Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => TOP BAR HIVES - WARRE HIVES - LONG HIVES => Topic started by: Apis629 on July 13, 2005, 10:47:19 pm
-
I'm thinking about splitting a colony (currently in a langstroth 10 frame) or making plans to next year two brood cycles before the jacoranda honeyflow. The only reason I'm bringing this to the forum is that I want to start a TBH. I realize that there are many different types of TBHs but I wanted answers from someone who is experienced in keeping them. My main question is, what features (i.e. screened bottom, sloping or virticle sides, etc.)are recomended?
-
>My main question is, what features (i.e. screened bottom, sloping or virticle sides, etc.)are recomended?
I think sloping or vertical both work fine. Getting the right comb size for the shape has been a struggle for me to find a comb size and shape that wouldn't collapse. If you have langstroth hives, I'd build a three box long langstroth box and put 3/8" by 19" by 1 1/4" bars in half of it and 1 1/2" bars for the other half. Try to get the brood on the 1 1/4" bars and the honey on the 1 1/2" bars.
My TTBH (three box long medium depth langstroth box with top bars) has a SBB, but my KTBH does not. Both seem to work fine.
There are pictures on my web site:
www.bushfarms.com
-
Isn't that a TMLBTBH...? :lol:
-
I thought it was a TBLMDLBWTB
or
three box long medium depth langstroth box with top bars
I haven't quite figured out what TMLBTBH is.
-
Ya all are pretty silly. :) But I took a shot at the TMLBTBH. I think that's a Three Medium Langstroth Box Top Bar Hive? (tongue twister)
Beth
-
Nathan,
I just went thru the same thinking a while back. The nice thing about TBH is that there is no right answer, so you need to build with the features you find important.
I ended up designing mine from ideas from multiple sights. The main hive I modeled after the slightly sloped plans this:
http://bwrangler.madpage.com/bee/tmyt.htm
I like the idea of being able to wire a deep langstroth frame to the bottom onf the top bar. This way I just took a 5 frame nuc and moved it right in. As they build their own comb, I will slowly move back the langstroths and eventually remoce them.
I also wanted a working height that didn't require bending over and didn't want to deal with cement blocks, so I incorporated legs like here:
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ebeekeeper23/TBH.htm
And finally, I didn't want to deal with heavy covers, so I opted for the metal one like here:
http://home.att.net/~mcdonald/bees/hive/crowder/
FYI, I elected to forgo a SBB since it seems that feral colonies seem to prefer a closed environment and manage the temperature just fine. I don't like to use SBB year round, so adding one with the ability to close it off would just add more complexity to the build that I didn't think was worth it.
There is a wealth of options and knowledge out there on the web, just do your research and come up with what best fits your needs.