# 8 Frame Langstroth Plans



## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

13.5" will give you a box that fits 8 frames exactly like 16.25 fits 10 frames. Most 8 frame equipement seems to be a bit wider, though. Perhaps someone who has some can measure it and let you know if you wish to mix commercial and home-made boxes.

Peter


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## Kavius (May 23, 2012)

*Short Answer:*



> The only two commonly sold sizes ... are 14" (from Mann Lake and Betterbee) and 13 3/4" (from Brushy Mt. and Miller Bee Supply). Mine are all 13 3/4".
> 
> - Micheal Bush


These are external dimensions.

*Long Answer* (that I typed out before doing a google search):doh::

I was building my own 10-frame Langstroths, but decided I wasn't a good enough carpenter to make them as nice as in the plans, so I came up with a simplified design. In order to make it work, I needed to build around the internal dimensions. My understanding is that nothing matters but the internal dimensions. 

If you are building *all* of your own, it doesn't matter what the standard would be (though I personally like to stick to standards):

Having said all of that, and the 10-frame plans:


W[sub]F[/sub] : ? (width per frame)
W[sub]h10[/sub] : 14.75 (Width of hive - 10 frame)
n[sub]F[/sub] : 10 (number of frames) = W[sub]h10[/sub] / n[sub]F[/sub]
= 14.75/10
* = 1.475*W[sub]h8[/sub] : ? (Width of hive - 10 frame)
W[sub]F[/sub] : 1.475 (width per frame)
n[sub]F[/sub] : 7 (number of frames) = W[sub]F[/sub] * n[sub]F[/sub]
= 1.475 * 8
= 11.8
* ~ 11[SUP]3[/SUP]/[SUB]4[/SUB]*

So your internal dimension needs to be 11[sup]3[/sup]/[sub]4[/sub]... maybe?

A better way to look at it might be to consider the DIY Frame plans:


W[sub]F[/sub] : 1.375 (Width of frame - 1[sup]3[/sup]/[sub]8[/sub])
n[sub]F[/sub] : 8 (number of frames)
E : [sup]1[/sup]/[sub]8[/sub] : extra wiggle room
W[sub]h[/sub] : ? (internal dimension) = W[sub]F[/sub] * n[sub]F[/sub] + E
= 1.375 * 8 + 0.125
= 11.125
* = 11[sup]1[/sup]/[sub]8[/sub]*


Except, if I run the same formula for the 10-frame plans, I don't come up with the same dimensions...

If you figure the aggregate wiggle room for the 10 frames (14.75-1.375*10) you end up with a full inch of wiggle room. That inch of wiggle room doesn't divide nicely by the number of frames. Guess and test, to see where the numbers line up with fractional inches:

1/8 wiggle per frame = 10/8 which is greater than an inch
1/16 wiggle per frame = 10/16 which leaves you with 6/16 left over. 6/16 is 3/8 which is bee-space. That looks suspicous.

Based on that:


W : 1.375 : Width of frame (1-3/8)
n[SUB]F[/SUB] : 8 : number of frames
w[SUB]F[/SUB] : [SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]16[/SUB] : wiggle room per frame
B : [SUP]3[/SUP]/[SUB]8[/SUB] : bee-space
f[SUB][/SUB] : internal dimension

= B + n[SUB]F[/SUB](W+w)
= 0.375 + 8(1.375 + 0.0625)
= 0.375 + 11.5
= 11.875
*= 11[SUP]7[/SUP]/[SUB]8[/SUB]*

That's my favourite answer so far.

External dimensions would need to account for the width of the join. Assuming 2 @ 1 inch planed boards (2 * [sup]3[/sup]/[sub]4[/sub]") you need to add 1.5 inches. Giving external dimensions of 

13[sup]3[/sup]/[sub]8[/sub]

*Edit:*

Which is close to psfred's 13.5" answer that appeared since I started my long winded answer :doh:


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Betterbee and Mann Lake's boxes are made from 7/8" wood... which should add to the confusion. :scratch:


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

My 8 frames are 14 inches wide whether I use 3/4 pine or 1 inch cypress.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

We covered this topic.
I did this search for you.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...-super-dimensions&highlight=FRAME+SUPER+WIDTH

Good luck,


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## gregluxus (Jun 24, 2011)

thank you very much


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