Frame spaces

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Stephenw

House Bee
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Hi

Recently built a national super and frames but there was no grove for castelled spacers. Does anyone know what space there is supposed to be in between each frame and is there anyway of making spacers?



Steve
 
Ok
Have you already got the castellated metal strips but not yet fitted them or are you looking for another way of spacing the frames?
 
No I havnt got any castelled spacers but they shouldnt be too hard to make. Is there antoher way of spacing?


Thanks
 
No I havnt got any castelled spacers but they shouldnt be too hard to make. Is there antoher way of spacing?


Thanks
Casstellated,buy them for about £1 a pair for starting with foundation on ten or eleven slot...or manley self spacing frames,or hoffman self spacing frames,or sn1 with narrow plastic spacers or metal spacers, or the same with wide plastic or metal spacers,or just space them by eye....plenty of spacing options and frame types.
 
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yes you can buy plastic spacers or "ends" which push onto the frame lugs.
There are 2 widths and for the supers you need the wide spacers which are 51mm. When you first use them to help the bees draw out the foundation stagger them, then as the comb builds widen out the space between each frame by putting the plastic ends in a uniform row. You need to chack that your top bars are 22mm wide as the plastic ends don't normally fit onto 27mm wide top bars.

Another way of spacing is to use Manley side bars which are self spacing, as are the hofmanns)

If you've already got side bars best check to see what kind they are (straight I assume as you are asking this question)
 
The plastic spacers are cheap. Much less of an effort than making "self-spaced" frames like Manleys or Hoffmans.


Ben P
 
No need to make Hofmann or Manley frames - you can buy them.

I use either hofmann or manley in the supers - i don't like the castellations.

don't forget you will have to remove all those plastic ends when extracting.
 
Hi

Recently built a national super and frames but there was no grove for castelled spacers. Does anyone know what space there is supposed to be in between each frame and is there anyway of making spacers?



Steve

see here

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4008


just to clarify, use of Dummy frames, i only use them with one of my colonies because they brace comb EVERYTHING wider than 6mm
 
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FWIW.

Castellation suit some but not me.

Frame spacers suit some, again not me. Just a faff at extraction time.

Manley and Hoffman super frames were invented many years ago to just avoid precisely this issue.

KISS

PH
 
A certain beekeeping supplier based in Maisemore had a bad batch of castellated spacers through last year....they had an extra castle on them so useless for National supers (and others) and were dumped outside their entrance.

The lord helps those who helps themselves...so I asked and I was told help yourself....so I did and came away with 50 pairs.

Coming to fit them over the weekend, I just used a tin snip to remove the excess..Simples !

They still had a load there when I last visited...

regards

S

PS - that is only an expression ! I believe bees have been with us for millions of years, not 4000 !!
 
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