# Top Bar Hives...



## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Who uses Top Bar Hives? In the near future I want to try my hand at beekeeping and would like to start with Top Bar Hives.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

The first 2 years of beekeeping has a VERY sharp learning curve. Top bars will add to that curve. You will make fewer mistakes using standard hives until you become familiar with the handling of frames and comb.


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## the kid (Jul 9, 2006)

I have been thinking of top bar to , what I want to know is what is the differce between the long hive and top bar hive ,,,,,
the kid


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Here's some good info on TBH:
http://www.bwrangler.com/bee/ttbh.htm


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Thanks for the link, I bookmarked it. Here is another excellent link about Top Bar Hives. 

http://home.comcast.net/~topbarbeehives/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html

I was hoping someone would chime in here that actually uses Top Bar Hives...


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Here is another interesting link about tbh's...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

THis is my first year, so take what I am about to say with a grain of salt.

Try beekeeping then try some TBH. I was going to go the all natural route, small cell, starter strips (or foundationless). Decided that the only new and crazy idea that I was going to try was to go the "all Illinois" route so my equipment was standard in all my hives.

That said, I do want to do a TBH but I think it would be more of a long hive than a TBH. I'd use medium frames so I could swap between it and a standard Lang hive. Because I would be doing mediums, the box would need to be longer which means more management.

So, my question is, if you are just starting off, why do you want to do a TBH?

Just curious.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

I guess I would have to ask why not? I like the concept for oneâ¦ hereâs a few links that can explain it better than I ever could.

http://www.bwrangler.com/bee/ncel.htm

http://www.bwrangler.com/bee/ttbh.htm

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

>>>I guess I would have to ask why not?<<<

1..You will forget and turn a frame on it's side to look at it. The whole comb will fall off the bar and on the ground.

2..The bees do not like falling 3 or 4 feet to the ground. You will receive many stings within seconds.

3..You cannot extract your honey and reuse the comb.

4..If you decide to sell your hive, it will be 100 times as hard to find a buyer.

These reasons are just off the top. A few minutes thought would likely produce many more.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

The only thing I can say is that if you havenât done or tried it ya just donât knowâ¦ Langstroth was new at one time to. Just as the tbh are new nowâ¦ but in reality they arenât that new anymore, some people have been using them for years and like themâ¦ but there are still those who donât buy into the concept. That is their choice. I am going with the top bar hive because I think it will be better for me and better for the bees.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

TBH seem to be a good way to start cheap. 
With that said I agree with Iddee 100%.
:banana02:Notice this forum is just full of TBH users to give advice and help a beginner.

Nuff said, think:bdh: is being beaten.

 Al


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

smwon said:


> The only thing I can say is that if you havenât done or tried it ya just donât knowâ¦ Langstroth was new at one time to. Just as the tbh are new nowâ¦ but in reality they arenât that new anymore, some people have been using them for years and like themâ¦.


Actually TBHs have been around longer than langs. Their orgin is unknown, but different variations have been used for hundreds of years in Africa.

I have to disagree with Iddee on this one. If you want to start keeping bees you should start the way you want to keep them. There is no point in buying standard equipment if you are going to switch to TBHs later.


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

the kid said:


> I have been thinking of top bar to , what I want to know is what is the differce between the long hive and top bar hive ,,,,,
> the kid


The long hive uses standard frames, the TBH uses just top bars.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

sugarbush said:


> Actually TBHs have been around longer than langs. Their orgin is unknown, but different variations have been used for hundreds of years in Africa.
> 
> I have to disagree with Iddee on this one. If you want to start keeping bees you should start the way you want to keep them. There is no point in buying standard equipment if you are going to switch to TBHs later.


Actually I was thinking that and I know they have. I was going to use the raised bed gardening as an example... but decided not to. Some think raised beds are new, in just the last 20 years or so, but it was actually used in the 1500âs and maybe earlier. So goes for the top bar hives. We have just learned more about them and I think Langstrothâs âbee spaceâ has helped to develop a better top bar hive. 

I do believe I should start with what I want. I can put the time, money and energy into learning that way instead of learning one way and then switching over to another... good point and what I was thinking as well, I just hadn't verbalized it yet. 

Did you guys have problems getting on this site yesterday?


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

alleyyooper said:


> TBH seem to be a good way to start cheap.
> With that said I agree with Iddee 100%.
> :banana02:Notice this forum is just full of TBH users to give advice and help a beginner.
> 
> ...


Well??? Where are they? I posted in the beekeeping section because I thought some who actually do beekeeping with tbh's would lend some advice and experience and so far all I have gotten is those (mostly) who don't think tbh's are the way to go... :duel:

So you top bar hive enthusiastsâ¦ where ya be?


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

Don't misunderstand me. I think tbh's are great. I just think langs are much easier and less costly to learn on. If that's what you want, go for it. Just expect to learn faster, as the mishaps will come faster and stronger than with langs.

Here is a link that may interest you.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=254


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Oh hey thanks! That should come in real handy...


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## the kid (Jul 9, 2006)

( So, my question is, if you are just starting off, why do you want to do a TBH? )

This will bee my 3rd summer beeing a caretaker of the girls ...
Why do I want a topbar ???? Im just haveing a blast working with the girls ... I have langworth hives ,, I just thought it would add to the fun to try topbar ,, to me its a thing I wanted to do most of my life ( wanted bees from the age of 10 or 11 ,, Im 58 now ) for me its fun to see them do there thing ... I want to see them do it in any new way I can ,,, 
Im lucky in that my wife enjoys helping with them ,, and says nothing about the cost ,,
as its not a cheap hobby ,, 

the stings come with the hive ,,, no extra charge


alleyyooper here we meet again ,,,, are you going to give tbh a try to ????

a happy thought for us all SPRING IS COMING !!!!
the kid


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Top Bars are cheaper all the way around than Langsworthâsâ¦ but sounds like you are having a blast. Hey I want to have some fun too!


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

I have to remember when posting, to explain my shorthand for the greater good of beekeeping.

Langs is short for Langstroth hive


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Doi! I knew that and that is what I meant too...


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## bbbuddy (Jul 29, 2002)

I have been wanting to get bees, and am 60 with a bad hip and knee.
From what little I have seen, it looks like there is more "heavy lifting" with Langstroths than with top bar hives, am I correct?

In no way could I lift a whole box of comb and honey off another box, maybe not even an empty box, but with the top bar hive you only lift one "bar" at a time right? 
There are only two of us, and the comb would be just as important to me as the honey, so it seems like top bars are the way for me to go. Am I right?


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

I do wish those that use tbh's would chime in. But as far as I can tell from all the reading I have been doing, I think the tbh's would be your best bet. But as so many has said... it is important to read, study, and remember, so you know just what you are getting into! Find someone to help that has top bar hives and listen closely... that's what I am trying to do. I don't think I will have any tbh's for a couple of years, but they are in my plans for sure!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Kid, even though I do well selling the wax I won't do TBH's. I feel my girls bust their tail for me as it is so I am not about to make them make new comb every time I take a bar of honey.
Plus we are just to set up to mess with the crush and strain.

 Al


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

smwon said:


> I do wish those that use tbh's would chime in.


I think you would probably be the first one on here. I thought about doing it a few years ago, but I move my hive around too much and the comb does not stay put with alot of movement.

I actually crush and strain everything. My frames are foundationless and don't work well in an extractor. It does not take all that much time for a colony to draw out empty frames, I don't think it takes as much resources as the bee PHDs think either. I have had hives completely draw out 6 medium boxes and fill with honey in a very short period of time.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Thatâs some positive feedback sugar... thanks!


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