Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: RandGraham on April 03, 2006, 12:40:21 pm
-
Has anyone built a pitched roof for their hive? I have seen the english garden tops in the catalogs. I was wondering if anyone has built their own? Will this have an attic effect and keep the hive cooler?
Thanks,
Rand
-
Has anyone built a pitched roof for their hive? I have seen the english garden tops in the catalogs. I was wondering if anyone has built their own?
I built a pitched roof when experimenting with solar powered cooling. Not what you had in mind though, it was pitched from front to back.
(http://www.bushkillfarms.com/photos/d/576-2/DCP_0005_001.jpg)
Will this have an attic effect and keep the hive cooler?
If you put some vents in it, it should work just as well as a ventilation box.
Drawbacks are they are more complicated to build and don't stack/store as easy as flat roofs.
-
I used some scrap around the shop to build the pitched top and then used the cut offs from re-shingling my house as the cover. I will try and take a picture to post it. I have had no problems with it. (Haven't heard any complaints from the girls!)
It is definetly an eye catcher!
-
Robo,
Do you have any drawings or plans for your top? I have been thinking about doing top pitched entrances because of the high heat I get here during the summer.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
-
I have most of my hives (Langsroth) with pitch top covers. They are very easy to make.
I use 4" tongue and groove cladding for the body work = one layer all around( loose fit over hive) and second layer front and back only angled from topcentre down to end to form a low wide pyramid (glue the t/g join). An inner ring of 3/4" X 3/4" lumber (to sit on the hive) fixed so the level of the side piece tops are level with the lumber tops. for the roof I use either thin ply-wood or fluted plastic sheet cut 1-1/2" bigger all round, mark a centre line (centreing from side to side) and almost cut through with an angle grinder so as to fold the sheet over to suit the angle of the woodwork. Place on top ensuring equal overlap all round and glue/nail on. I also drill a 1" hole in the centre of the front apex and covering it withsome mesh stapled on the inside for ventalation. cool in the summer and space to add insulation in winter. It also is very pleasing to look at, much better than flat tops.
-
Robo,
Do you have any drawings or plans for your top? I have been thinking about doing top pitched entrances because of the high heat I get here during the summer.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
Brendhan,
Sorry, I missed your post.
I don't have any plans, it was just a simple throw together. It sits on top of the top super with no overhang, so it is 16-1/4 x 19-7/8. I think I used a propolis trap instead of an inner cover to inprove ventilation. The front was 4" high and the back was 1" high and the sides angled from 4 to 1. I topped it with a piece of luan and aluminum flashing.