# Who sells a good top bar hive?



## trentfysty (May 18, 2010)

I would do a google search. There are a number of hives out there and I think every manufacturer is going to say theirs is the best. Backyardhive.com has a very nice one but it is pricey. You might also think about getting plans and having someone local build it for you if you are not up to building it yourself. Ebay has a bunch of hives listed, etsy has a few listed, beethinking.com has nice cedar hives. That should get you started but be aware that it's difficult to compare hives as there are a lot of differences in type, style and materials.

There are a number of different sizes and materials used. An examply is if it's built of cedar it is going to cost more than pine but also should last longer without the need of painting or sealing.


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## wheelnut (Mar 23, 2011)

I have been checking myself and found what I think is a nice sized one on EBay. Price is $ 79 + shipping. check it out. WN


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## Buz Green (Jun 29, 2009)

Honeycomb.
Visit my website. I am cutting cedar kits right now.


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## foxden (Dec 2, 2010)

These look very nice. I am considering one myself.

http://kenny61.wordpress.com/


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

I cheerfully recommend Bee Thinking: http://www.beethinking.com/ 

They are not the cheapest hive out there, but they are done right, and that means a lot to me. I am very pleased with the overall fit and finish, the design of the hive and its top bars, and the quality of service. The hive bodies are cut out of 1 inch thick recycled cedar. The legs are made of even thicker cedar stock and really support the hive properly. The pitched roof will shed rain properly.

The owner of Bee Thinking is on this forum -- look for "cacklewack". I have no affiliation with the company other than being a satisfied customer.

Bargain-basement TBHs may not be big enough in length AND cross sectional area to be really practical, especially if you want enough storage in the TBH so your bees can store enough honey to survive the winter in a cold climate. They may not have well designed top bars. They may or may not come with "follower boards" that allow you to restrict the hive volume when, for example, you install a package of bees. They may not have legs, if that is something you'd like.

Look for someone with some history if you think you might want more TBHs in the future. It's a good idea to stick with the same top bar dimensions, so you have some interchangeability between hives.

--DeeAnna


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## ZuniBee (Feb 15, 2007)

I bought the one from Honey Bee Habitat and am very pleased with it. Since it is my first Top Bar hive I don't have anything to compare it to but the price was right and the quality is good.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

All the ones I've seen, in my opinion, are overly complicated. I would build my own and I did build several:

http://bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm

Some of the ones for sale are far too small to make a productive hive. Some are fine. Here's one that's a nice size, a bit fancier than I would do, but well done and I have one (thanks to the owner) with bees in it. They did very well, following the very well designed and made comb guides. I dumped a package into it in April and didn't check it until September and all the comb was on the bars.

Gold Star Honeybees
PO Box 1061, Bath, ME 04530
207-449-1121
http://www.goldstarhoneybees.com/


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## Merlinspop (Nov 4, 2010)

I built one to Michael's design. Cheaper than buying one, for sure. Would have been much cheaper if I had scrounged for lumber. Only change I made was I substituted a 1x8 for the bottom board and widened the ends accordingly to 17". It was a fun project with my 9 yr old. Bees get dumped in this Sunday.


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

Yeah, I agree that building a TBH is certainly cheaper than buying, if you have the tools, want to do the work, and have the free time. Absolutely no quibble there. The original poster's question was where to buy a TBH, however, not about making one.

Why did I buy? I certainly could have made my hives -- I do have the tools and the skills. My personal goal is to keep bees as a hobby. I don't have a lot of desire to build the woodenware too. My "boughten" hives suit me just fine. They were a Christmas present and a reward for working really long hours all this past fall and winter. 

I am just getting to the point that I now have the free time to build the hives, but I love it that I can get out and garden or work with my horses this spring, not stay cooped up, doing yet one more indoor project ... and my hives are ready to go!

--DeeAnna


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

Dee Anna

Did you get your hive set up ??


Yes I agree Build your Own 


Tommyt


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

Tommyt -- The hives are ready to go, but no bees yet. --DeeAnna


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## laurelmtnlover (May 29, 2009)

I got mine from www.customwoodkits.com . Joey has a base model, website, and is always at the other end of the phone for questions. I have kept mine for 3 years now, started with one, split one, and it swarmed, got the swarm, now I have three and I'll work on building two for splitting the hives this spring. 

I have really enjoyed keeping bees this way.


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## Honeycomb (Jan 15, 2010)

Wow, these things are expensive! I am not a carpenter, so I can't really make one myself. I'm actually surprised to find that there aren't that many places that sell them, or just how there doesn't seem to be any standardization. It seems that once a person gets one, they have to commit to that brand if they expand or do splits.


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

"...I'm actually surprised to find that there aren't that many places that sell them..."

I am sure that TBHs are a tiny, tiny fraction of total sales, compared with the number of Langstroth hives sold in the US. If you look at the major bee supply houses, you won't find many that sell TBHs -- I think I've seen only one -- so that is a clue to the minscule market share the TBH has in the US.

"...or just how there doesn't seem to be any standardization...."

And for the same reason, it should be no surprise there is little standardization. In the days when Langstroth was developing his hive, many inventors were promoting their "patent" hives and a lack of standardization was common. Even today, Langstroth hives are not universal. You will find many different types of hives in common use across the world.

"...It seems that once a person gets one, they have to commit to that brand if they expand or do splits...."

Yes I agree it makes sense to standardize, either by buying from the same supplier or making your own hives using a top bar the same length as the bars in your "boughten" hives. If you read discussions about Lang hives, you'll hear the same advice to standardize on one supplier so everything fits properly.

Some TBH makers sell just the bars and that is the most difficult part of making a TBH. If you buy a set of bars, then it really is straightforward to make the hive body using simple tools and little woodworking experience. You can go to a lumber store and have them cut the wood to length if you like. A jig saw works well to to trim things to size. You can screw things together with construction screws and a drill.

I don't think it is that critical if the body of a new hive is shorter or longer than your old hives or if the cross sectional shape is somewhat different. But from what I've gathered, it is probably a good idea to stick with a consistent top bar length for interchangeability. Or just understand that top bars from some of your hives won't interchange with others.

I hope this helps!

--DeeAnna


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## JWG (Jun 25, 2004)

_Buying_ a TBH?  This kind of goes against the whole TBH concept (originally), e.g., simplicity, economy (cheap, available materials). 

You can put together a hive like Michael Bush shows for practically nothing. You can pick up used boards or junk plywood anywhere. You don't even have to be too picky about the top bars. You can use sticks, spaced appropriately. The bees don't care.

Take a look at Jim Satterfield's site for some pics of functional but inexpensive working hives. He even used pieces of old furniture he found at the side of the road. 

$100? *$400?* ...for an empty _box_? There is nothing magic about TBHs and if you like honey you might better spend the money on a hive with frames. imo


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

I really would be saddened to see anyone discouraged from beekeeping by being criticized that they want to buy TBHs rather than make them from scratch.

If some folks want to be traditionalists about the "TBH experience", that's perfectly fine. There are, however, other people who have the talent to be good beekeepers, but don't care one whit for carpentry. I want to encourage them too.

"...There is nothing magic about TBHs and if you like honey you might better spend the money on a hive with frames...."

Nope, you're right, there is no magic in TBHs ... nor in langs for that matter. For me, the essential distinction between the two is the management styles. I personally prefer how TBHs are managed.

--DeeAnna


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## Honeycomb (Jan 15, 2010)

Like I said, I am not a carpenter. Even if I had carpentry skills, that is not how I want to spend my time, which I value highly. There are more reasons to use a TBH than just financial ones. A pre-assembled TBH may be pricey, but at the end of the day it is not about the money for me. I have a few langstroth hives, and I like them just fine. But I think TBHives are interesting and want to try them out.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

How about this get the plans and hire a local Handyman/woman too do the building
Now you will be able to get one exactly as you wish
I'd bet the price will be right 


JMHO
Tommyt


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## Honeycomb (Jan 15, 2010)

I have considered that. How long would it take someone to build one?


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

With the materials on Hand maybe 2 hours 
I could do one in a hour and I am not bragging
Have you seen Dave's Bees Video on Building a Top Bar Hive 
If not I say Please do 
It will show the simplicity I'll go look for the link and repost

Tommyt

Try this if not I'll try somethiing diferent

http://www.vimeo.com/9481171


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Using Michael Bush's design, a handyman could knock one out pretty quickly. It's supremely ironic that what started as an affordable design to allow people in developing countries a way to get into keeping bees is now the hallmark of expensive, trendy equipment (and a little more'n its fair share of misinformation).


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

I would add a View window if custom making one 


Tommyt


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## Beethinking (Jun 2, 2008)

I assure you at least some suppliers are working to bring down the costs, but producing less than 1000 of these hives a year is surprisingly expensive. Factor in the cost of cedar, CNC equipment and 12 guys dedicating over a month's time to milling and assembling bee hives, as well as the $20+ in custom boxes and packing materials to ship them and you end up with some slim margins. The big box bee companies have the economy of scale to bring you Lang equipment at extremely low prices. I think you'll see the price of alternative equipment begin to go down in the next few years as it continues expanding. 

At classes I teach and events I speak at I urge listeners to build their own if they can, explaining the relative simplicity of HTBHs and Warre hives. But, as others have said, there are many looking to start top bar beekeeping that neither have the know how nor the time to make their own hive and they'd like something that looks good and functions well. 

Best,
Matt


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## tiestu520 (Aug 19, 2010)

*queery on top bar hives.*

hi all.
i was wondering if it is a good idea to use the layout of a british standard dimensions but use the depth of a top bar hive with british standard frames (not just top bars), i think that it would be less stressful for the beekeeper to inspect the brood since everything is handy and you don't need to remove the top honey supers which i guess all of you passed through the experience about their tremendous weight.

please don't hesitate to critisise me, that's the main reason i posted this idea. i was thinking of adopting this system to my bees but it is better to hear some opinions first. maybe someone tried this already.

thanks from Malta


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

What you are describing is just a long hive. As far as making one in British standard dimensions, I haven't had a reason to, but Dartington has been doing it for years.


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## Beeheck (Oct 10, 2010)

Kenny's hives are cyprus which means they handle water very well. I am especially pleased with the two I bought. I will be buying more.
Bruce


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## Roscommon Acres (Mar 21, 2011)

Some of the ones for sale are far too small to make a productive hive. ​Now, what do you do after you realize that your hive is too small? How small is too small? I'm not worried if ours is big enough to get them through winter. By next spring, I'll have a lot more ability to move them around or whatever. But I want to make sure they'll have enough honey to make it through winter!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

> Some of the ones for sale are far too small to make a productive hive.

Agreed.

>Now, what do you do after you realize that your hive is too small?

Build one the same shape (to take the same combs) that is longer.

> How small is too small?

If you don't have the equivelant of the volume of two deeps you won't have enough to winter in Nebraska.

> I'm not worried if ours is big enough to get them through winter. By next spring, I'll have a lot more ability to move them around or whatever. But I want to make sure they'll have enough honey to make it through winter! 

The area of a Trapazoid is Area = ½(a+b) × h where a is one width (like the bottom) b is another width (like the top) and h is the height (like the vertical measurment). So if your top bar hive is 14" wide inside at the top and 4" wide at the bottom you take 14+4 to get 18, divide that by 2 and get 9 and multiply by the height (let's say 11"). So one that is 4" at the bottom 14" at the top and 11" tall would be 99 square inches. Multiply that times the length (inside of course) and you have the cubic inches.

A ten frame deep is 14.75" inside by 18.375" long by 9.625 high. That's 2608.675 cubic inches for one and 5217.35 cubic inches for two ten frame deeps.


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## Beeheck (Oct 10, 2010)

My top bar hive is 38 inches long so to some folks, this might be on the short side. It has 24 top bars in it. As an experiment, I built two supers to fit my top bar hive. In the event I have good honey flow, I have devised a way for the bees to move up into one of the two supers I've built. I have made top bars that allow for the bees to go through and up. To start them, I will move the fully drawn out combs (maybe a couple) with brood and honey to the top to get them started and see what happens. 
Bruce


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## milena (Apr 6, 2010)

Funny, the first reaction of the Langstroth-loving nay sayers near me was, "no reason to do TBH! It's really not THAT expensive to get a Langstroth". As if the initial investment was the issue. 

To me TBH is not about the expense of the hive, at ALL. It's about natural comb, small cells, chemical free wax, no heavy lifting (single lady here), and best of all, the windows on my hive that let me and my kids watch the miracle in progress. 

My handy-person skills about end at boiling water for sugar syrup, so building a hive out of anything is not in the cards. A hive tool is about the only tool I own. 

So if a handy man online can sell a fully built TBH that gets even one more person maintaining the health of a colony, I think that's a great thing.


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## rtoney (Apr 20, 2011)

The material and design I used was from the Bush Farm site http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm & it only cost about 30.00 for materials. The size based on Michael Bushe's figures would be about 4,554 square inches or about the same as to hives.
If you give this material list & design to any older guy in the area looking for something to do he could have it put out in a couple of days.
Good luck
Rick


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