Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Going the TBH route  (Read 3457 times)

Offline watercarving

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 205
  • Gender: Male
    • John Call Designs
Going the TBH route
« on: January 26, 2008, 07:14:06 pm »
I am going to go the TBH route. I like it and it fits our philosiphy about a lot of different things.

Being in the south with mostly mild (some teens) winters and hotter (90+) summer days with high humidity what designs would be best for me? I like the Kenyan sloping sides. Didn't know what dimensions I should consider for my area (north Georgia).

Anyone in my area doing TBH?

Thanks.
--------------
www.johncall.com - adventures in woodcarving and country life.

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2008, 09:47:42 pm »
The main choice would be whether to go for one that could also take Langstroth frames or to do a KTBH.  They both work fine.  Of course the advantages of one that will take a standard frame are many.  You can use a standard frame feeder, a standard top feeder, tie fallen combs into standard frames, start from a standard nuc etc.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline watercarving

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 205
  • Gender: Male
    • John Call Designs
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2008, 09:58:29 pm »
I was thinking Kenyan and then had the same thought. If I had one that took Lang I could do whatever I want basically and the frame sides could help support the wax.

How many frames should it hold? 30 is a number I heard somewhere. What if I built for medium size which would be my preference? Still 30?
--------------
www.johncall.com - adventures in woodcarving and country life.

Offline hilltop hives

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Gender: Male
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2008, 12:04:48 am »
I'm building all of mine with thirty two 19" top bars. I have a TTBH going now and a KTBH ready for spring. My KTBH will accept Lang deep frames. As a matter of fact I got it started using a nuc pulled from my last deep lang before I cut them all down to med. I replaced the deep frames as the top bars were pulled out by the bees. I plan to make a split for my KTBH this spring. I have also built a 32 frame med.long hive with a SBB and slatted bottom board. It can also be used as three standard hives by using dividers.

Offline watercarving

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 205
  • Gender: Male
    • John Call Designs
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2008, 09:02:19 am »
What are your KTBH dimensions? How does it slope and accept deep frames?
--------------
www.johncall.com - adventures in woodcarving and country life.

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2008, 12:35:37 pm »
Mine are mostly 48 3/4" long because it was three ten frame boxes long.  That comes out to about 33 frames or bars.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline hilltop hives

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Gender: Male
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2008, 01:44:18 pm »
Sorry to confuse you watercarver, I meant to say my TTBH will accept deep Lang frames. On my KTBH I can only use the top bar of the Lang frame or my own home made top bars. The reason I went with the 19" top bar is so if I need to they can be started in my Lang hives. I like the idea of having standard sizes to work with. That why I took the advice of MB and went with all med. Lang boxes and I've carried this over to my TBH and long hives.

Offline watercarving

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 205
  • Gender: Male
    • John Call Designs
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2008, 02:26:36 pm »
Have you had any issues with comb breaking in your TTBH?

How does the honey production compare? I may have to get up your way and see what you have going on.
--------------
www.johncall.com - adventures in woodcarving and country life.

Offline hilltop hives

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Gender: Male
Re: Going the TBH route
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2008, 05:30:42 pm »
I haven't had any problem with breakage, you just have to be careful. I just started mine last year so I didn't take any honey I wanted them to draw out the bars. I lost my KTBH to hive beetles, something happened to the queen and before I caught it the population dropped to the point that the beetles took over. They make an mess the only thing to do is start over. I let the TTBH build up so I can take some of the bars and get the KTBH going again this year.
Your welcome to stop by any time, PM me and I'll give you my phone number and address.

 

anything