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Author Topic: Brand new baby top bar hive  (Read 2572 times)

Offline ArmucheeBee

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Brand new baby top bar hive
« on: September 04, 2008, 09:42:22 pm »
I finished up my new top bar hive with help from several sources on the web and forum advice.  It came to 24 bars with one being a follower board and one dumby bar to cover a wider gap so 22 actually bars for the bees.  I cut all the bars instead of gluing, etc.  They are all a hair wider than 1 3/8.  I also had my own idea to make them overhang 1/2 inch on each end for easier lifting.  But I cut the triangles on a slope that puts them right against the sides so there is no lateral movement.  The handles also will act as bar hangers.  I plan to put a light poly on the top of the bars like the body of the hive.  No poly inside.  As for the inside, 2/3 of the bottom is screen with the last third being a wood bottom where I plan to sit a chick feeder.  Sides are sloped at 120 degrees though that may or not matter.  Three questions:

1.  How many bars should I give the bees when I first put them in? 
2.  Can the follower board have holes in it so they can get to the feed?  I don't want to use a jar type.
3.  Most important.  Where should I put my entrance?  I like holes because I can use a cork to plug them, so I thought about on the end at the top or on the sides at the top--remember it has a SBB.  Advice please!!







Stephen Stewart
2nd Grade Teacher

"You don't need a license to drive a sandwich."  SpongeBob Squarepants

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Brand new baby top bar hive
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2008, 11:09:51 pm »
>1.  How many bars should I give the bees when I first put them in?

All of them.  You might limit them to one end but all the bars should be in the hive.  Bees have a habit of finding a way around your follower.

>2.  Can the follower board have holes in it so they can get to the feed?  I don't want to use a jar type.

Then it no longer serves it's purpose of limiting the hive.  Just leave it out and put the jar at one end.

>3.  Most important.  Where should I put my entrance?  I like holes because I can use a cork to plug them, so I thought about on the end at the top or on the sides at the top--remember it has a SBB.  Advice please!!

I like NO holes and just leave the front bar back 3/8" (which it should be anyway to come out rignt on beespace) and the top overhangs leaving the door as the gap in the front.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm
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Offline bassman1977

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Re: Brand new baby top bar hive
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2008, 12:35:28 pm »
That's a fine looking TBH.  Nice work.
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Offline 1reb

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Re: Brand new baby top bar hive
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2008, 04:37:20 pm »
The top bar looked great !
Johnny

Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Brand new baby top bar hive
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2008, 10:18:58 pm »
Thank you for the replies.  I'll have picks of my new OB hive in a week.  I'm also going to make a frame holder to carry to the hives, similar to the one from Eastern Europe that had some pics last month.  Mine will not have the metal spacers however.
Stephen Stewart
2nd Grade Teacher

"You don't need a license to drive a sandwich."  SpongeBob Squarepants

 

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