# Slotted Hinge System Roof



## Yogibear15 (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi, does any one on here have a top bar hive with the slotted hinge system? I would like to make a roof with this design.:scratch::scratch:
Thanks
Bob


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## ElSuenoFarms (Sep 28, 2016)

Can you post some pics, I am not familiar with this design.


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## Yogibear15 (Nov 19, 2016)

This youtube video shows a roof that hinges on pins and not only open's upwards but can be detached also, I'm looking for pic's of the underside of the roof that shows the slot layout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blw4TcrS7CE

Thank you for you interest

Bob


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## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

by its function it would be shaped like an L or J
http://danlockton.co.uk/research/images/bc3hack_5.jpg


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I have one with that hinge detail from Bee Thinking and the top is just another reason I am anti topbar. The lid is too heavy, that hinge detail clumsy to load. If the hive is empty, the weight of the lid is heavier than the hive and whole hive falls over almost off the stand when you open it on the hinges.

I got a poisoned topbar (made by Backyard Hive.com) for free with a lighter lift off lid and inner cover, and prefer it. Lift it off, set it to the side. I have not loaded it with bees yet, who might all die from the poisons, but it has been easy to handle during cleanup and staining.


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## Yogibear15 (Nov 19, 2016)

Many thanks for your informed input Frank, I can see that the stand provided is the posable problem on the Bee Thinking Hive, but in my case I don't uses that type of stand and my roof will be lighter as it will be a wooden frame with the roof made from the same stuff as real-estate for sale signs are made of, very light but strong and weather resistant.

I think the slot system in the Bee Thinking Hive is a "T" with the horizontal top part longer than the vertical leg, would it be possible for you to confirm this be posting a picture of the underside of the roof please?

Bob


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## Apismellifera (Oct 12, 2014)

Yogibear15 said:


> This youtube video shows a roof that hinges on pins and not only open's upwards but can be detached also, I'm looking for pic's of the underside of the roof that shows the slot layout.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blw4TcrS7CE
> 
> ...


I stole this idea from beethinking also, apologies to the good people there. It's an L shaped slot. If you view their vids closely, there is one that shows the shape and position of the slot clearly. Pause the vid on those couple frames and look closely.

It's a superior design. Period. Just don't make your lid out of multiple layers of heavy wood, that's just stupid and unnecessary, the lid is only there to keep weather off of the bars. Mine has a frame of 1x2 in the front and and 1x1 in the back, with the gable ends out of 1x4, (if you want more pitch you could use 6" wide) roofed with galvi roofing tin. It's solid, light, and the best ever. The frame itself is not so strong, but when the tin is affixed to it it's plenty strong and rigid. I used screws with the little gaskets on 'em, and also put a dollop of hot glue encasing each one so that no water can work its' way thru the holes and into the hive.

You will just have to work it out for yourself how the peg and slot will work in your setup. I did, and if I can anyone can. ;-) I will give you one clue - the horizontal frame member in the back is set up higher than the one in the front to allow the lid to sit in the upright position without the frame member stopping out before full open.


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## Yogibear15 (Nov 19, 2016)

Apismellifera: many thanks for your detail LEG UP, I have (since my last post) decided it was a 'L' shaped slot, what I didn't see was the position of the back roof rail that is raised up. As the song say's --- "I can see clearer now" --- :thumbsup:

Bob


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I noticed in the video two people were handling the lid the whole time and looked practiced. They also kept their hands on the lid when it was up. Try doing it as easily by yourself. I believe in heavy duty but not on topbar roofs. I even have telescoping covers I find too heavy in my old age. I recently obtained Dadant real copper and Mann Lake fake copper garden covers. The Dadant in much heavier and I think has an additional sheet of plywood.


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## Nordak (Jun 17, 2016)

Piece of plywood with foam under is much lighter and easier to produce while supplying some insulation. Set some bricks or heavy rocks on top. The beauty to me of a TBH is in it's simplicity. I've had TBH lids blow off before during thunderstorms and remain dry as a bone inside. That's the beauty of having no gaps in the top bars. Once the bees propolize between them, It's pretty much a roof in and of itself.


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## Apismellifera (Oct 12, 2014)

odfrank said:


> I noticed in the video two people were handling the lid the whole time and looked practiced. They also kept their hands on the lid when it was up. Try doing it as easily by yourself.


Looks to me like beethinking makes a hella heavy lid, silly. 

I could have routed the slots in mine a tad larger, they're a pretty snug fit so I have to finesse it a tad opening and closing, but not that much hassle. And I'm a hack carpenter so my angles are not perfect. On the next batch I'm going to try not routing them completely through the gable ends, the bees seem to want to get inside the slot when it's open and are subject to squish when it moves on the peg, I think it would eliminate that problem and look even cleaner, but it means tighter tolerances.

The lid stays up fine, it's very stable. I wouldn't want it up in a stiff wind, but we're not working our bees under those conditions anyway, right?

In windy season I use a cinch strap or two around the whole hive/roof/stand so wind can't catch the lid. We've got some pretty good winds when it's stormy and I've had no problem. There's not much opening for wind to catch under the lid. A full hive is well over 100lbs, if it's all cinched together it's not going anywhere. My stands are all solid with 4 straight legs so not tippy like the legs attached to the hive, never liked that.

And I try to put the back of my hives to the north against a wall, to catch the southern exposure and provide a bit of shelter under an eave. I'll be building out a hive shelter open to the south in my new location to keep the rain off yet still allow all the sun they can get, it's dim enough here most of the year. I may also screen it out with some sort of stout fencing or portable electric fence to keep the ***** and bears from meddling.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

Try a hinge called a lift off hinge. 

Grainger has one here.


McMaster has them. Even Walmart has them.

Google "Lift Off Hinge" for other suppliers.

I suggest that you install them first on the lid, then attach to the box with the lid down and in position. That way they will be easy to realign when the lid is flat on the hive body.


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## Apismellifera (Oct 12, 2014)

Meh. Those are designed for a vertical door or gate. I don't see that they're applicable here. Completely different beast. Certainly wouldn't work on my setup.


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## will52100 (Jun 8, 2015)

What I did was use medium sized barn door hinges. Bent one end up at a 90, the other to match the 27 deg.? of the hive body. Basically the hinge part is sticking just past the edge of the roof, whole roof then swivels up and is held with a chain. Here's pics, they can explain better than I can. I did use course roofing screws to hold the lower hinge to the 1" thick body, bolts would work as well. Since I used 1" thick wood for the roof as well, and this hive has no bees in it yet, it's a bit top heavy and needs a solid mounted base with the lid open. What I did was use two old car rims and welded pipe and mounted with flat bar to secure the hive and keep it level.


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## Chuck Jachens (Feb 22, 2016)

A suggestion would be to shim the hinge attached to the side of the top bar with a a 2x4 or 2x6. Then you would not need to bend the hinge at 27 degrees and it would reduce the torque on the screws and the wood sides while the lid is open. Just a thought, the engineer in me is coming out again. I like the setup.


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## Titus_TN (Jun 13, 2016)

The L-slot system on the Bee Thinking hive works fine. It is not the world's best mechanism, I am sure, but it is an adequate one and easy to assemble. It is perfectly usable even with the Bee Thinking stand; the hive sits in the stand pretty firmly, and it's an easy shim if you have wiggle room.


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