Top Bar Hives Gift

[brushwoodnursery]

I was just given a couple of Top Bar Hives and some equipment from a friend. They are the first version Kelley Top Bar Hives. Someone else who got them mentioned something about needing a spacer bar between the comb bars. Does anyone have experience with these and have solutions/plans for better bars? Thoughts on the hives themselves? They look well designed but a little flimsy.
Wouldn't bother me to purchase new bars that work better if they're available. I can make them, too.

[Steel Tiger]

I think some TBH have different width bars, slightly thinner ones for brood. I'm guessing the comb built for honey stores is thicker. That's the impression I've gotten from doing a lot of reading but when I watched videos of people building their own TBH, all the bars are the same size.
Here's a video for building the bars... Top Bars

You can also check youtube. There are hundreds of videos of people building and using TBH. Most of the way people built the bars are simpler than the above video.

Good luck with your new hives

[brushwoodnursery]

I found some very well made cypress bars for 1.80 each. I'll look to use them when i get these up and running.