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757 Posts
Hi jessica, welcome to beekeeping
im by no means an expert keeper but i learn from things i and others have tried
years ago i wanted to do the TBH because i was a worried about the cost of the 10 frame equiptment and hives ....so i built 2 TBH out of pine and the lumber came to about $60 if i remember - and i had to cut a grove in all of the top parts and pour beeswax in to that.. and then i put the bees in it ..
all was good until about 2 mounths into it and the bees had made comb in every which direction --- it was a mess - i could not inspect it without tearing the comb and it would fall, loosing brood all the time -
also i had one that made lots of drone comb - i even took a bar of worker cell from the other hive and put it in there and they ignored that and just made drone cells around it - errrr
also only one hive made it to winter and then died by janurary - do to not having enought honey
i think that the TBH do work but maybe if they are in Africa or way south so that they dont have to store as much -
anyhow - after that i fount that the 10 frame was about the same cost
and i could inspect and mangage the hives better -
hope this helps with the decison
im by no means an expert keeper but i learn from things i and others have tried
years ago i wanted to do the TBH because i was a worried about the cost of the 10 frame equiptment and hives ....so i built 2 TBH out of pine and the lumber came to about $60 if i remember - and i had to cut a grove in all of the top parts and pour beeswax in to that.. and then i put the bees in it ..
all was good until about 2 mounths into it and the bees had made comb in every which direction --- it was a mess - i could not inspect it without tearing the comb and it would fall, loosing brood all the time -
also i had one that made lots of drone comb - i even took a bar of worker cell from the other hive and put it in there and they ignored that and just made drone cells around it - errrr
also only one hive made it to winter and then died by janurary - do to not having enought honey
i think that the TBH do work but maybe if they are in Africa or way south so that they dont have to store as much -
anyhow - after that i fount that the 10 frame was about the same cost
and i could inspect and mangage the hives better -
hope this helps with the decison