Space between frames

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lebouche

House Bee
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
458
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Location
London and Berks
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
2
Hi,
I have some frames which aren't Hoffman (self spacing) mixed in with my Hoffman frames….well to be precise one frame.
I have stuck the plastic end spacers on the frames to space them out properly but it does not look like the same space between frames with the plastic spacers as would occur wit the hoffman.
Is this my imagination?

Thanks,
 
Brood spacing is important. Super frame spacing is more a matter of beekeeper choice & preference.

Topbar-end spacers are not exactly the same spacing as hoffmans.
However you can get "hoffman converter clips" that attach to the sidebars and (almost) give you hoffmans. Not by any means ideal, but the best I've come across for dealing with odd frames. Thorne sell them in packs of 50 (so 25 frames worth) for £5 something.

Agree that a single frame in your setup is best worked to the side, then dumped.
 
I have quite a few crossovers, just make sure that all your frames have plastic ends even if they are Hoffman. Solves all my problems!
E
 
To check the spacing the frame centers should be 35mm apart.
 
To check the spacing the frame centers should be 35mm apart.

I just love it! How can the frame separation be the same for both 11 or 12 frames in the box?
 
To check the spacing the frame centers should be 35mm apart.

I just love it! How can the frame separation be the same for both 11 or 12 frames in the box?

Too Delphic for the Beginners' Section.

35mm is the common spacing for National hoffmans. (but there is indeed more to it than that, but not to bother beginners with.)

And in a National (or 14x12) brood box, using 11 hoffmans plus a thin flat dummy board (not a dummy frame) is the sensible way to go before looking for complications! :)
 
Thanks for the replies,
I have 12 frames in there at the moment. It is in the middle of the brood nest and the bees have extended it from super frame to full size 14x12. I will work it to the side.
 
few more questions on this topic

Hi I have a few more questions on this topic..
Today while making up frames I realised that the top bars are different widths. Not sure if I have mixed up super with brood top bars. Are they different widths?
Also I saw that last week I hadn't pushed together all of the frames properly. If I do so tomorrow will I squash some bees and destroy the bee space?

Any advice much appreciated.
Thanks,
 
Top bars come in different widths, dn1 and dn 2 for example. It makes no difference at all. The belief is that the wider the frame top bars the less brace comb gets built. But ..... You can mix and match with no problem!
This may help
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/bsp.html.
E
 
Last edited:
Top bars come in different widths, dn1 and dn 2 for example. It makes no difference at all. The belief is that the wider the frame top bars the less brace comb gets built. But ..... You can mix and match with no problem!
This may help
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/bsp.html.
E
Oh, thanks for that. I guess if I push those frames combs together it will be fine then!
Thanks again!
 
Oh, thanks for that. I guess if I push those frames combs together it will be fine then!
Thanks again!

No! Not exactly, you have to use spacers of some sort, they either come on the side bars or you add your own on the top bars, you can't guess the spacing but you need to try and use only one type otherwise it gets confusing!
E
 
Oh my gawd!!!
Because of the space difference that I noticed I was shy to force them together. It's all a bit of a mess now. I had a full look through each hive today and I have one comb left without the plastic spacers only now. Not sure I can fit them in as it's a pretty tight squeeze.
I rally don't know how to tell how much space they have in-between frames now.
 

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