Build Your Own: Shoulderless Frame

My first year, I bought six single deeps. Each had nine frames. However something was weird about those frames, they were not self spacing frames like I was commonly used to. I thought I got ripped off. However I came to think about it over the years and learned to love shoulderless frames. Sure, its a little more work to space them out but they do have many benefits.

 They are quite easy to build, unlike the fancy milled store bought ones; and they can be made from scrap. Used in a honey super, they are extremely easy to uncap. They would great in nine frame, ten frame, and even eleven frame configuration. Many Michael Bush followers testify to small cell, 1 1/4" comb spacing in the brood box. Consequently they spend a great deal of time cutting down perfectly good frames. This way you can space them as you would like, and you arent making equipment unusable if you switch back to common 1 3/8s spacing. They are also OLD SCHOOL, so if you want to be a hardcore beekeeper, you have to keep it old school!

There are many possible cut list for this project that are more efficient, I showed the easiest one. I will elaborate on that later.

Step One

 

 You will require a strip of wood of 1" thickness (7/8" will also work fine, just make minor adjustments on the bottom bar), 35 1/2" long, and 1 1/4" wide. Set the fence on the table saw to 3/4" and rip the board down into 3/4" and 3/8" strips.

It is much more efficient if you have a piece 1 3/4" wide stock wood, this way you can rip an additional 3/8" strip which will equal one frame every 19".Just add another 1/8" inch saw cut, and another 3/8" strip of wood in addition to the picture.

If you are running many of these off however just keep running off 3/4" and 3/8" strips.

Step Two- Sizing it all up

Cut the various lengths from your strips of wood.

Top Bar - 19"
End Bar - 8 3/4" (2)* 
Bottom Bar - 17 3/4"

*5 7/8" for Mediums, 5" for Shallows

Set the fence to 7/8" and run your bottom bar through, this will take off 1/8"

Step Three - Top Bar

 Begin by cutting out the part of the frame that sits on the frame rest using a table saw, or router to the proper dimensions. Cut the one inch part first, as we will need a blade depth of 3/8" for the next step (save time).

 Set the fence of your table saw to 7/16" if you want to be perfect. Otherwise set it to 1/2 inch. Adjust the blade depth to 3/8" (if it is not already there).

Step Four - Bottom Bar

Adjust the depth of the saw blade to 1/4" and the fence to 3/8". Run the bottom bar through creating the slot for foundation.

Step Five - End Bars

Despite the easy cut, be careful cutting out the bottom of the end bars. 1/16" does not leave a great deal of room for failure. The cut above is a depth of 3/8". If you are having problems keeping tight tolerances consider reducing the width of the bottom bar to 3/4". This will leave you with 1/8" on either side.

Step Six - Assemble