Super Frame Spacing

[BMH]

All my super frames are SN4 and all my boxes are swienty.

I had real issues uncapping this year as I was using them without any spacers so the wax was flush with the bars.

I had some 11's castellations which cut down, fit 10 frames in the swienty boxes perfectly, but it only added a 1mm or so each side of the frame - not sure this will be enough.

I want nice big fat frames to make uncapping easier.

I can get 10's and cut down to 9 frames

... or 9s and cut down to 8 frames.

Anyone have any experience with either of those castellations size and care to share what you think would work better?

Only draw comb will go into them and I only want one set per super I.e. draw them out on SN4 spacing and then into castellations

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[Jimmy]

I have predominantly swienty supers and a mix of frames, mainly Manley. I need to change frames as my new extractor doesn't take Manleys and 9 frames are a fraction too big for the super once propolised.

Rather than cutting down standard super castellations, wbc super castellations are only a few mm too long - but I found this is useful for embedding them in the side walls.

I've tried castellations resting in the plastic frame runner - it doesn't quite work wrt beespace vertically but I think I the super above had the frame lugs resting on the plastic frame runner. I need to try stacking supers with the same castellation set up to see if that solves the problem.

Were all frames drawn to the same depth? With Manley frames some are capped below the side bars, some is capped proud. The latter is a dream to uncap, the former not so much.

 

[Beefriendly]

Hand space to whatever gap you want...the bees soon stick them down.
Usually do 10 spaced in an Abelo poly super, which will take 11 frames. Most nicely protrude beyond the edges for the stream knife.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use 10 cut down to 9 but made out of plastic. Those frame runners from you.

 

[BMH]

Hand space to whatever gap you want...the bees soon stick them down.

Usually do 10 spaced in an Abelo poly super, which will take 11 frames. Most nicely protrude beyond the edges for the stream knife.

I'm selling my Abelo steam knife to upgrade to the Lyson auto uncapper so keen to keep frames as uniform as possible.

Plus, a lot of my sites arent that level so castellations help things sliding around.

I guess the question is can I get away with 8 frames in a swienty super or 9. I find 10 is just a bit too fine

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[BMH]

I use 10 cut down to 9 but made out of plastic. Those frame runners from you.

Ah that's good to hear. Dont by any chance have any pics of the frame thickness once capped at 9 frames do you?

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[BMH]

I have predominantly swienty supers and a mix of frames, mainly Manley. I need to change frames as my new extractor doesn't take Manleys and 9 frames are a fraction too big for the super once propolised.

Rather than cutting down standard super castellations, wbc super castellations are only a few mm too long - but I found this is useful for embedding them in the side walls.

I've tried castellations resting in the plastic frame runner - it doesn't quite work wrt beespace vertically but I think I the super above had the frame lugs resting on the plastic frame runner. I need to try stacking supers with the same castellation set up to see if that solves the problem.

Were all frames drawn to the same depth? With Manley frames some are capped below the side bars, some is capped proud. The latter is a dream to uncap, the former not so much.

ah I will take a look at the WBC ones. I like to cut them to fit snug. Drives me mad when I cut them too long and then they bend when I try to embed.

strange you mention about the beespace as I sit them in the runners and find they are perfectly flush with the top of the super and have no issues. Maybe different companies do different depths?

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[Millet]

After this year i am going to stick with 10 in the Abelo supers..i ran out of gear this year and put nine frames in some of the boxes..the result was a wafer thin slice of empty comb in between the frames on the very productive colonies.

 

[BMH]

After this year i am going to stick with 10 in the Abelo supers..i ran out of gear this year and put nine frames in some of the boxes..the result was a wafer thin slice of empty comb in between the frames on the very productive colonies.

Was it drawn comb at 9s or foundation?

Maybe 8 is too far then.

I'll take a look at cutting down some 10's to fit 9 frames across. That should give plenty of depth without causing major issues.

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[BMH]

After this year i am going to stick with 10 in the Abelo supers..i ran out of gear this year and put nine frames in some of the boxes..the result was a wafer thin slice of empty comb in between the frames on the very productive colonies.

Ah just re-read that's the Abelo that holds 11. How did you space in the Abelo? Just by eye?

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[Millet]

Ah just re-read that's the Abelo that holds 11. How did you space in the Abelo? Just by eye?

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Spaced by eye..and the wafer thin comb drawn was around 6mm thick and empty of honey..

 

[Fusion_power]

Spacing is a function of frame design. The top bars of the frames should wind up separated between 16 and 24 mm when used for thick combs of honey. As noted, only drawn combs should be spaced to these widths. Frames of foundation with wide spacing will wind up with extra bee-drawn strips between the combs.

A trick shown to me by a beekeeper 30 years ago was to cut a wooden spacer on a table saw with "teeth" the desired spacing of the comb. Each "tooth" was cut into a triangle with tips about 80 mm long so it could be inserted between each of the frames and used to set each frame in the box at the desired spacing. All of the frames were spaced at the same time with little effort. This obviously does not help much with keeping the frames stable during transport.