Bob Darrell wrote:  At my age I find deeps too heavy when full of honey so use 9 frame mediums above Q excluders.
Langstroth is to blame for 'beekeeper's back'!  Try top bar hives.  They're probably not as productive but they're cheap to make (from recycled pallets] , everything is about waist height so you don't have to stoop, and the heaviest thing you have to lift is one comb at a time. I make mine in a semi-cylindrical shape with the top bar forming the diameter so the bees can draw their comb in their preferred catenary shape.  The bars are the same length as in standard hives so I can transfer bars to a nuc if desired.
Chris

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html