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!!
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/2245/20080904topbar0002rk5.th.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=20080904topbar0002rk5.jpg)
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4251/20080904topbar0003rl9.th.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=20080904topbar0003rl9.jpg)
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4205/20080904topbar0004uk0.th.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=20080904topbar0004uk0.jpg)
>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
That's a fine looking TBH. Nice work.
The top bar looked great !
Johnny
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.