Plastic spacers/end

[Ellem]

Hi,

Complete newbie question warning here, before you read on

I have seen the plastic spacers/end mentioned on here and for sale (as well as in use), I think they are to get the correct spacing if Manley frames are used (?). They seem to be sold in wide or narrow, but what does that actually mean in use? Are the narrow for use in the BB & wide in the supers?

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[victor meldrew]

The narrows are for use in both the bb and supers
The wide ones are for supers only , initially narrow ones are used, once these have been drawn out , wide ones are then used . This reduces the number of frames required per super and improves the honey to wood/wax ratio
Manley frames as indeed hoffman require neither type as they are self spacing !

VM

 

[MuswellMetro]

The narrows are for use in both the bb and supers
The wide ones are for supers only , initially narrow ones are used, once these have been drawn out , wide ones are then used . This reduces the number of frames required per super and improves the honey to wood/wax ratio
Manley frames as indeed hoffman require neither type as they are self spacing !

VM

There is no need to use narrow in a super, wides when staggered give the same spacing as narrow spacers

see link to previous post and photos

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5601&highlight=staggered+spacers

manley dont need spacers, like hoffmans they are self spacing but manleys can be difficult to draw evenly and some of my bees make brace comb in them


( note the dummy is only for transporting not used in honey supers only when a super is used as brood ie on brood and half)

 

[victor meldrew]

There is no need to use narrow in a super, wides when staggered give the same spacing as narrow

see link to previous post

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5601&highlight=staggered+spacers

manley dont need spacers, like hoffmans they are self spacing but manleys can be difficult to draw

Too true , just didn't want to confuse the issue

VM

 

[Ellem]

Thanks VM & MM.

MM - You managed to intercept my next question (which was going to be about me having seen them being used staggered )

I'd searched for plastic ends and plastic spacers but couldn't find relevant thread, so thanks for linking it for me (need to learn how best to phrase search terms on here )

 

[Poly Hive]

The problem is that at this point in your beekeping career you are facing a pretty important decision.

The Q is this.

If you are intending not moving your hives then spacers are acceptable if a bit of a faff.

If you are intending moving hives then you might want to consider starting out with Hoffman and or Manleys esp for your supers.

The pricing is this. 10 brood frames needing spacers are £11-49

£6-93 per 100 narrow spacers for brood frames
£7-94 per 100 wide spacers for super frames.

So your brood frame with spacers is £1.27

Hoffman are £1.39 each for brood.

For a measly £1-32 per brood box there is a lot of grief to be avoided.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

£6-93 per 100 narrow spacers for brood frames
£7-94 per 100 wide spacers for super frames.

Hoffmans are much better in the brood box,and as mentiond especially if moving hives, nucs around.

The price above quoted by PH is no doubt from the usual suspects,these can be obtained for £4 per hundred,same price for wide or narrow from Beehive Bits.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Hoffmans also have a slighty narrower spacing so 12 Hoffman frames can be fitted in a broodbox rather than 11 with pastic ends. Having 12 frames in a broodbox means the frames are closer together and having frames closer together is supposed to help in spring as colonies build up faster.

 

[victor meldrew]

Hoffmans also have a slighty narrower spacing so 12 Hoffman frames can be fitted in a broodbox rather than 11 with pastic ends. Having 12 frames in a broodbox means the frames are closer together and having frames closer together is supposed to help in spring as colonies build up faster.

Foe static hive,s spacers have a slight edge in that the area for squashing bees is less . especially 14x12s which have a large contact area and require care when closing frames together .
Having said that , I use hoffman 14x12s

VM

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hoffmans also have a slighty narrower spacing so 12 Hoffman frames can be fitted in a broodbox rather than 11 with pastic ends. Having 12 frames in a broodbox means the frames are closer together and having frames closer together is supposed to help in spring as colonies build up faster.

you obviously have a different strain of bees to me,

After just two months from a shook swarm onto new 14x12 hoffmans frames I have one Italian decent Queen who workers produce so much propolis that I cannot close up 11 frames tight enough to get a 12mm dummy board in!!

 

[OXFORDBEE]

M.M....

I do know what you mean about propolis. Some bees simply love the stuff and seal everything up with it, including open mesh floors... Also, prising Hoffman frames apart early/late in season when the temperature is cool is not as easy as when using plastic spacers as the propolis stick area is greater with Hoffman frames.

I use a hive tool as a lever against the hive wall to squish 11 frames together before sliding in the 12th. Maybe this is the difference. The propolis between the frames gets squeezed out when using the hive tool as a lever. I can use 12 frame Nationals and Commercials using this approach without too much hassle but one still has to be careful getting that first frame out in a full colony.

Victor's quite right about squishing bees. One has to be a little more careful when using Hoffman frames as some bees simply don't take the hint when frames are gently squeezed together.

The 12 frame thing is just something I've read and I'm passing it on for info, it's a slightly different angle on using Hoffman frames.