# TBH Top Bar Dimension question



## JClaunch (Apr 7, 2014)

My dad just made me a nice TBH but he made all the bars 1" which I know is narrower than most. Will these work okay?


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

You may need to consider spacers between the bars (or glue the spacers to the bars). My bars are 2 sizes: 1 3/8 and 1 5/8. They bees build brood and honey comb on both, although they are supposed to use the 1 3/8 for brood. I don't know that the 1" would be too small for them to have adequate bee space to hatch their brood.


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## Cabin (Nov 30, 2014)

JClaunch said:


> My dad just made me a nice TBH but he made all the bars 1" which I know is narrower than most. Will these work okay?


 Cut a bunch of spacers half 3/8 inch and the other half 5/8 or cut the spacers 3/8 X 5/8.


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## JClaunch (Apr 7, 2014)

This will be my first time with a TBH, will the 1" give them enough room to build comb and the spacers give them the room to build it to the thickness they like?


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## Cabin (Nov 30, 2014)

JClaunch said:


> This will be my first time with a TBH, will the 1" give them enough room to build comb and the spacers give them the room to build it to the thickness they like?


The top bar of a lang frame is around 1 inch.


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## foxC (Feb 4, 2015)

Cabin said:


> The top bar of a lang frame is around 1 inch.


The end frame is wider than that inch and spaces the top bar for bee space.


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## Cabin (Nov 30, 2014)

foxC said:


> The end frame is wider than that inch and spaces the top bar for bee space.


 I know. His question had included the use of spacers.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would make a bunch of 1/4" spacers. Take the number of bars times about 1 1/2 and make that many... put 1/4" in the brood nest and add more when they start to build fatter comb.


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## Foxhound (Feb 19, 2015)

Know that when you add the spacers, the bees will attach them to the 1" bars on either side of them. They will not be loose. 

I noticed that you are from Alabama. A lot of people will say that top bar hives are illegal in Alabama, but that isn't true. Just make sure your bees build their comb straight and correct it if they don't. The state inspectors want to be able to remove each bar without tearing up any comb.


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