bee space

[rober]

Dadant & Mann Lake's deep hive boxes measure 9 5/8" &  Kelly's are 9 13/16". a remodeler I know just gave me enough 1"x10" boards to build 30 deep hives & more are coming. this lumber is from the 50's & unlike todays 1"x10" boards that measure from 9" to 9 1/4" these measure 9 1/2" to 9 9/16". will that 1/16" to 1/8" difference in bee space be a problem? I could make the rabbet cut where the frames rest not quite so deep or I can laminate 1/4" to 1/2" to the boards & mill them to the proper size.
a few boards are cupped so i'm ripping them down to use for spacer rims, the vertical sides of outer covers, etc.

[Some Day]

I doubt that it will be a problem.

[Lburou]

Manufacturers vary 'beespace' by leaving more space above, or below the frames.  You just need to be consistent, otherwise you will have too much space between hive bodies and bees will fill it with burr comb. 

[rober]

i was thinking along those lines but thought i'd ask around before building boxes. my rabbets have the frames sitting 3/16" below the top of the box which leaves a heavy 1/8" gap at the bottom of a 9 1/2" box so the girls should have enough room to move over & under the frames.

[apisbees]

Constancy. Going back to the original plan. Langstroth's patent of 1851 supers were made from standard 1X10 which at that time through to the late 1950's was 7/8" thick and 9 5/8" wide. The rabbit was 5/8" with the 3/8" top bar sitting on the rabbet left 1/4" space above and a little over 1/8" below the frames Then the metal frame rests were invented. and the rabbet's were cut deeper to accommodate the use of frame rests so if they are removed they cause problems with the bee space. Also keep in mind that the bee space is not a exact dimension. it ranges between 5/16th" and 7/16th" Remember that Langstroth was also using standard lumber that would also shrink so not all of his supers would have measured exactly 9 5/8" but that was the size standard for a 10 inch board at that time.
As long as the size is close to 9 5/8" give or take 1/8" but more importantly the depth of the rabbet matches the other equipment that you have, then the bee space between the supers should be close to the same.
I Know some beekeepers that use a 3/4" rabbet so the frames are flush with the bottom of the supers, but as long as they are all made the same the bee space between the supers is correct.