Top Bar Hive Basics: Giving the Bees What They Need (top bars, roofs and other hardware)

[@krankywitch]

Really informative, especially the bar variations, thank you. We have a sheet metal roof on our tbh for 2 good reasons: we’re in a high wind area so a hinged lid can become a sail and nobody wants a hive blown over; and we’re in Australia - a timber roof doesn’t last a single summer here. We actually have 2 roofs - a white one for summer when we hit 40c, and a black one for winter because we also hit -12c. Our hive is made from hoop pine and, because we’re in Oz, we clad the outside in marine ply which we treated with a mix of raw linseed oil and beeswax - it’s in it’s 3rd year and will need recoating this summer. Yes, extreme summers, extreme winters, drought and floods, and high winds 360 days a year - Aussie bees are built tough 😎

[@johnturrell942]

Hi Phil. Started out by reading the Barefoot beekeeper and have three healthy Warre hives at the moment. Have been itching to build my first top bar. Covid19 means no work for now so very glad to see you are posting great info. Will have to jump back on the new forum. Keep safe.

[@clareprout3010]

Thank you Phil. We have built our top bar hive as per your plans and are on the swarm list for this season. Looking forward to the next video!

[@laziacoff503]

Great instructions. Look forward to more .

[@massachusettsprepper]

Very interesting stuff indeed my friend. Thanks for sharing;

[@nuruzzaman4893]

Thanks Phil. All interesting stuff.

[@mitchmitchellp2868]

Interesting info very well demonstrated, I did wonder about why you scorched the wood on the inside of the hive?

[@T0tenkampf]

I am familiar with stringed instrument construction so i have tung and linseed oil around to protect the shousugiban treatment. I mix with beeswax and work it in over several coats. Be sure to use a natural type and not boiled as the boilers add heavy metal toxins to the oil.

[@T0tenkampf]

I saw a technique for a starter strip recently that I have started using (care of KZbinr Steves Outdoor World). Slightly score the top bar with a saw and then staple a 1/8" thick piece of jute string along the score. Paint with melted beeswax. Looks to work well while is inexpensive and easy.

[@newatthis50]

Thank You for sharing with us many different hive styles. Which do you like best now and why? I'm thinking of something like your zest hive. Did it work for you?

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

The horizontal top bar hive is still my overall favourite, as it seems to me to have the best balance between enabling bees to manage their own space and being able to observe and interact with them. The ZEST hive has only been occupied since last summer, so it is too early to say, but the bees came through the winter and look like doing well this year. I will make another video about it soon.

[@jeanetteinthisorn4955]

Its a Japanese term called Yaki Ita. SUGI YAKI ITA. Sugi is the type of wood they use, yaki means roasted, ita means board. So if you are not using sugi wood, it is just yaki ita (roasted board) .

[@pszczelarium2063]

10:33 What is the gap/space between the 38 mm bars?

[@BasvanHeelRoseboom]

No gap. Closed together

[@jimmycornflake2636]

I built my top bar from your plans, joined the local bee club, and I am first in line for an unwanted swarm. I also built an 8 "frame" nuc based on your plans. It's currently up in a tree, hopefully will attract a swarm. Thanks Phil

[@fishmanfairclough7530]

I place my bait hives in trees and it has been quite successful, one thing that helped me was once I had a bees and access to wax I used slumgum liquor and that was really attractive to other bees.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

@@fishmanfairclough7530 nothing attracts bees like the smell of something made by bees!

[@jimmycornflake2636]

@@BarefootBeekeeper yeah, I've had to make do with some organic beeswax candles. I painted the top bars and rubbed some on the inside too.

[@T0tenkampf]

Have you housed any bees in a hive that had the shousugiban treatment on the inside yet? I do my outsides this way but was concerned that the bees might reject the burned smell.

[@leonunlimited7552]

Find some zinc coated deck screws, they have the far superior Robertson head.

[@mihai.r-beekeeper5694]

Interesting!

[@mr.greenbrier7137]

Hi Phil! I was wondering if you still add a strip of wax to the triangle of the top bar?

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

No, I have that up years ago, as it is time consuming and the end product is fragile.

[@slugjumper7709]

I am a new bee enthusiast... I have just put out 2 new hives (pine) with an envelope style swarm lure.... with regard coating the inside of the hive (condensation)would a food grade mineral oil be worth considering?. Thank you in advance.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

I don't know, but it may be worth an experiment.

[@fishmut]

Why not just rub wax all over the interior, it will waterproof it and bees are more at home with wax around them in a hive. Just my thoughts , it simple and no chemicals. 👍

[@dominiquelesbirel3259]

The bees take a bit more impressing ;-)

[@DimiHellas]

Hi Phil! Can you please write me the dimensions (windth and length) of the top bars in centimeters? Thanks!

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

My bars are 430mm long by 38mm wide. My experiments suggest that a length of between 375mm and 500mm is likely to be the most practical, and compatibility with your local standard frame hive is convenient for transfers.

[@DimiHellas]

@@BarefootBeekeeper Thank you very much! I appreciate your reply

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

If you are concerned about using Tung oil, this may help: www.canadianwoodworking.com/get-more/tung-oil-debunking-myths

[@moebees3060]

Make a lighter roof.

[@fishmut]

moebees ...how long did you want it to last in the eliments outside.

[@moebees3060]

Ytanythinggoes what does that have to do with the weight?