Question about a gap

[Falesh]

I've finished making up the frames and hive but there is a gap when I add all the frames to the hive.

The inside of the hive is 37.5cm wide, the 10 frames total 35cm wide and the remaining gap is 2.5cm.

Should there be a gap? If there should be one should I space the frames out to fill it or should I bunch them up like in the picture, though doing that sounds like a good way to get brace comb? If there shouldn't be a gap I was thinking about filling it with wood attached to the hive wall.

FYI the hive is a poly MB one and the frames were bought from MB too.

Cheers!

 

[Finman]

.
When you look gaps between frames, there should the same size gap between boath walls and the frame.
Then many boxes are planned so that you keep 10 mm thick dummy board. When you inspect the hive, you lift it first.

5 mm + 5 mm + 10 mm = 20 mm + a little bit extra . At least it needs 5 mm + 5 mm extra against walls.

 

[enrico]

As per finman
A dummy board goes at one end, that allows you to lift that out, you then have room to lift the next frame putting it against the wall when you put it back, that gap moves up the hive as you inspect each frame and then the dummy board goes in the gap left at the other end. As the frames get dirty with propolis etc that gap may well get smaller so the dummy should not be a tight fit!
E

 

[Falesh]

Thanks for that, just bought some plywood to make some dummy boards.