Source for 1 3/8" top bars

Foxhound · January 13, 2015, 10:30:59 PM

Where does everyone get their top bars? I know some people make them, but they seem like the hardest piece to make for the whole top bar hive.

Chiefman · January 14, 2015, 03:43:57 AM

i'll be really surprised if you could buy wood off the shelf that size.

I make mine on a table saw.

OldMech · January 14, 2015, 10:06:42 AM

I make Lang frames from scratch, so making them for a TBH would be pretty mild I am thinking.. Cut some grooves, wax in some starter strips... WAX ON!

Foxhound · January 14, 2015, 08:14:32 PM

I wasn't thinking so much on finding the wood for them, but for finding pre-built top bars.

I saw some for sale on the BeeThinking website, but havn't really seen them elseware.

Specifically the top bars that are made from 1 piece of wood, rather than dealing with waxing in strips.

richter1978 · January 17, 2015, 08:56:45 PM

Top bar hives aren't built to a standard. It would be difficult to sell components, everyones hive is a little different more or less.

craneman54 · January 23, 2015, 02:27:16 PM

Quote from: Foxhound on January 14, 2015, 08:14:32 PM
I wasn't thinking so much on finding the wood for them, but for finding pre-built top bars.

I saw some for sale on the BeeThinking website, but havn't really seen them elseware.

Specifically the top bars that are made from 1 piece of wood, rather than dealing with waxing in strips.

If you have a Table saw are know of someone that does,it would be easy to make them out of 2x4's,or any 2X stock form one of the borgs.

Michael Bush · January 23, 2015, 04:27:24 PM

My first set I ripped with my skill saw (didn't have a table saw at the time). I made half 1 1/4" for the brood and the other half I made from 1 by 2's which were 1 1/2". I left them 1 1/2" for the honey. If I had a table saw at the time I might have made them all 1 1/4" and then made a lot of 1/4" spacers.

capt44 · January 23, 2015, 10:09:38 PM

I cut mine on the table saw then made a groove down the middle on the bottom side to put starter strips in.
Worked great and it give the bees a straight line to build on instead of going cross ways.

Joe D · January 24, 2015, 12:41:51 PM

I cut the 2x4 in half at a forty five angle then ran the pieces back threw to get the point. Left them all at 1 1/2 inches, cut a notch at each end to help keep it in the hive.

Another thing you can do is build a long hive and use lang. frames, then you can use an extractor.
Good luck

Joe

hivebuilder · February 12, 2015, 08:54:14 PM

if you buy all your equipment you will never catch up. like a boat it will be a hole that you throw money into.
buy yourself a good table saw and learn to use it. makes a good hobby after you are retired.
olehunter

Michael Bush · February 13, 2015, 05:46:12 PM

>if you buy all your equipment you will never catch up.

You must have a cheap source of wood. I can't buy the wood for what I can buy them already cut.

gww · February 13, 2015, 06:20:15 PM

I used free wood and after labor some of the stuff they are building and selling on craigs list seems cheep.
gww

CapnChkn · February 16, 2015, 04:11:01 AM

Quotebuy yourself a good table saw

And if you do, use push sticks. I still can't feel anything with my left thumb.

I just rip them flat, roll beeswax into strings, and melt them on where the center should be with a soldering iron. I tried making the bars 1.25 and 1.5 in, but the bees put honey in the brood bars, brood in the honey bars, and don't seem to give a ****.

Foxhound · February 16, 2015, 11:17:14 PM

Quote from: CapnChkn on February 16, 2015, 04:11:01 AM
Quotebuy yourself a good table saw

And if you do, use push sticks. I still can't feel anything with my left thumb.

I just rip them flat, roll beeswax into strings, and melt them on where the center should be with a soldering iron. I tried making the bars 1.25 and 1.5 in, but the bees put honey in the brood bars, brood in the honey bars, and don't seem to give a ****.

Did you cut your thumb when you were using the push stick?

Thanks for being straight forward with the sizes. It seems fussy to me to do the 1.25" and the 1.5"

jayj200 · February 18, 2015, 07:55:03 PM

A 2x4 riped makes an ideal top bar especially for honey supers

CapnChkn · February 24, 2015, 07:48:22 AM

Foxhound, I had just put on my nice clean freshly washed coat on a cold December day and decided I would build a rope carrier for the wood so I wouldn't get it dirty.

It's a good thing I set the blade so it would just cut the wood, about an eighth inch higher than the thickness. I made push sticks after my bloody coat and I got back from the hospital.

hjon71 · February 24, 2015, 09:23:25 PM

You might message Eric Bosworth on here. He started a post last fall I think about making top bars. He might be able to hook you up.

richter1978 · February 28, 2015, 11:34:43 AM

Beware the dado blade! Got me good on 3 fingers last summer! 11-12 stitches and around $3000. Trying to cut a handhold. Ouch.

BackwoodsBeekeeper · March 06, 2015, 11:22:20 AM

Foxhound,

There is a place called http://beelinewoodenware.com/ that sells 1 3/8" and 1 5/8" top bars. They are .90 a piece plus shipping. Their e-mail address is [email protected]. I haven't done business with them, but a lady on another bee forum buys her top bars there and she is very satisfied with their service.

shoshannama · June 18, 2015, 06:35:41 AM

I bought long lengths of 1x 1- 1/2 untreated lumber and cut into 17 inch strips for top bars. I don't have a table saw, so I used Les Crowder's suggestion of quarter round molding strips as comb guides, which I cut to 13 1/2 " and glued and also tacked onto the bars with tiny nails. I'm happy with them, and my bees seem to be building on them quite nicely despite one side of the comb guide being flat and the other curved. All I own is a small battery operated circular saw and a drill, and built my own hive having no prior woodworking experience. I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was challenging and I learned so much I'm looking forward to making another one. If I can do it I'm sure you can!
Shanna Rose