[Brooklyn]

Well I have two hives and on one I use a top entrance and on the other I use a flat cover. I was thinking on combining both into one. One side would be a top entrance flip it over and it would be a flat top for winter or when ever you thought you needed the top entrance closed.

Has anyone come across such a top and if so can you post a picture. Or explain to a non carpenter. I am not that good of a carpenter.My first top warped and the bees started to use it as an entrance and that gave me the Idea. I will post a picture of what I come up with. Not sure it is any good but having fun doing it.

Brooklyn

 

[fafrd]

Brooklyn,

I put front/back rails on my 3/4" plywood covers and dado a 1/4" channel for the plywood. The plywood is cut 20-3/4" long (3/8" longer than 19-7/8" plus 2x1/4" for the two dados) and then I use a 3/4" dado blade to cut a notch 3/4" wide and 3/8" deep into the 3/4" plywood (this forms a rounded groove going back about 1-1/2" into the plywood).

This way the cover can be pushed 'back' and there is no top entrance. When it is pushed 'forward' (by 3/8") it forms an upper entrance which is 3/8" deep by 3/4" wide. You can also adjust the cover to be 'almost closed' to within 1/8" of being all the way 'back' and ths leaves a small air vent in the top that the bees cannot pass through.

The 'flipping' idea you have suggested will also work, but it is a little less flexible, and every time you 'flip' the cover you will need to deal with the exposed bees as well as some likely burr comb on the exposed surface of the cover.

-fafrd

 

[wfarler]

This way the cover can be pushed 'back' and there is no top entrance. When it is pushed 'forward' (by 3/8") it forms an upper entrance which is 3/8" deep by 3/4" wide. You can also adjust the cover to be 'almost closed' to within 1/8" of being all the way 'back' and ths leaves a small air vent in the top that the bees cannot pass through.
-fafrd

cool idea!

 

[mike haney]

i use plywood or solid tops(solids from converted bottoms) with a 3/8 shim attached on one face-but only on 3 sides. when the shim side is down, the odd side is the entrance, when the shim side is up, they are closed. good luck,mike