Lance Gillette wrote: > > I'm becoming a new beekeeper next month. If a box is 9 5/8" deep and the > frames for it are 9 1/8" tall there will be 1/2" space above and below the > frames. This is 1/8" more than the maximum allowable bee space. People > recommend this size equipment but when I email them this question I get no > reply. How is this supposed to work? > > Lance Gillette The worse problem you should run into is a little burr comb. I have seen equipment with not enough space above for the bees to cross the top of the frames. Personally i wouldn't give it another thought but if the 1/8" bothers you you could add a stoller frame rest or after the foundation is drawn go to a nine frame spacer. You could add a 1/8 piece of wood on shelf but i don't think it would hold up over time to shelf cleaning with a hive tool. I have spaced shelfs with 1/4" wood on some old equipment i purchased and they held up ok. Through the years i have seen many different depths of shelf cuts. Beekeeping needs new beekeepers so if you have questions fire away! R.P.Harrison