Looking at the problem with a gestalt view, the
fear is "rolling" or crushing bees and/or queens.

The biggest factor is that frames just do not slide
back and forth very easily due to (mostly) propolized
frame ears/lugs and (to a much lesser extent) burr comb.

I "paint" or "dip" my frame ears in wax or paraffin, and
I "paint" the thin sheet metal angle "frame rests" (in the
case of dedicated brood chambers) or the base of a Stroller
spacer (the part that remains when you pop off the 9-frame
spacer) in the case of ad-hoc use of what was a honey super
for a brood chamber.

This works well.  The bees simply do not propolize a
waxed surface. Hives are a joy to work when the frames
can be nudged apart with a pinky, and the hive tool can
stay in your pocket.  Offhand, I'd guess I can inspect
every frame in a hive in less than in half the time due
to this.

I have yet to need to "repaint" a frame ear with wax
while it was in the hive, but I melt down brood frames
on a rotational schedule of 5 or 6 years.

As for me, 10 frames for brood, 9 for honey supers,
no follower boards, and no complaints.


        jim (Who observes that preserving bee space
           is a big time saver.  This is the
           "Bee Space-Time Continuum".)

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