# Which Frame Gripper?



## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

I need to buy a frame gripper. Which one should I buy?


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

I don't use a frame gripper, I use a "J-Tool" hive tool. It has a hook on one end that lifts the frames out good for me.


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## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

get the cast one from walter kelley. good luck,mike


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I don't know about the rest of you but I have two grippers...can't remember whose they are...but they work poorly on plastic frames. I primarily use wood frames but have some plastic mixed in that came from nucs purchased from others. If I don't pay attention, those plastic frames slip right out of the grippers making for a frame of very angry and overly attentive bees.


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

derek I wouldnt bother with a frame gripper just starting out. I would buy a maxant hive tool. Frame grippers look good on paper and would work good in a perfect world, however. in reality the bees glue the frames into the supers making it hard to just pull them out. you end up using the hive tool to break them loose anyhow. I have a frame gripper and honestly I couldnt even tell you what I did with it. I think my wife at one time used it when helping extract. But she even decided it wasnt worth the extra effort.


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

Are you using the Maxant HT-2-MS.

http://www.maxantindustries.com/tools.html


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

Derek said:


> Are you using the Maxant HT-2-MS.
> 
> http://www.maxantindustries.com/tools.html


yes sir that be the one.


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

riverrat said:


> yes sir that be the one.


Thanks!


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

Here' a strong "I agree 100%" to Rat's suggestion. Grips are OK, but a Maxant lifter is great. Some use the 'Italian' hive tool and swear by it, but I don't have one yet to compare how well I like it. I haven't even bother looking for the grip since the Maxant tool arrived.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

the Maxant HT-2-MS
Yea, that's what I call a J-Tool hive tool, it's absolutely great! It has a nice J hook at one end for lifting up the frames one end at a time, and a nice flat edged side for pushing bees aside as you work when needed.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

my experience seems to match that of others' here...i have 2 different frame grips, and i don't ever use them...don't even bring them out to the yards anymore. with that said, the cast aluminum one is better.

i use either the maxant tool (maxant is just down the street from us), and i also like the "giant hive tool" that either came from brushy mountain or betterbee.

deknow


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## Carl F (Aug 6, 2008)

*I use the grip*

I find the frame gripper useful in a hive (especially the bottom deep) that would just boil over with bees when I had it opened. Many times I found it hard to find a place to grab that there were not bees. If you prefer to wear gloves (against the advice of many on this site) the grip is helpful as gloves can get in the way.

I don't remember who I ordered mine from but it is the type with a pry tool sticking off the end to break the frame lose before trying to grip and lift it. I also have the "J" tool and find it useful as well. The frame gripper is not meant to replace a hive tool--more of a supplemental device.

I say buy one if it won't break the bank. Perhaps you'll like it, perhaps you won't. Do be sure to hang on firmly once you grab onto the frame.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

If I'm going to ocassionally drop frames of brood and bees, it's going to be from my own sticky little fingers, so I may have some warning that it's about to happen. I don't need a contraption to help insulate me from the "onus" of having let this happen, or to assist me in dropping frames, more often.

I did try them back in the 1960's, when I first started beekeeping and discovered that the pressure needed to keep ahold of the frame - with the holder, caused my hand to cramp, which aften resulted in dropping a frame + having a sore hand. No more cramps, and rarely a dropped frame, since I began using only my bare hands to handle frames.


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

Thanks for the advice. The reason I ask. I started the year with a TBH. And just recently purchased 2 nucs to go in my Lang equip. And did my first inspection last Saturday. The standard hive tool I have works great for my TBH but it was kind of a pain for the Lang style. I am going to get one of the Maxant's. I can see how that hook will help greatly.


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## ScadsOBees (Oct 2, 2003)

I have two really handy frame grippers that I use all the time. The nice thing about these grippers is that I never have to set them down, and I never lose them (hopefully!). I merely make sure that they are attached to the end of my arms and go out and check the hives.

They are the fanciest frame grippers that money can't buy. In fact, they also work for typing!!!

Seriously, though, ever since buying the italian hive tool with the little J prybar I never used a metal frame gripper again.

Rick


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## Jeffrey Todd (Mar 17, 2006)

Hi Derek,

I have to go against the grain here. After many years of using bare hands, I acquired a molded frame grip (far superior to the non-molded type) and now won't go to the yards without it.
I find the frame grip especially useful for removing and re-inserting frames with precision.


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

Walter Kelly now sells a standard style hive tool with the hook added.


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## NeilV (Nov 18, 2006)

*Like 'em myself*

I started out not using a frame gripper. My wife bought me one for Christmas last year and I eventually tried it. Now I use it always. It is the Walter Kelly model. I would recommend that a beginner get one. 

I agree that that you cannot use them to just yank out the first frame in a box. You need to use a hive tool to pry it loose. However, if you set that aside, then you can use the gripper and turn/push the remaining frames to pull them loose, usually without going back to the hive tool. Once you have a frame in the gripper, its easier to hold them/turn them etc without worrying about dropping them. Also, I squished more bees using gloves. (I don't go gloveless, because my hands swell when I get stung there.)

Anyway, it works for me and they don't cost much. I'd recommend the Walter Kelly one as standard equipment.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

ScadsOBees said:


> Seriously, though, ever since buying the italian hive tool with the little J prybar I never used a metal frame gripper again.


we have one of these...i don't like the hook on it...the one on the giant or the maxant works much better for me.

deknow


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## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

I have all wood frames and the cast grippers work really well with these. They don't work at all with plastic though.


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## knightm1 (Sep 5, 2008)

*Frame gripper*

I do not use a gripper much any more, but I own and like the Kelly gripper better than others I've seen.. It is more comfortable and less likely to pinch. You still need a hive tool to break the frame loose from the hive. I use the standard dadant hive tool. Cheap and effective. :thumbsup: The frame grip will allow you to pull the frame out with one hand, which can be handy. I did pull the top bar from a frame one time that wasn't quite loose enough, so bee careful.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>get the cast one from walter kelley. good luck,mike

I like the cast ones better for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the comfort of the grip. But since I got the Italian hive tools I don't use them much at all. I can't get the hook on the Maxant hive tool between the frames very easily. I have more of the Italian hive tools than I can count so that I can always find one.


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## ScadsOBees (Oct 2, 2003)

deknow said:


> we have one of these...i don't like the hook on it...the one on the giant or the maxant works much better for me.
> 
> deknow


Sorry, I have a Maxant too and really like it for gettting frames out. 

I have enough names to remember and can't keep track of what my hive tool is called, for crying out loud!!!

Rick


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

Does anyone have a link to the Italian hive tool. Or where to buy it. When I search it here, I get nothing but Italian bee threads.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Derek said:


> Does anyone have a link to the Italian hive tool. Or where to buy it. When I search it here, I get nothing but Italian bee threads.


http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/prodinfo.asp?number=591


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