert said:


> Several years back finished lumber use to be 9 3/4" on a 10" board it's the lumber industry that has changed
> 
> sawn/sawed kinda like dad use to say clumb a tree


I was thinking after i wrote the post that at one time the one by tens probably were actually 1" x 10" and 9 n 5/8's or 3/4's allowed you to square up the board

I think boxes should evolve and be 9 n 3/8's or 1/4 now. Yes that would mean havin to keep your attention bill paid. Simpy stamp all new boxes and frames with a 1/4 or 3/8's till your cycled out.

You think any suppliers would make a special order for 1/4' shorter frames?

Anybody!!

just me bee brain thinkin again

sawn in definition

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sawn

my gramma used to say, "cant is not a word". Is now gramma, aint it.


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## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

WI-beek said:


> does anyone supplier make frames a 1/8 inch shorter so you can make boxes 9 1/2 deep and use a 1 x 10 instead of a 1 x 12. Seems really stupid to make deeps 9 5/8 so you need a 1 x 12.


Looking at the humble abodes website, they will make any size you want,
http://humbleabodesinc.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=17


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## beebze (Sep 24, 2007)

Well I learned something today. I haven't yet used Sawn before but maybe some time in my life I will. (sp checker doesn't like the word)

The one thing you have to consider is placing foundation in your 1/8" smaller frame. I guess it depends on the what foundation you decide to use. 

I use cleats on my boxes, makes them easier to pick them up. When I made my own boxes I used a 1 x 12 and the extra piece I would make a cleat out of or other things. One thing about pine, there is not much wasted.

You should stick with the industry standard. Will make it easier down the road.

Andy


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

For sure there is resawn lumber. Spell checker no like.


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## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

Lack of an industry standard is what caused me to start this post.
B&B honey catalog list a 9 5/8" hive body
Humble abodes list a 9 1/2" hive body
and a 50 year plus commerical beek suggested I go 9 7/8"

I am assumeing that all deep frames are 9 1/8" so are the rabbits different is the bee space different?


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Somewhere I have read that 5/8" rabbet is "standard". That will make the beespace above the frames 1/4". Some use 3/4" and have 3/8" above the frames.

Frames come in many sizes too. They are not all 9-1/8".


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

With a 5/8 in. rabbet the standard depth for a deep is 9 19/32. The measurements are from an old edition of the Hive and the Honey Bee. My experience is that if a person makes non-standard equipment in the long run it is nothing but a headache. Pass the aspirin, please!


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## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

Ok then can someone post the "standard" including the rabbit dimension.
I called the place (humble abodes)that I will be buying frames from and asked them to send me a sample. So I can check bee space once I get the right size.


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## jbw (Mar 8, 2009)

http://www.beesource.com/files/10frlang.pdf


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## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

AR Beekeeper said:


> With a 5/8 in. rabbet the standard depth for a deep is 9 19/32. The measurements are from an old edition of the Hive and the Honey Bee. My experience is that if a person makes non-standard equipment in the long run it is nothing but a headache. Pass the aspirin, please!


You are right, it only would lead to a headache. That said though, there does seem to still be a lack of a standard. My friend inherited bee equipment from his father. It was all in the garage attic and I helped him clean it up...........

Anyhow I talked with his dad and he told me that he had been given stuff from a couple different beekeepers when they decided to quit keepeing bees. Some boxes dont line up with otheres. Some seem to be 1/4 inch different in box width or so. Some have the bee space on bottom of frames instead of top. I noticed this right away and read about the difference in a book back then and came to the conclusion that the reses was better on top because you would not crush bee when stacking boxes during an inspection. I told my friend about this but he is not the brightest bulb inthe house and informed me the other day that some boxes were different in this way on his beehives and I just shook my head at his stupidity. One of those guys where its just better to follow along and say as little as possible, agree rather than disagree or lose your sanity trying to deal with there stupidity. Anybody actually keep friends like this besides me?

Then there is this humble abodies. They make a 9 n 1/2 half in box. It seems the rest of there boxes are standard though. They must be saving a buck or two. I guess I dont know why Im rambling on about this but if you make your own boxes and stay consistant it can be the end of the world to have a box a 1/8in shorter. I also thought bee space was 3/8 to 1/2 inch and not 1/4 inch. Myabe my memory is already failing in my mid age.

Does anyone have a link to video of making frames? Not putting them together but sawing them. I would like to see how they do it. I alway have trouble trying to picture woodwork in my head when reading it.

Ok, Ill stop rambling now.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

When I started beekeeping I made boxes with a bottom bee space because a friend made his that way. Now I have a storage building full of boxes imposible to sell because everyone else uses the standard top bee space. On top of that I like to "piddle around" with different types of boxes so I have box after box of non standard size. I had fun with them but now I pay the price.


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

>With a 5/8 in. rabbet the standard depth for a deep is 9 19/32 . . .
Not true. The rabbet has nothing to do w/ the depth of the box.
A 9-1/8" frame will fit inside a 9-1/2" box if the rabbet is 3/8" deep or 3/4" deep.
The rabbet determines where the 3/8" beespace is located.
If the rabbet is 5/8" and box depth is 9-1/2", there will be 1/4" beespace at the top and 1/8" at the bottom. Once the boxes are stacked, there will be 3/8" between the frames and a 1/4" beespace under inner cover. The 1/8" space at the bottom of the stack will add the the 7/8" of a standard bottom board to make 1" from the frames to BB (thats "standard" too ).

Frames come in many sizes close to 9-1/8". Get your frames FIRST and make the box 3/8" taller.


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