# Top bar hives



## Silver Marten (Apr 27, 2009)

Does anyone one on here use top bar hives? If so do they work well?

Emily


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## thistle (Jan 29, 2006)

We have 3 top bar hives. For us they have been working out well. We have 2 kenyan style and one plain rectangle. The plain rectangle is actually thriving better than the fancier 2, but that could be due to the fact that its a wild swarm, instead of mail ordered others. They work well esp. if you like to peek in on them from time to time see how they're doing. They are also very cheap to build, if you're new to bee keeping they're nice to try out without making a serious financial obligations.


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

>Does anyone one on here use top bar hives?

I do.

> If so do they work well?

Yes.

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


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## Handyman (Sep 11, 2009)

I just got my Mother Earth magazine and they have an article on top bar hives. I'm not a huge fan of the magazine - not enough detailed information about the topics and way too many advertisements. Trying to keep subscription costs down I expect. It's a good thing we have the internet to research interesting ideas further.

We use a lot of honey and we've talked about getting bees. This method seems like a good one for people who don't want or can't invest in the fancy equipment for Langstroth hives. I don't need more stuff to store either. An extractor is the most expensive item you'd need, I think, and they can be bulky.

Top bar hives yield less, from what I've read.

That's interesting about the vertical-sided hive doing better. Numerous sources I've read state that 120 degree sides are what you MUST use.

I'm very interested in what others have to say about Top Bar Hives. I was going to post a question about them. Thanks!


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

I have been looking at them for a while.

Last weekend at the Organics Fair, one vendor had some and was doing a workshop on them. He sells them.


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## Safado (Jun 15, 2009)

I just sealed up our TBH. This is the first year I've had a hive of any type, and really liked it. We got about 40 lbs of honey (estimate). I really liked the idea of being able to make it in order to cut the costs down. 

I had bad problems with cross combs, and because of that I will be building a hybrid type. This next year I am going to try a rectangle built to hold 60 deep frames. I got a great deal on foundation, so the frames won't be too expensive. 

One nice thing about the TBH is after all was said and done we got a 2 lbs block of solid beeswax.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

Safado said:


> ...
> I had bad problems with cross combs, and because of that I will be building a hybrid type. This next year I am going to try a rectangle built to hold 60 deep frames. I got a great deal on foundation, so the frames won't be too expensive.


When you look at one of your topbars' looking at at end, what shape is it?

Square?
Rectangle?
Pentagon?

Is the top flat and horizontal, with both sides cut at 90degree right angles. Both sides flat and vertical.
And the 'bottom' made of two faces that come to a point?

Thanks


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

We have a couple of top bar hives that we made ourselves. They're in sort of a triangular shape with the top being wider than the bottom. Honestly, one hive did well and the other not so well and you do get small cell bees out of it since they make their own comb, but they tend to make comb everywhere and attached to everything, so they have their pros and cons. It seems to take a very strong hive to start with nothing but the bars, meaning no foundation or anything, and build from scratch like that.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

Safado said:


> I just sealed up our TBH. This is the first year I've had a hive of any type, and really liked it. We got about 40 lbs of honey (estimate). I really liked the idea of being able to make it in order to cut the costs down.
> 
> I had bad problems with cross combs, and because of that I will be building a hybrid type. This next year I am going to try a rectangle built to hold 60 deep frames. I got a great deal on foundation, so the frames won't be too expensive.
> 
> One nice thing about the TBH is after all was said and done we got a 2 lbs block of solid beeswax.


We had the same problem with the comb. The main reason the guys built the top bars was for me to give me wax for candles and other things.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

I keep seeing that inside the TBH, the bars themselves should come to a point on their bottom side. So that when the bees draw out their comb, you dont get any cross combs.

Which was why I was asking about the bars.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

We did build ours that way and it didn't stop them from making comb all over everything. May need to adjust the way they're made a bit more.


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

I'm not recommending it, but as an experiment I've used most everything and even nothing for a comb guide. I think the two most important things are the right spacing and one straight comb. I can start with one straight comb and no guide and keep them pretty much on track if the spacing is right. The guide, of course, helps, but they will insist on their own spacing. That's why I ended up using 1 1/4" bars for the brood area and 1 1/2" bars for the honey storage area.


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## Silver Marten (Apr 27, 2009)

Thank you for all of the information. It looks like we are going to make a few of them next year.

Emily


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## edzz (Jun 21, 2008)

Thinking about using the Mother Earth News info to build one or two also. Has anyone ever used OSB for the boxes? I have access to a lot of 3/4 inch. Could use it for everything but the "Top Bars".


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

I never built a top bar hive out of it, but I've done everything else, but only when it was scrap and free. It doesn't age well and I wouldn't buy it for a hive, but if it's free... I'd use it.


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## FarmerRob (May 25, 2009)

Here are a couple of links that I found very informative--the first one has several hundred top bar hives and is very educational--if you only read one of these it should be the first one:

http://anarchyapiaries.org

http://www.backyardhive.com

http://www.2.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/main.htm

http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/info/info/topbar/better-beekeeping-in-topb-2.shtml

http://bushfarms.com/bees.htm

http://www.biobees.com/

http://www.outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/kenya.htm

http://home.comcast.net/~beekeeper23/TBH.htm

That ought to keep you busy for a while. Much success to you.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

FarmerRob said:


> Here are a couple of links that I found very informative--the first one has several hundred top bar hives and is very educational--if you only read one of these it should be the first one:
> 
> http://anarchyapiaries.org
> 
> ...


Thank you for posting this!


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## Silver Marten (Apr 27, 2009)

Thank you very much!!!
Great links!

Emily


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