top bar width

[davlanders]

Commercial 1x2s are actually 1x1.5" Is this too wide to use as top bars? Do they have to be cut, or will the bees accept this width?

Thanks.

[Scot Mc Pherson]

I rip 2x4s at 1 1/4 inches. I get two TopBars from that that are 1 1/4 X 1 1/2 inch, which is perfect for the two sizes you need. Small for brood large for honey. Just turn them to the side you need. I also get a largish peice of scrap from the two cuts which I can use as emmergency topbars or as general scrap wood I use for other miscellaneous purposes. If you don't like the rounded edge, just make it 3 rips instead of two, but I like the rounded edge bars for the honey topbars and the squared edges for the brood nest. This lets teh bees pull air from back to front when they fanning for evaporation or heat management.

[Michael Bush]

The bees will build the brood combs about 1 1/4" no matter how wide your bars are and no matter what you use for comb guides. They will build the honey about 1 1/2" or maybe even larger no matter what size you make the bars. You can make them 1 1/2" The bees will still build the combs on about 1 1/4".