> Paul - DON'T use the 9 frame spacers in your brood chambers.
 
Although I usually agree with Joel, this time I have to disagree a bit;
Not that the 9 frame spacers are ideal, IMO, they are not, but if you
happen to have straight end bar frames, they are a solution, and if you
use the Woodman end bars, they reduce gumming of the frames together.
 
If you like them, use them.  If they are in the box anyways, you may
not want to remove them since with only a few boxes, it is nice to be able
to interchange super boxes and brood boxes. Using this spacing, you can
get away with warped combs that would not work well if crowded together.
 
At one time half or more of my outfit had 9 frame spacers in the brood
boxes.  I never saw any difference in the hundreds of hives that were
spaced with ten frame spacing and those hundreds with nine.  I find the
ten frame spacing *slightly* more convenient and flexible, and am moving
towards no spacers, but it is not a priority.
 
FWIW
 
 
 
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>