Just starting up and had a question about the space between frames in a standard 10 frame hive.
Received unassembled hive and super kits for Christmas from my wife and put everything together over the last couple weeks. Very excited about installing my first package of bees in the spring!
When I put 10 of the frames in and slide them tight together, there's a good 3/4"-1" of "extra space" left over. I assumed that 10 frames in a standard hive would fit a little tighter than that.
The frames don't seem to be "self-spacing" frames (that is, they don't have one side of the frame beveled like a couple of my books describe). But I still expected a little tighter fit.
Is this correct?
Is there an easy way to space the frames when there in the hives or do you just fake it? : )
Thanks.
-Craig
Hello and welcome to the forums. There is supposed to be space in between the top bars of the frames. I stick mine as tight as they can fit and then I make sure there is the same space between the frame and outside wall on each side using my hive tool.
Ah! That's great.
I was concerned that each time I inspected the hive, I'd have to distribute the "extra" spacing between each of the ten frames. Making sure they're tight and that the space is the same on the ends sounds like something actually achievable with bees around!
Thanks.
-Craig
Some people shave the outside shoulders of frames so they can get 11 frames in a hive until they are drawn out. Otherwise, get them as close together, leaving the outside gaps as pdmattox said so they are drawn properly.
Zinc,
Welcome to the board, please indicate in your profile your location, it helps to know where you live. I fill that extra space with another frame by shaving the other 10 just a little so that 11 frames fit a little snug.
Nevermind, Dude up there beat me to it ;)
Zinc,
If you are not an over zealous beek (which I suggest you don't become for the bees sake) by the end of the season you will most likely have enough propolis and wax on your bar ends to fill that little void and will find it really tough by the middle of the second season to remove these frames.
Welcome aboard and glad to see you chose to become a bee keeper. Good luck this spring.
Good question Zinc!
I just finished building more hives this weekend and when i was done I wondered the same thing about the leftover space.
Last spring I used a spacer for 9 frames but I found out from here that perhaps the nine frames was why i had so much burr comb. I was also using EZ frames from Dadants and this time I'm going to use real frames and plasticell./ I'll have 10 frames instead of nine now too.
Welcome to the forums!
Your friend,
john
don't worry it will only seem loose when the box and frames are new. once the bees draw the comb and start pulling in propolis, you'll be glad there was some extra space to begin with.
>When I put 10 of the frames in and slide them tight together, there's a good 3/4"-1" of "extra space" left over. I assumed that 10 frames in a standard hive would fit a little tighter than that.
Put them tightly in the middle.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#framespacing