Hello CSlade777,

Thursday, October 18, 2001, 1:23:50 AM, you wrote:

CAC> Debra Sharpe has trouble in lifting a full size box (presumably Langstroth)
CAC> full of honey.  I have occasionlly had the same problem when the bees have
CAC> filled a national box with honey - it seems to be glued down at first.  It
CAC> must be one of the causes of beekeeper's back.

CAC> I suggest Debra could solve her problem by lateral thinking.  Instead of
CAC> having 20 frames in 2 layers of 10, have them all side by side in a single
CAC> layer.  Of course, it will mean breaking with convention and also doing a
CAC> little carpentry, but, hey, why follow the herd.  You have nothing to lose

Remarks on Chris suggesting to think lateral.

I do use for over 25 years now bee hives wich are constructed in that
way that I do not need to lift any super!

The hives I am using have 17 combs side by side as the brood chamber.
The brood chamber is separated from the honey room by a vertical queen
excluder taking another 17 frames. Thus I do have 34 frames in my hive
wich I can inspect without moving any supers. In that way bee I have no
problems at all lifting heavy weights.

This bee hive was invented about 35 years ago by the bee keeper Golz
who propagated this type of bee hive for easy bee keeping in Germany.
Of course this is no Langstroth type bee hive but I like it and the honey
production within such a hive is the same. It allows very easy and
"natural" beekeeping letting the hive to be adjusted more carefully to
the bees needs without having to handle space by supers. This type of
hive can be adapted to different frame types, thus it is not needed to
use the european frame dimensions which differ from Langstroth.

If one wants more information, please let me know.

Best regards,
 Ahlert