To Waldemar: Thank you for the answer!

>>No frames means you'll be able to perform very limited inspections. Swarm
cells, possibly disease will evade you.

Yes, that's true. I'm thinking about using double doors - the inner of
glass, the outer of insulated wood - so that I could see what's happening
inside.

>> I'd try some kind of a foundationless frame set-up that would let you
perform inspections and still put the nest back together the way it was.

That would be easily done in the "usual" hives I guess and I'm planning to
try it out as well.

***I'd cut off half of the combs in the brood chamber every year - would
that be wise?

>>For what purpose - to collect surplus honey?

Well, our bee-keeping books nearly always insist that one should not let
combs for overwintering twice and try to renew all the combs once in two
years. It is said that otherwise the cells would remain too small (which,
maybe, is not a real problem), the honey would easily crystallize and combs
may be more contaminated. Actually, I would vandalize in the brood chamber
only if it really was necessary!

Waldemar Long Island, NY

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