On 13-Aug-08, at 3:36 PM, James Fischer wrote:

>>
> Just to complicate matters further, I've run
> 9-frame supers on 10-frame brood chambers
> for years, which is yet another approach.
>
>

hi Jim and all

I use 9 frames in both brood and honey boxes.  My reasoning, which  
has been confirmed many times helping others with their bees, is that  
you can hardly remove frames(self spacing) from 10 frame brood boxes  
without gelignite or some other brute force method.  All my honey  
supers(mediums) are equipped with 9 frame spacers.  I'm a small  
beekeeper and still use a 4 frame extractor(stainless) that I've had  
more than 30 years.  As a result I use the centre frame of each honey  
super for cut comb honey.  The centre frame is empty without  
foundation or even starter strips.  This works well as long as the  
frames on either side are drawn.  The other 8 frames make 2 balanced  
loads in the extractor.  I was considering going to 8 frames in some  
supers because several  people have stated that you get more honey in  
an 8 frame setup than 9 or 10.  I read an article in a recent ABJ  
where a well known researcher(can't remember the name) suggested that  
the frame spacing should be consistent throughout the hive to assist  
in ventilation.  All my equipment is 10 frame standard Langstroth.   
I've heard of using follower boards with 8 or 9 frames in the brood  
box but haven't tried them.


Bob Darrell
Caledon Ontario
Canada
44N80W

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