odd honey super size

[stella]

I just found out today that what I thought were normal sized honey supers are really too shallow to order frames for. They are only 4 7/8 deep.
I aquired this hive used. Cleaned it, sanded it, painted it...I thought I had all my ducks in a row.
Am I going to have to spend more money on new supers? And what are these size supers for?
Bees are coming in a month.
Thanks.

[stella]

Or wait a minute....could I take two of those and make a deep? hmmmm...

[buzzbee]

Is it possible it's a super for Ross Rounds or comb honey?

[kathyp]

keep those for when you need an extra box on top for sugar or something.  unassembled boxes and frames are not to expensive especially if you can catch some free shipping.  maybe someone knows if anyone is shipping free right now?

[wadehump]

they sound like old comb honey boxes i had some back when i first got bees in the mid 70,s . i just ordered frames and added to the bottom of the boxes to fit the frames

[Jim 134]

  (If the boxes are 10 frames)
You can buy top feeder insert form Mann Lake Cat.# FD-109 and it will look like Cat.# FD-110
 

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/m23Search/DisplayResults.asp?sIDSearch=178980

  

   BEE HAPPY Jim 134

[stella]

You guys are great...I called Mann Lake as I am putting together my order with them. They have free shipping over 100 bucks... Im double over that. ..cause Im so new.
They mentioned the Ross Round conversion but it costs 80 bucks. Scratch that.
They also mentioned the top feeder but I think Ill go with my extra Deep and a chicken waterer for the spring syrup water. Cheaper.
I will possibly use these odd supers down the line like Wadehump suggested for fall feeding.
I can buy the 10 frame honey super I need with frames for 40 bucks so I guess thats what Ill do.

I dont like being so naive on this new hobby. It has found me more than I have looked for it. I am just accepting it as fate that I should try to be a beekeeper. I am muddling through the best I can. Thank you all for the considerate responses.
I hate to say this because we are in the heat of the ordering season but the woman at Mann Lake patience's were short. As a newbee, I really needed some support with my (apparently stupid) questions.
Huge thanks to all here for the kindness!

[Shanevrr]

Or wait a minute....could I take two of those and make a deep? hmmmm...

yes you can

[stella]

I dont know how to add a quote that someone posted so Ill take the long ol' fashioned route..."yes you can" (add the boxes together) by shanevrr.
Cool, thank you Shanevrr.

[kathyp]

chicken waterer for the spring syrup water.

be sure to screen the hole or the bees will climb inside and you'll have a chicken waterer full of dead bees.  i use some window screen that i gorilla glue in place and then run some duct tape on the edges just to be double sure they can't get in. 

[Shanevrr]

I dont know how to add a quote that someone posted so Ill take the long ol' fashioned route..."yes you can" (add the boxes together) by shanevrr.
Cool, thank you Shanevrr.

just click quote button on upper right side of your post and then type under quote

[Brian D. Bray]

I just found out today that what I thought were normal sized honey supers are really too shallow to order frames for. They are only 4 7/8 deep.
I aquired this hive used. Cleaned it, sanded it, painted it...I thought I had all my ducks in a row.
Am I going to have to spend more money on new supers? And what are these size supers for?
Bees are coming in a month.
Thanks.

Get some 1X1 stock and deepen the box, then order shallow frames.  I've used that trick a lot when given old comb honey boxes.

[Michael Bush]

4 7/8" boxes are usually described as "extra shallow"  They are often used to do cut comb honey with hoffman frames or, better, split top and solid bottom bar frames.  They are also often converted to do basswood sections.  Last I looked frames, foundation and boxes of that size were still for sale by Walter T. Kelley.  It is a standard, albiet slightly archaic size.