# tbh question



## smgchandler (Apr 20, 2008)

i have a friend making me a tbh out of cedar and i sent him the plans from the e book philip chandler --- it shows holes up and down the side of the box but i have seen some with an entrance like a lang -- my question is this - if you were going to build a tbh how would you do your entrance ?? - it seems to me one small hole in the back or maybe 1 on the side and a front entrance would be enough and prevent robbing but this will be my first tbh - what do you fellas like and why ?? -- its going to be 3 feet long without legs so i can put it on the stand with the other girls - what do you use for the roof - i think he is going to make an A frame roof so what do you suggest putting on the top - and is there anything wrong with putting it close to the other bees thanks for any suggestions


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## J-Bees (Jul 12, 2008)

kind of funny as you ask a few questions I been pondering also:

I am going to have NO bottom so no holes will be needed. The rest I am still thinking about.

JB:}


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## smgchandler (Apr 20, 2008)

well i believe this one has a screen bottom to it but im just not sure about all those holes it shows - a landing board and entrance on one end would be easy but i just dont know what would work best for the bees


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

I have one of each.





Both are nice. I can see where the lang entrace is easier to defend. I like the 3 hole as the bees have a couple of entrances to go and deliver their goods faster. Alot of people do top entrances only. But I like both. Not sure which one I will build when I build another. :scratch:

Both of mine have an A frame roof. Though one of the pics shows it still wood. That was still under construction. 1 is covered in 18 ga sheet metal and the other is in 24ga. I use what ever my friend that owns a fab shop has. I will wait for the 24 ga or lighter next time. 18 is way to heavy.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

*A top entrance works well.*

Nothing fancy, no need to drill any holes. My TBH has a 3/8 space between the first top bar and the front of the hive. the roof has an overhang to keep the rain out, and let the bees in. The entrance is reduced by putting in a small block of wood. Take a look at Michael Bush's website - there is a lot of good information there.:thumbsup: Have fun. Adrian


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

J-Bees said:


> I am going to have NO bottom so no holes will be needed. The rest I am still thinking about. JB:}


Just a SBB? Get's pretty cold in Maryland.


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## doc25 (Mar 9, 2007)

If you're not going to have legs you might want to go with a top entrance. Keep them a bit higher off the ground.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>if you were going to build a tbh how would you do your entrance ?? 

I put no holes and just leave a 3/8" gap in front of the first bar. Why drill holes when you don't need to? I also had skunk problems when I had a bottom entrance on it and that's why I started doing the top entrance.


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## J-Bees (Jul 12, 2008)

Derek said:


> Just a SBB? Get's pretty cold in Maryland.


I live closer to DC but it still gets cold here at times.


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## buckbee (Dec 2, 2004)

*entrances*



smgchandler said:


> i have a friend making me a tbh out of cedar and i sent him the plans from the e book philip chandler --- it shows holes up and down the side of the box but i have seen some with an entrance like a lang -- my question is this - if you were going to build a tbh how would you do your entrance ?? -


The entrance holes on my hives are all placed where they are for what I consider to be good reasons - they are not random. If you read my book, or read the various posts on the biobees forum, you will understand why they are located in these positions. This is not a 'pick and mix' design, but an integrated whole, including the use of two follower boards.

Upwardly-opening doors may be great on a Delorian, but you probably wouldn't put them on your Ford pickup: neither would you put the Ford engine in a Delorian and expect optimum performance.


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## katydid (Nov 10, 2008)

do what is easiest for you. If the hive is on a stand next to other hives and you plan to work it from one side then I would use a front entrance so you are not in the bees flight path. High, low, holes or gaps, is up to you I think. The bees will adapt. Local factors like skunks and stand height might help you decide.


have fun!


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## buckbee (Dec 2, 2004)

*bottomless hive*



J-Bees said:


> kind of funny as you ask a few questions I been pondering also:
> 
> I am going to have NO bottom so no holes will be needed. The rest I am still thinking about.
> 
> JB:}


I have one bottomless hive and the bees are very happy in it - see 
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7690446915686538155&hl=en

However, my climate is likely to be different from yours (temperate, inclined to be damp) so it may not work so well everywhere. Having said that, an open floor has very little to do with a colony staying warm, as warm air rises. As long as you have good top insulation, being bottomless should not matter, and condensation will not be a problem as cool, moisture-laden air simply falls out the bottom.


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

Seems in keeping with the natural aspect of tbhs, the entrance should be on the side. Bees draw there comb in line with the entrance holes in nature. Seems like making them come in from the end and going around every frame would slow them down a little and bunch them up.

I had never thought of the direction bees build comb, until I read a book on hunting bees and it was stated if you want to fall a tree with bees in it try and fall it on the hole, or with the hole straight up. Supposed to help the comb from collapsing onto itself and the bees.:doh:


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