I have just set up my Flow Hive Brood Box. Tried a commercial metal entrance reducer as well as well as a wooden one from an Apiary. both seemed to long to fit. Are the flow hive dimensions different from others.
1 Like
The width should be the same, but the depth is a little less (9-11mm when Langstroths are 12-15mm). The “lip” at the entrance and sloping landing board can make fitting a reducer more challenging too. The other consideration is whether you bought a 10 frame width reducer, but your Flow hive is 8 frame?
Many people use a stack of craft sticks, paint stirrers or tongue depressors to reduce the entrance. Just work out how many you need to fit tightly, glue them together with PVA wood glue and wedge the stack in. Tight fit is important, as the bees inevitably try to push it out of the way! 
3 Likes
Scott,
Looks like Dawn has weighted in on the entrance reducers. She’s posted about what you need. I believe she has a couple Flow-hives.
I have a small hobby woodshop I use to build hive boxes, lids n other stuff. Somethings are cheaper to buy n some are worth the time n material if you have a primary wood skill n equipment.
The Flow Enttrance is unique. It slopes narrower the deeper you go in thus a degree of bevel to make the reducers fit tight. I had to make one 2” wide n one 4” wise pair as you can’t rotate like standard entrance reducer.
Here are a couple pix’s of mine … I’ve even stuffed in nylon round cording/rope for temporary use too Whatever works when I need it.
Good luck 
,
Gerald
The metal type won’t work without some adapting because of the step up entrances.
I use a plain wood piece of floorboard trim cut to length, leaving a reduced entrance. Since it is sort of beveled it somewhat wedges into the entrance and stays put. It was something I had around. It fit, it works.
I use a small bamboo stick traditionally used as a stake for tomato plants. The round shape of the stick fits in with the sloped entrance quite well.
I’ve noticed though that the medium box and slatted rack I’ve put on (which are standard langstroth 8 frame sizes) don’t sit flush with the flow brood box. Just a few millimetres larger, so maybe there is a slight size variation from flow boxes to standard.