Adding a TBH

[Dishmop]

Cut the brood comb to shape then staple the foundation wires to the top bar. The bees will attach the comb to the bar more firmly as they settle

another way to attach foundation or foundation starter strip is to cut a slot along the bar, insert the foundation and then nip the open end up with a nail or screw.
Only need an inch or so of foundation for a starter strip.

 

[Mike a]

Mike a,

The bars are aligned roughly East West

According to one, now well known, author that is the wrong direction! Not natural!
Regards, RAB

In my unscientific study of one colony I had 100% success with this method.. Isn't that good enough?

Thanks Mike which TB method worked best melted was on string or the small strip of foundation or the V shaped wedge?

Call me gullible but I bought into the hype over one type of bar is superior to another when I first started with TBH's until it dawned on me its not as if the colony will skip a bar because they don't like it.. If I had to remake all the bars again I would opt for quick and simple and just use a soldering iron to melt a line of wax onto a flat bar.

 

[mbc]

I have 2 national hives both wintering well. I would like to add a TBH to my apiary. What is the best way to do this? with out having to buy a TBH nuc?

My thinking was to add another BB on top of one of my nationals, add top bars from a TBH, both being 17". Let the bees draw out the bars, then let the queen lay brood into the comb, then transfer frames over. Also could do the same thing in the other hive but with a QE for stores?

Is there a better way? a shock swam perhaps.

Thanks In Advance

I'd go along with PH and advise a shook swarm.
If bees on conventional worker foundation frames are offered space to make their own comb then its almost guaranteed the first new comb they build will be drone comb, whereas if the bees are shook swarmed the opposite is true, the first combs they will build will certainly be worker comb ( I know its risky saying "certainly" where bees are concerned but in this case I'm confident )

 

[aberreef]

Hey Aberreef, i'm not trying to convert to TBH just add one in, thus making life a bit more interesting, variety is the spice of life!

Trying to get way from having to use foundation in the TBH thus the idea fo getting the BB to draw out the bars, but we will see where we get.

No need to convert all your frames to TB, just take a few as if making a nuc. You only need to get the bees into the hive to begin with, they will do the rest. This way the bees get a bit of a headstart and the queen has at least some room to lay from the start.

As for what type of TB to use, I glued small strips of wood along the center of each bar and melted bees wax onto each strip.

 

[TBRNoTB]

Thanks Mike which TB method worked best melted was on string or the small strip of foundation or the V shaped wedge?

My KTBH bars had a 6mm wide strip of wood running the length of the top bar, they built excellent straight comb. One thing I ensured was the hive was perfectly level, reason being I hoped the comb would hang more vertically to make comb removal for inspections easier. Don't know if this helped but it can't do any harm.
Regards
TBRNoTB

 

[Friar Tuck]

good point my field is kinda flat

 

[madasafish]

my top bars are rectangular . I then cut a small square section of wood across the diagonal and attach the diagonal side to the underneath of the bar leaving the point of a triangle facing down.

Rub a block of wax along the triangle point a couple of times. Simple. Melting wax in straight lines is beyond my competence..........

So far no cross combing. Must be because my combs run E-W (by luck!).

Don't know about the ley lines (yet)