Hi All,
As I mentioned in another topic I had the luck to buy 3 flowframes secondhand.
I also have the possibility to buy 2 hives in a 10 frame broodbox to get through the winter.
I want to try the flowframes but can I do 3 frames in a 10 frame box and still have enough space to have them centered and 3 normal frames on each side?
Or am I better to get an actual 8 frame box and put a small piece of wood as an adapter?
I have my 3 flow frames installed in a 10 frame box and it works great.
And you are keeping 3 normal frames on each side? or how is your setup? Could you share pictures?
Yes. Three standard deep frames on either side of the flow frames. I can share a pic in a few days. Im traveling at the moment.
Here is a video from the Flow team on how to adapt your 10-Frame box:
Full instructions are also in a pdf on this page:
https://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/modifying-a-langstroth-box-for-flow-frames/p/143
You could use a Follower board if 3 Flow + 6 traditional frames is too tight.
Following on from my post here
http://forum.honeyflow.com/t/frame-spacing-and-9-frames-in-8-frame-box/5691/56?u=rbk
10x35mm Hoffman is 350mm in a 10 frame box with 370mm internal width (includes space from sides)
If you put in 3 flow frames and 6x35mm Hoffman frames:
(3x50) + (6x35) = 360mm, which is likely going to be a tight fit.
If you managed to get 33mm Hoffman frames you’d be better off.
(3x50) + (6x33) = 348mm
This PDF has the measurements for modifying an 8 frame for three flow frames. Hopefully this will help you modify a 10 frame.
The other option is you could make a modified five frame nuc box- which will hold three flow frames- and place that on top of your ten frame super with some boards at the sides to cover the box below.
If you modify a ten frame box for 3 frames you need to cut down the rear frame rest where the shoulders of the flow frames sit lower than traditional frames.
I’m planning to try 3 frames in an 8 frame this year. My only concern is if the bees preferentially use the flow frames for ripening and the conventional frames for honey. Will have to wait and see.
I have a cross cutting concern here. I have read somewhere that it is best to keep frame count identical in boxes for better ventilation and ‘the mites can fall through to the varroa screen’. I have hardly seen a condition where that last statement seems viable but I am a newbee 
But with our flow frames alignment of interframe spaces is never possible so is that really a problem to the bees ?
It seems smaller boxes mostly use uneven numbers (3 or 5), and the bigger even (8 or 10). I was planning on 9 for the brood, so that I could use 2 flow frames flanked by 2 and 3 standard frames for the super. Is that wise ?
Looking forward to those pictures
3 flow frames are 150mm
4 standard langstroth frames are 140mm (4x35)
Total width of your configuration would be
360mm
List of configurations here, although I haven’t got the 3 + 6 configuration, will add it tonight.
http://forum.honeyflow.com/t/flow-frame-fitment-in-langstroth-supers-metric/8575
-edit-
Just added the 3 + 6 configuration.
Thanks BigB! that makes is very clear!
Nice calculations RBK!
