Horizontal top bar hive

[Nellie]

I tried to use fishing line in my frames last year and the little Sh*ts bit them off, but yet they did draw comb with the line supporting it before they bit them off. So I am going to use stainless steel wire this year. Lets see them bite through that lol

Done similar this year too, I did contemplate fishing line but went with frame wire in the end. Pleasantly surprised at how easy they were to make up as well. I'm going to syringe a line of beeswax to the top bars this time round and see how they get on.

Like Tom I'm switching piecemeal. Worked out very well in the supers last year so I'll be alternating foundation with the wired frames in the new brood boxes to see how they get on.

 

[Friar Tuck]

Here is today efforts made a few upgrades

note it is very important to use the same pencil as Mr Chandler hahahaha

 

[Friar Tuck]

and a few more lol

nice landing board and some left over wood put around the edges to stop the bars moving when the lid gos on N' off

 

[rog]

Nice job. I made a smaller landing board than yours when I noticed they kept missing the holes. How much did that cost you in timber?

 

[susbees]

What have you been feeding yours rog, none of ours have landing boards and they have no trouble finding the holes...

 

[rog]

I just felt sorry for the fully laden ones trying to land so gave them a bigger target. Especially if there is a crosswind.

 

[Friar Tuck]

Nice job. I made a smaller landing board than yours when I noticed they kept missing the holes. How much did that cost you in timber?

I payed £30 for the timber and £1.80 for a bottle of boiled linseed oil, need to check the recipe i think you mix it with bees wax ???

I cut most of the wood by hand and then my fiance's dad said why didn't you use this table saw !!!

Still need to make a roof and wood not bought for that yet but all in about £35 or £40

The landing board was just lying around the farm and just so happened to be exactly 17" the size of a spare top bar so i glued and screwed it on.

more pics to come when ive made the roof and there is bees

 

[madasafish]

I payed £30 for the timber Still need to make a roof and wood not bought for that yet but all in about £35 or £40

:

hmmm £45 for TBH wood.. About £35 than I pay.. But then I only use new wood for the bars.. the rest is courtesy of local transport company..foc...

 

[Friar Tuck]

I have about 500 pallets at work, but apart from the landing board i think it looks nice

got any pics of your TBH?

 

[louiseww]

I am incredibly impressed.............................. with the dog!!!!
Only joshing ya! No it all looks really, really good - have you costed it all up and compared with buying one?
Louise

 

[louiseww]

Sorry have now seen the costings.
The one aspect of this hive that has concerned me is the fact that the debris will collect in the bottom - even if you have a mesh floor, there will still be dead bees etc collecting on the top of this - so what do you do to clear it and prevent infection? Also bringing out the dead will be much more difficult for the bees in the winter!
Louise

 

[Friar Tuck]

If you did make the hive yourself you could modify the hive so the entrance was right at the bottom of the hive level with the mesh floor and just add a bit of wood underneath the hive to support the floor etc. thats the beauti of the hive you can have a play

 

[Tom Bick]

Owen I want to say its rubbish it wont work its all wrong and the bees will hate it but as I type this through gritted teeth I have to say it looks fantastic and great photos.

Far more satisfying than getting an overrated to full of him self smug little so and so to make one for you lol.

Only one point and I always like to see adaptations but me thinks the two strips of wood covering the ends of the top bars may get in the way as I think you pick up the bars from the ends. I have often thought that the top bars must move around if the roof is not lifted off or replaced exactly right. Other people with tbh may have the answer.

It looks wicked keep the photos coming.

 

[Hombre]

Not really familiar with the TBH, but I see what Tom is saying. In a TBH I assume that the bars are close together, without bee spaces between them and so no other way to lift them other than by the ends?

I was thinking that the side bars seemed like a good idea too, but my thinking was top bars in a standard framed hive. I'm a bit wiser now. Thanks Tom.

 

[rog]

I am incredibly impressed.............................. with the dog!!!!
Only joshing ya! No it all looks really, really good - have you costed it all up and compared with buying one?
Louise

Mine were about the same first one cost about £30-35 and second one made out of old pallet.
One is painted with beeswax/linseed mix (hint use a hot air gun to help work it in)
Second one was painted with normal house paint my dad had lying around and it was done before I had a say in it. Bees dont seem to mind.

Mine also has wood surrounding the top. Gives something for the roof to fit over without knocking the bars about.

To inspect you just pull the follower back and then ease back each bar a few inches(check comb hasnt been attached to the sides first) and then lift it out. Only been going full year but it seems to work ok. Replace that bar next to follower and then slide next bar back. etc.etc.

One thing I am going to try this year.. Most people seem to use a flexible knife to detach any comb that has been attached to the walls (working upwards). I saw a vid on youtube where an american was using a piece of stiff wire (like brazing rod) bent at right angles to do this task. i will let you know how it goes. It may need to be sharpened up but time will tell.

 

[tonybloke]

The TBH my mate made has the addition of removable mesh floor for cleaning!

 

[Tom Bick]

Mine also has wood surrounding the top. Gives something for the roof to fit over without knocking the bars about.

To inspect you just pull the follower back and then ease back each bar a few inches(check comb hasnt been attached to the sides first) and then lift it out. Only been going full year but it seems to work ok. Replace that bar next to follower and then slide next bar back. etc.etc.

Is this something you developed from experience as you found the roof moved the top bars.

 

[Friar Tuck]

if my side mods hamper the inspections i can just take them off. i have noticed that the extra hole i put to the right should have been on the other side lol.. i think i have 33 bars and there was room for small spacer bar at one end that can be taken out to give more space for inspections. must have got some measurements wrong..

I had lots of fun making the hive and i quite like Louises idea of having an entrance level with the mesh floor, was thinking i could make the entrance the same size as a national and use the same entrance block.. I am also sorry Louise for hi jacking your thread. But i think its about time the beekeeping forum had a TBH section

My brother is talking about starting beekeeping and like the TBH idea. so i mite give/sell him this one and make my self a new one with all the mistake ironed out and mods put in place and now i have found a workshop with a table saw, carpenters pencil, set square the next one will be pucker

 

[rog]

Is this something you developed from experience as you found the roof moved the top bars.

I thought the roof needed something to sit on and before I put the bees in I thought the side bars would make life easier.
I have to confess it wasnt my idea i nicked it from someone else.

As far as rubbish on the floor goes. I am making some mods so the floor is removeable.

 

[aberreef]

Friar your hive looks great. One small point, if mine is anything to go by the top bars will swell quite a bit so you may want to take one out and maybe replace it with some foam to allow for expansion.