do 9 frame spacers inhibit comb drawing?

[Clay]

So I was reading a little about frame spacing, and one site mentioned that frames pushed close together are drawn better / quicker than more openly spaced frames, and that bees are less enthusiastic about drawing out foundation spaced apart on 9 or 8 frame spacers. Does anyone know if this is true?

[hilreal]

They are not less enthusiastic about drawing but they might not draw it where and how you want! I have had them put the comb right between 2 frames if there is enough space ignoring the foundation all together (they started from the top of the frame underneath and built up). Best to let them draw the frames and then move them to wider spacing.

[KQ6AR]

With foundation star with 10 pushed tight in the middle. Next year after their drawn you could run 9, but the spacers aren't really necessary.
They make it harder to clean the hive, & give beetles more hiding places.
9 frame in the honey supers is a lot easier to uncap.

[Michael Bush]

Bees as a group seem to have an agenda or a plan. Bees as individuals pick up where the last left off. So, from the point of view of comb building, if the bees as a group have a plan to build brood comb they want it to be almost precisely 1 1/4" on center (32mm) and at 9 frames you're 1 1/2" (38mm standard frames are 1 3/8" or 35mm) so they won't be very enthusiastic as they think it should be 1 1/4". If the bees as a group are building honey storage comb, they tend to build it about 1 1/2" on center (38mm) but can vary a lot. They will build it fine, but they may also decide to build a comb between two foundations. They are also much more enthusiastic about building comb when they can cooperate without foundation blocking their collaboration.