That is the best part. Their first question is where do I keep my bees and are surprised when I point to these funny looking boxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zonker
Doug
mylocalbees.wordpress.com
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That is the best part. Their first question is where do I keep my bees and are surprised when I point to these funny looking boxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zonker
Doug
mylocalbees.wordpress.com
Hey I am all for experimenting. I was simply stating that when discussing vertical people mean that bees move easier when they don't have to cross comb in the winter. Even if you prop one end up really high the bees still align their comb with gravity. So the bees will still have to cross comb in order to get to the other side of the hive. Now I'll tell you that I have a TBH in MN going into its first year. Has been a mild winter thus far, but bees are still alive.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1184020...eat=directlink
Warre- observation hive
Several very good designs. You all are talented. For me, buckbee's design is a very appealing TBH. I like this simple, cost effective, design and it looks pleasant to my eyes. This design has fewer cuts and angles and if I make a flat roof it's even cheaper. Thanks.
Velacreations: Great idea using the barrel; well documented process. Thx.
I posted recently my new Vita Hive (TBH) here's the link
Pictures...
3 X 3D models iv'e made
6 X finished product
http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...ve-(Vita-Hive)
Design by Beev! He was kind enough to send it to me and I only made a slight modification to the bee entrance. The one pictured is made out of sassafras, except for the legs and about ten bars. I still have to add a latch to both sides of the box to secure the roof, then give it a good coat of oil based paint on the outside.
Attachment 1476
Attachment 1477
Attachment 1478
Attachment 1479
Attachment 1480
Thought I'd throw my modified barrel top bar hive design in the mix...
Main modifications are an addition of a divider within the hive, using a chicken water feeder with syrup inside to get them started, screened vent in the base, re-sizable entrance reducer, and of course a chicken coop.
Have several entries describing the process of building these here: http://www.independencehomestead.com...ry/beekeeping/
Bees have been in them for 3 weeks now and both hives are doing very well.
Chickens are currently in a box in basement growing up to be ready to go outside in about 3-4 more weeks.
http://www.independencehomestead.com...bkMwB2nkCq.jpg
http://youtu.be/A7S0ISp_mU4
My top bar hives I build with independent stands. I used white cedar based on one of my saw bucks like this:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Z...0/AsawBuck.JPG
I built them like this out of reject twisted, warped and bowed pieces of wood:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j...iveStand01.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P...iveStand02.JPG
Here is one of the hives sitting on a base. This is how the hive made it through the winter here in zone 4 except in the winter I only had 1/2 of a cork opening:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7...TobBarhive.JPG
My top bars are Langstroth width 1&1/4" wide. Any new bars I will make 1" and use spacers. If I pull out some of the spacers, it would allow the function of supering with Langstroth boxes, or nadiring a top bar hive from a Langstroth box.
That's a truly great TBH BoBn, nice and simple. Excuse me while I run into the backyard and build one now!
Rgds: Jeff
I'm lovin' all these TBH designs. The barrels got me wondering about the feasibility of using a 4 ft long +/- tree trunk, ripped in half and hollowed/dug out. Diameter might need to be around 30 in. My neighbor has a felled hickory tree I can have . . . This sounds so crazy, it just might work . . . Anyone else? :)
Here is my latest YouTube video showing my experimental 'deep floor', which is designed to encourage an ecosystem to develop inside the hive, while maintaining and stabilizing the internal temperature and humidity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWB-pdlqeFQ
Here's a simple design that I use with an optional screen bottom and stand. It's based on a Dr. Wyatt A. Mangum presentation (and now book). It's very practical because it uses dimensional lumber. The front and rear could be square but I like the way the angles look. The stand is also pretty simple, very stable, and it slips off for easy transport. I'm a strong advocate of a light weight roof that provides good ventilation. I simply keep a few spare bars (and spacers) on the top of each hive so I use them to support the roof and provide ventilation. Bricks/limbs/firewood are my norm for holding the roof down but if I kept hives where people couldn't see them I'd tie the roofs down.
A few things you might notice from the hive pic are the robber screens in place, I use sponges for entrance reducers, the first bar is a sideways so it's easy to enter from the front, the next few are lang bars with 1/8 inch spacers (from a cut nuc). I'm now building these without screen bottoms because my queens seem to be hygienic and I sample varroa using the sugar shake method. I'm also getting away screens because they provide refuge to SHBs and moths. Landing boards could easlily be added by attaching a shortened top bar below the holes. If you include them make sure to place them below the holes so water won't enter the hive.
Attachment 3060Attachment 3061Attachment 3062
Stuart
Hello friends of TBH,
My design is based on Dadant, all compatible with honey rooms, floor board, etc.
Greetings from the black bee Germany, Horst
Since the "warrebeek" site seems to have completely disappeared I went back to my notes and began to work on a sketchup design. from pictures I kept on my HD.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...=1359303318000
I designed 33mm bars (a Perone influence I guess) instead of 32mm in the original
Management (sorry I didn't keep the pictures but it is easily comprehensive)Quote:
The Frankenhive can contain up to three separate colonies.
Each colony can be managed separately as a simple horizontal top-bar hive, nadired with occupied Warré hive boxes or supered with empty Warré hive boxes. The Frankenhive can be used for activities such as feeding or splitting a nucleus and raising queens.
FEATURES
Floor: flat, 38 mm thick
Entrance: multiple side and end entrances, each a combination of 19 mm diameter entrance holes, #9 tapered natural cork plugs
Hive-Body Box: variable shape and size, maximum W 28 x H 35 x L 99 cm internal dimensions, adjustable follower boards, 38 mm thick exterior walls
Comb Support: removable top-bars with 9 mm bee space
Comb Spacing: variable on-center spacing, 32 mm in the broodnests and 38 mm in the honey storage areas
Comb Height: uninterrupted to 35 cm in main box
Cover: coarse cloth on top-bars, wood edged quilt boxes containing natural insulating material retained with coarse cloth
Roof: gabled roof with ventilated cavity
Management: horizontal, nadired and/or supered, "Nestduftwärmebindung" retained within the hive
Wintering: flexible
Harvest: raw, cut comb and drained pressed comb
PS: it is designed in mm, to help people from Fahrenheitland I give this little trick : just select all, copy the model, open a new (empty) sketchup file and paste : magic ! all measurments become Imperial !Quote:
Frankenhive Management Strategies
The Frankenhive can contain up to three separate colonies. Each colony can be managed separately as a simple horizontal top-bar hive, nadired with occupied Warré hive boxes or supered with empty Warré hive boxes.
The following photos illustrate different management strategies.
SINGLE TIER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
The single tier Frankenhive can be divided with follower boards into one, two or three separate compartments. Each compartment has a separate entrance, either side or end.
A colony, illustrated in yellow, can be confined to a single compartment by using a follower board.
A second colony can occupy a second compartment by using a follower board.
A third colony can occupy a third compartment.
A single colony can expand horizontally as desired by moving the follower board.
An expanding colony and a confined colony can occupy the hive separated by a follower board as shown.
A single colony can be confined to the center compartment for added thermal efficiency during winter.
DOUBLE TIER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Adding three separate second tier hive boxes on top of the first tier hive box expands the management strategies. The follower boards within the first tier can be aligned with the hive box sidewalls of the second tier. Again each compartment has a separate entrance, either side or end.
An empty second tier hive box placed on the first tier hive box can super a colony located in a first tier hive compartment.
Two empty second tier hive boxes placed on the first tier hive box can super an expanded colony located in the first tier hive.
A hive box containing an existing colony, illustrated in orange, can be placed on top of the first tier hive box. The colony can build from the hive box downward into a first tier compartment nadiring the existing colony.
A second tier hive box colony can be nadired, illustrated in orange, while a colony occupies a separate compartment, illustrated in yellow.
A second tier hive box colony can be nadired, illustrated in orange, while a first tier colony, illustrated in yellow, is supered.
Two empty second tier hive boxes placed on the first tier hive box can super an expanded colony located in the first tier hive while a second tier hive box colony is nadired.
A single colony can be confined to the center compartment of the first and second tier for added thermal efficiency during winter.
A single colony can be confined to the center compartment for added thermal efficiency during winter while supplemental honey, illustrated in orange, is provided from a second tier hive box.
Adding additional hive boxes make a third and even fourth tier possible. The Frankenhive can be used for activities such as feeding or splitting a nucleus and raising queens.