Starter strips for TBH

[likes2grill]

I got some thin surplus to make some starter strips. Would it be better to melt the wax and paint it on to wooden starters or just cut and wax/glue them in and they are?

[Scott Derrick]

Hi Dan,

I made a topbar hive this year and what I plan on doing is painting wax on the wedges on the topbars. My goal is to have the bees create a "natural cell size". I've never seen natural cells so I'm hoping to bring this about.  It may take a couple of "bee generation" to make it happed but I'm willing to be patient and learn from it. Micheal Bush has alot of good info on TBH Here http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm and small cell size here http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm on his site.

Check it out.

Scott Derrick

[Michael Bush]

The bees won't care.  I like the wooden triangular strips.  I don't wax them because the bees will attach the comb more solidly than I can attach the wax.  The wood lasts.  The strips are easily bent and on a hot day they will sometimes fall out.

There is a bar on the end of this hive with the triangle on it (it's upside down):
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/KTBH4.JPG

If you look closely at this upside down comb you can see the triangle as well:
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/KTBHComb.JPG

[Apis629]

For my starter strips, I had sawed out a 1/4 inch deep line in the center of each top bar.  Into that I slipped in a strip of foundation and just dribbled in melted wax to hold it in.  It worked fine for me.

[Robo]

I have had good luck with just cutting out a 1/4 wide slot about 3/8 deep and inserting a 1" strip of coroplast and then stapling thru the sides of the bar with an air stapler to hold the coroplast.  I find this gives a little more support where the wax and wood meet.  Sort of like a 'T' instead of a flat joint.  It is quicker that melting wax and cheaper too.

[tbh-fan]

what about cutting straight 2 mm wide wood (fir) strips and glueing them onto the top bar-would it work?

[Michael Bush]

>what about cutting straight 2 mm wide wood (fir) strips and glueing them onto the top bar-would it work?

I assume you mean 2mm thick and 10mm or so wide.  Yes, it will work great.

[tbh-fan]

yes, Michael, I meant 2 mm of thickness-thank you for info

BTW, I think it is largely due to so many TBH-related posts here (much of them are yours) that I decided to go into a TBH hobby
I was keeping bees 8-9 years ago in langs, (which are rather rare where I live-Slovenia), but gave up due to varroa and the lack of time, but last year the temptation was too big, so I decided to go back in businessthis year-thank you

[Kirk-o]

sounds like a good idea "triangle"
kirk-o