Building a new topbar hive design.

[histopicker]

I am building a topbar hive incorporating some ideas I have to improve on my old design. First is an observation window.

This will have a plexiglass window with a cedar door to cover it.
Next is a lip for a boardman type feeder on the opposite end away from the entrance.

The next change is using foundation cut into starter strips for the topbars.

I cut shallow groves into the bars the exact width as the foundation and glued them in using waterproof tightbond wood glue.

[hunt4it]

Good work!  I've never built a hive but find bee's extremely interesting!  Thanks for the share.  Karma to you sir!  

[pipewrench]

Very nice work there Histo

[bk]

Thanks for letting us take a look at the topbar, histopicker. 

Will be interested in how the window works.  Have thought of putting one in a Lang.  Still thinking that one through.

The bees build their comb on the foundation starter strips, correct?

Thanks again for the post.

[histopicker]

Jan 31, 2016 21:42:08 GMT -5 bk said:

Thanks for letting us take a look at the topbar, histopicker. 

Will be interested in how the window works.  Have thought of putting one in a Lang.  Still thinking that one through.

The bees build their comb on the foundation starter strips, correct?

Thanks again for the post.

Hopefully they will use the strips, usually they like to build on edges so the strips should work.

[bk]

That makes good sense, histopicker.  Thank for the clarification.

[histopicker]

Feb 1, 2016 21:13:50 GMT -5 bk said:

That makes good sense, histopicker.  Thank for the clarification.

Here is a top bar with a wood cleat. It is the type used in the second photo. As you can see, they built very straight comb all along the cleat. Check out that brood pattern also.

[bk]

Does the cleat work better than the foundation, histopicker? Or are you experimenting to see?

Nice pics of the topbars. Thanks for the posts.

[histopicker]

Feb 2, 2016 21:10:34 GMT -5 bk said:

Does the cleat work better than the foundation, histopicker? Or are you experimenting to see?

Nice pics of the topbars. Thanks for the posts.

I have not tried the foundation before and it appears I won't on this hive. It is already sold. I guess I will start building another one tomorrow. I am going to make a video of the completed hive before I deliver it tomorrow.