# warre top bars



## kmagjr (Mar 19, 2014)

Hello all.
I am a first year beekeeper and I am building my own hives.
I am wondering what is the best way to prepare the bars before I fasten them in the boxes.
I am not using the wedge type bars.
I like the warre because it is more natural for the bees, after all this is all about the bees.


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## SteveStevenson (Feb 14, 2014)

Why are you not using wedges? I'm afraid that your comb will be crooked if you don't give them a guide of some kind. I made guides by cutting a kerf and glueing Popsicle sticks in the kerf.


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## dansar (Jul 25, 2013)

Another option is to cut a groove with a table saw along the centre of the bar and insert a strip of wax foundation, about 10mm deep is enough, melt some wax to secure it in the groove. This will ensure a straight comb is built from th bar (most of the time). When you harvest honey comb simply leave as much attached to the bar to provide a new line for the bees to draw comb from.


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## kmagjr (Mar 19, 2014)

Excellent idea. This is whatI need, input from people that have done it. Do you coat the stick with wax? If so, how thick do you want it to be?


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## kmagjr (Mar 19, 2014)

dansar said:


> Another option is to cut a groove with a table saw along the centre of the bar and insert a strip of wax foundation, abouqt 10mm deep is enough, melt some wax to secure it in the groove. This will ensure a straight comb is built from th bar (most of the time). When you harvest honey comb simply leave as much attached to the bar to provide a new line for the bees to draw comb from.


How much is to much? I saw a video and they use a paint stick to make the strips but it looks to me that is to much wax ( thick and wide) will they build comb on both sides or will they chew the wax down and start over?


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## kmagjr (Mar 19, 2014)

The only people that I can talk to around me are Lang people and they just don't get it. It is good to talk to more Warrers.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I am wondering what is the best way to prepare the bars before I fasten them in the boxes.

I would make them with some kind of guide (something that makes an edge in the middle, like a chamfer molding or a strip of wood) and I would not fasten them to the box as this will make them not movable comb. If you really want to fasten them, I think a screw would be best as you could unscrew it to move the comb (movable comb is a legal requirement in virtually every state in the US).


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>I like the Warre because it is more natural for the bees,
An eight frame medium Langstroth run foundationless is almost identical to a Warre. Wood is wood. Bottom bars do not a disaster make.

>The only people that I can talk to around me are Lang people and they just don't get it. 
I manage Langs, Dadants, Topbars, Warres and Gums. I only manage topbars and Warres paid at other peoples expense. For my self I know what a good value is.

For communication don't you use a the post office, computer and cell phone? 
For transportation don't you use a car, truck, train airplane or jet?

Preaching Warre beekeeping is like preaching horses, pony carts, dog sleds and canoes for transportation. 
Preach Warres is like preaching Pony Express, stone tablets, papyrus scrolls and smoke signals for communication.

Why are you preaching beekeeping technology thousands of years old but using this internet message board for communication?

Get off your high horse or the fall will hurt.


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

I am not for preaching. I also do agree on most things you said, odfrank. But...

Historically the Warré hive was "invented" a long time after the Langstroth hive (which was patented in October 1852). http://warre.biobees.com Émile Warré lived from 1867-1951. He was even born after the Langstroth hive patent. Warré's hives have had frames first -he later switched from frames to frameless. For simplicity reasons.

I switched to frames in my Warrés when I was growing in hive numbers but would not do it with, lets say 20 hives or so. Frames produce a lot of extra work which only is a good investion when you have lots and lots of hives. For small backyard beekeepers it is a justified option to use the good ol' handcraft tools, like gums and skeps and all.

Apart from that I do nail my topbars in fixed comb hives since you turn the boxes upside down for inspections, just like you do with skeps. If you use nails without heads, you can pull each comb after loosing the sides of that comb with a hive tool. It is not difficult to do if you are used to handle fixed combs. If your state law requires movable comb I'd simply use frames. As odfrank said: doesn't matter much if there is a bottom bar or something similiar. Another option could be the Delon frame. In combination with foundation: http://warre.biobees.com/delon.htm

Used in Russia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm7h8DQgtIE
http://video.yandex.ru/users/pchelhom/view/3

Howto bend the wire for the frames:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0xMSA_AvQ8


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

Evolution at work: another wire bending press: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8w4dSm-Kk8


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## SteveStevenson (Feb 14, 2014)

I rubbed the Popsicle sticks with a piece of wax. Bees are building comb as fast as they can


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## kmagjr (Mar 19, 2014)

SteveStevenson said:


> I rubbed the Popsicle sticks with a piece of wax. Bees are building comb as fast as they can


Thank you I will try that.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I rubbed the Popsicle sticks with a piece of wax. Bees are building comb as fast as they can

The popsicle sticks are good. The wax is unnecessary. They will do just as well or better without it.


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