cheap top bar hive, part 1

[ratcatcher]

Ive been given permission by a local farmer for another apiary, but lots of public footpaths criss cross his land, and rather that having them sited in the safety of the farm yard, he has suggested small wooded/spinney areas at edges of fields, for that reason, that as walkers tend to stray off the path, and not wanting hives to go walkies, I wanted a cheap top bar hive as a tester for next year, well it will be two newly made ones/new design slightly, and were see how it goes, if successful then I'll certainly make more for different areas

heres a few pictures of how much Ive made so far, all built from scrap timber, plywood offcuts and a new unused futon from e bay that I won for 99p collected

futon dismantled

assembled

plywood ends 10"x14"

all my top bar hives are made square so they will accept a couple of national frames too, comes in handy

cut outs marked

test frames in place

then packing pieces and ends fixed in position, bees have no exit holes or access to above top bars

top covering frames, all other top bars will be at same level

Im not making follower boards for this, after seeing many pictures of feral bees building in large void areas, they seem happy in the large area, no one closing and opening extra space for them

but am using a fixed queen excluder a third of the way down, this hive is the same size/length as 3 national brood boxes side by side

still need to add base/lid/top bars and periscope entrance, and stain outside, so more pictures to follow

 

[yeogi75]

nice pics await your next lot of pics
why not use frames all the way and use all your old frames in vuneral places, and just remove frames of honey for extraction
like it a lot

 

[Mellifera397]

Just wondering, if the sides are vertical wont the bees build bridging comb across?

Nice pics I might give it a go

 

[ratcatcher]

one of my main reasons for liking and adopting top bar hives was no real outlay year after year, although I do own a couple of national hives in the garden, I saw friends spending money on frames and foundation every year, I wanted bees on a budget, so although my first top bar hives were made with wax starter strips cut from bought in wireless foundation, I now make my own wax starter strips using old comb, although I'll get honey from the nationals, I want cut comb from the top bars, a lot less work involved

 

[ratcatcher]

Just wondering, if the sides are vertical wont the bees build bridging comb across?

Nice pics I might give it a go

my first tbh I added side bars to the top bars

http://youtu.be/li9obrnaRZE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li9obrnaRZE&feature=youtu.be

more for adding strength to the comb, so I may still do this with this hive, although its not much effort to remove bridging comb with a serrated knife on inspections

 

[madasafish]

one of my main reasons for liking and adopting top bar hives was no real outlay year after year, although I do own a couple of national hives in the garden, I saw friends spending money on frames and foundation every year, I wanted bees on a budget, so although my first top bar hives were made with wax starter strips cut from bought in wireless foundation, I now make my own wax starter strips using old comb, although I'll get honey from the nationals, I want cut comb from the top bars, a lot less work involved

You were not born a Scotsman ?

 

[ratcatcher]

You were not born a Scotsman ?

I was not, but yes I squeak when I walk