Why sell ten 10 frames with a box that can fit 11?

[RogerIvy]

I was wondering …
if it’s good practise to put 11 frames with a dummy board, why do sellers include 10 frames as standard? Why not 11?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you will always need the odd spare frame so if you buy a pack of eleven, guaranteed you will need another one not long after, so why not sell them in dozens? or fourteens - even if you only have one hive you should always keep a few dozen spares in the shed.

 

[Boston Bees]

I was wondering …
if it’s good practise to put 11 frames with a dummy board, why do sellers include 10 frames as standard? Why not 11?

If someone sold a "complete hive kit" with only 10 frames in, that would be bad. Have they?

But apart from that, frames come in packs of 10 because it's a round number I guess. And while national hives fit 11 frames, nucs fit 5 or 6, so there's no right number for a pack really.

 

[Newbeeneil]

If someone sold a "complete hive kit" with only 10 frames in, that would be bad. Have they?

But apart from that, frames come in packs of 10 because it's a round number I guess. And while national hives fit 11 frames, nucs fit 5 or 6, so there's no right number for a pack really.

And WBC's have 10 frames so maybe the OP just has the wrong hives?

 

[user 20297]

That same question puzzled me until I became aware of the importance of a bit of wiggle room when removing frames, and the gradual, but noticeable expansion of space used by frames as they accumulate propolis. This means that fewer frames fit in the box.
It's also relevant that some types of box will fit fewer or more than eleven frames. There are frames with differing widths of sidebar and some people fit castellated supports which are designed to fit reduced numbers of frames in a box.
As honey frames become fatter over time, there may be an incentive to space them more widely to increase the amount of honey stored per frame.
In general, the deeper beekeeping gets its claws into you, exact numbers of kit are irrelevant, you just need as much as possible.

 

[RogerIvy]

In my case I bought a complete hive kit. To be fair they clearly stated that it comes with 10 brood frames, but clearly I need to buy some extras to “complete” the kit

 

[Boston Bees]

In my case I bought a complete hive kit. To be fair they clearly stated that it comes with 10 brood frames, but clearly I need to buy some extras to “complete” the kit

Yes, well, I think I can guess which supplier this was sold by. It's not normal or acceptable, given that beginners buy these kits.

 

[blackcloud]

In my case I bought a complete hive kit. To be fair they clearly stated that it comes with 10 brood frames, but clearly I need to buy some extras to “complete” the kit

What is a "complete" kit?-you will eventually need additional components.
Plus another hives-worth as spares.

 

[thorn]

Rose boxes take 12 Hoffman frames. Thornes sells rose frames and foundation in packs of 10, and also sells both as singles. Presumably they could instruct whoever does their packaging to go to 12 per pack. So why?

 

[RogerIvy]

What is a "complete" kit?-you will eventually need additional components.
Plus another hives-worth as spares.

I guess something like this would qualify as a “complete kit”:

https://bee-equipment.co.uk/product...t-flat-pine-with-rite-cell-plastic-foundation
I decided to try out the plastic foundation - simple curiosity. Fascinated by the colour of the DN4 foundation.

The actual hive is fine. It’s inexpensive pine which I spent several days treating (Bee friendly of course). In theory should last ages as long as I re-treat every now and then.

I looked around for a “complete hive”. Didn’t find one that sells with 11 or 12 frames - all the ones I saw were 10 frames. Seems to be a standard. Hence my OP

 

[Boston Bees]

I guess something like this would qualify as a “complete kit”:

https://bee-equipment.co.uk/product...t-flat-pine-with-rite-cell-plastic-foundation
I decided to try out the plastic foundation - simple curiosity. Fascinated by the colour of the DN4 foundation.

The actual hive is fine. It’s inexpensive pine which I spent several days treating (Bee friendly of course). In theory should last ages as long as I re-treat every now and then.

I looked around for a “complete hive”. Didn’t find one that sells with 11 or 12 frames - all the ones I saw were 10 frames. Seems to be a standard. Hence my OP

Checked on Thornes and Paynes this morning and both their kits come with 11 brood frames. National Bee Supplies does 12. Haven't looked at others to check, but 11 brood frames is certainly what would be viewed as standard in a "National Hive Kit"

Bee Equipment is right at the budget end of the market, so it doesn't surprise me that they do 10.

 

[Garry R]

Commercial sense I think. You need eleven frames. We sell 10's so you'll need to spend another £15 so you can get the spare one you need. Now you get a swarm and you only have 9 frames - so it goes on.................... and foundation is the same!!

 

[Murox]

Rose boxes take 12 Hoffman frames. Thornes sells rose frames and foundation in packs of 10, and also sells both as singles. Presumably they could instruct whoever does their packaging to go to 12 per pack. So why?

Simple marketing tricks.

 

[Murox]

In my case I bought a complete hive kit. To be fair they clearly stated that it comes with 10 brood frames, but clearly I need to buy some extras to “complete” the kit

Yes, I agree with Boston bees (post 7). I bought a "complete poly hive" over the winter months from a particular supplier, interestingly they had the decency to supply it with 11 brood frames. A pack of 10 plus one.

 

[RogerIvy]

To be sure it was a very inexpensive hive. My cedar hives cost much more (but I bought them without frames).

 

[Finman]

If the box is planned to 10 frames. Then it is better to use 10 frames. If the box is too too tight, nursing is difficult.

 

[Finman]

To be sure it was a very inexpensive hive. My cedar hives cost much more (but I bought them without frames).

And why 10 frames cost more than the box?

 

[Boston Bees]

If the box is planned to 10 frames. Then it is better to use 10 frames. If the box is too too tight, nursing is difficult.

National boxes take 11 frames, plus a little bit of spare space

 

[Finman]

National boxes take 11 frames, plus a little bit of spare space

When I started beekeeping, American langstroth had standard 9 frames. Later I had to install 10 frame polyhives with 9 frame wooden boxes . But it was a simple job.

In my old honey supers I used - 1 frame which is 8 frames.

 

[RogerIvy]

National boxes take 11 frames, plus a little bit of spare space

Agree - in fact the "spare space" can fit a 12th frame although it get a little crowded in there.