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derekm said:
Please reconsider the the TOPBAR hive...
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WHy. ~Any reading ive done says that national or langs are better and the frames are better to handle etc.. and you can replace the frames with teh wax still intact after honey has been extracted. In a top bar, this is difficult
 
keith pierce said:
Please don't, stick with the national hive that you have chosen. It is probably the best suited for the native bees that you are going to put in them. In a few years, after you have learned your craft, you can build yourself a top bar hive out of curiosity. You will get little honey out of them, and your bees will die a lot quicker , from problems that can be easily sort with a conventional hive. Where abouts in ireland are you living.
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County mayo. Just outside castlebar. What part of the country are you from yourself
 
Im in 2 minds to use either pine or exterior ply for my national hive(s). Ive read its best to use cedar but seeing as cedar isnt cheap, ill just use either of these two above.
 
Hope you're fit. A full ply box is quite heavy. Cedar is very light. Pine is a good compromise.

There are pros and cons of all types of hives. As I said in an earlier post, it is a good idea to ensure your are compatible with the most commonly used hives in your area ( which you should find out when you start your course).

I really enjoy using my KTBH, but it is not as easy to handle the combs as in a framed hive. Glad I started with frames, Nationals still being my main hive type. Mind you TBH's are much easier to make.
 
irishguy said:
WHy. ~Any reading ive done says that national or langs are better and the frames are better to handle etc.. and you can replace the frames with teh wax still intact after honey has been extracted. In a top bar, this is difficult
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wrong end of stick ... Be wary of buying a TOPBAR hive in a temperate or cold climate...
 
Heres a list of what i think ill need. Im thinking 300euro or thereabouts for all what i need for my 1st hive

timber for hive (see below)
gloves (i have welding gloves)
brush (can any soft brush do )
smoker (wheres cheapest place to buy these, ebay?)
bee keeping suit
beeswax and linseed oil ( for outside of hive for waterproofing)
buckfast bees (would 175euro be reasonable for 1.5kg bees with mated queen)




9 inchx3/4, 8 ft for brood chamber
2x 3/4, 8 ft for stand
2x 3/4, 6ft for bottom board
pvc sheeting for bottom board
3/ 4x3/4 , 8ft for queen excluder
6x 3/4, 16ft for 2 supers
2x 3/4, 8ft for frame for flat roof
felt or tin/copper for roof. (what evers the cheapest)

Or

8x4 exterior ply plus other timber for frame at bottom and roof.
 
drex said:
Hope you're fit. A full ply box is quite heavy. Cedar is very light. Pine is a good compromise.

There are pros and cons of all types of hives. As I said in an earlier post, it is a good idea to ensure your are compatible with the most commonly used hives in your area ( which you should find out when you start your course).

I really enjoy using my KTBH, but it is not as easy to handle the combs as in a framed hive. Glad I started with frames, Nationals still being my main hive type. Mind you TBH's are much easier to make.
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Fit as a fiddle! lol. I work out 4 or 5 times a week and am pretty strong ;)

I cant see there being much difference to the bees between a lang or national hive in my area.

As for teh TBH, i do understand that that they are easyer to make but your talking to a man whos build 80% of his own house and built a few lovely boats, infact id say ive built the best looking rowing boat on this island IMO. I dont think ill have much problems building one of these hives ;) I do like the look of teh TBH but dont like the thought of the combs breaking on me and you cant really extract the honey from the comb in an extractor so you end up losing the comb. I want to keep replacing the combs so that the bees have less work in teh hive
 
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Ruary said:
Marsons Practical Beekeeping, Myers Microscopy on a Shoestring, Yates's Microscopy notes, and the new one from BeeCraft all are good.
Santa gave me another compound microscope, this one allows two people to look in simultaneously and has a lighter pointer to indicate things of interest.
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Many thanks, Ruary, I shall give those a go. :thanks:
 
Got my most bizzare present today. My mother bought me a bee suit, ok that was fine, the make could have been better, th0rnes. But im a 6'4 16st bloke, she got me a medium suit, not sure if i could even get my legs in it lol lol lol.

Think i need to give gill a call aht Th0rnes see if he will do a swop for something else. I can only hope.
 
I got two small cameras so I can set up webcams inside and outside the hive. (Well, DH can set them up...............I'll just supervise). Will be great to see what's going on inside the hive.

I made candles and gave them out as pressies - all very gratefully received. Hope I will have some honey to give out next year.
 
irishguy said:
Fit as a fiddle! lol. I work out 4 or 5 times a week and am pretty strong ;)

I do like the look of teh TBH but dont like the thought of the combs breaking on me and you cant really extract the honey from the comb in an extractor so you end up losing the comb. I want to keep replacing the combs so that the bees have less work in teh hive
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A bit confused in this and your previous posts. Combs from a TBH will not stand a normal extractor, but is lovely for cut comb. To run a TBH and harvest honey involves a continual removal of comb. If by "replacing combs" you mean putting the same comb back in again, as part of disease management it is recommended to get rid of any comb after about 3 years.

Have a look at the sites I mentioned earlier as they have good plans. You obviously have the necessary woodworking skills, but do you understand bee space, which is an essential if building your own hive. Good luck
 
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keith pierce said:
I got a pair of leather wellies made by hunter. Hopefully my feet wont sweat in them, like the ordinary wellies. My old pair of boots are now up for sale, or i could do part exchange on some quality beekeeping equiptment.
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Ooooo rigger boots - all the guys working at Nigg in the 80's used to wear them - the girls could smell the money - And judging by the price of those Hunters, nothing's changed!
 
Easy Beesy said:
Ooooo rigger boots - all the guys working at Nigg in the 80's used to wear them - the girls could smell the money - And judging by the price of those Hunters, nothing's changed!
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They are standard issue Amm boots :patriot:........ guaranteed to withstand the initial onslaught anyway :D........ :gnorsi:
 
My OH made me a nuc box........... without an entrance, ?
'Well' he said 'he had checked a number of sites and couldn't decide what was the size or correct place to put it as there were so many different ideas on line'
So I have to let him know what I want.
Still initially strange to be searching for an entrance which he thought was quite amusing to watch, love him.
 
drex said:
by "replacing combs" you mean putting the same comb back in again, as part of disease management it is recommended to get rid of any comb after about 3 years.
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i agree it's good hive hygiene to replace the comb in the brood box - but if the OP plumps for a conventional moveable frame hive for his apiary you can re-use the comb from the supers after you have extracted ad infinitum (I believe some on here who have comb they have been re-using for decades)
 
jenkinsbrynmair said:
bet you the bunnies are not very happy bunnies :D
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My familly tries to ensure we only eat "happy" meat, that is non intensively farmed and humanely dispatched. Following these criteria, I'm sure Ratcatchers bunnies will be "happy" given all that nice new equipment to humanely dispatch them.
 
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