# Top Bar Hive - using dowels to strebgthen comb?



## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

I say do what you think is best so you wont have to rehang colapsed comb! The dowels running along the side and the paint stick at the bottom, doesnt matter what you use, just as long as it suits your needs! Dont forget to reinforce it by running 3-4 strands of wire from the top bar! It works great!


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## Beethinking (Jun 2, 2008)

Dennis Murrell (BWrangler) and others have tried this with little success/advantage over traditional top bars. Here's a link to his findings: http://bwrangler.litarium.com/top-bars/

I run around 20 foundationless top bar hives (HTBH and Warre) and have very little issue with comb failure. The only time I've had failure is in hives that were very weak and lacked sufficient populations to air condition the hive. 

Cheers,
Matt


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

ezra, is it real hot up on those roofs? Is that why you are have this problem or concern? If you are going to the trouble of adding dowels, why don't you just make frames and wire them? The bees will work the wires into the comb, or the comb so that the wires are embedded, easier than a 1/8 inch dowel. I would imagine.

Then there are the Langstroth hives w/out foundation in the frames.


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## ezrahug (May 30, 2010)

Yeah, it does get hot on the rooftops and i was thinking of simple fixes to straighten and strengthen the comb. I'm building KTBHs and standard frames don't work well so i thought drilling one 1/8" hole and sticking in a dowel (or sawing a kerf and sticking in a popcicle stick vertically) would do the trick. Honestly using wire i think would take longer to install in the bars. Any thoughts? this is my first year so i'm sure i'm overlooking obvious details.


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

I think making the roof so that it is pitched, and has an airspace between the top bars and the roof is a really good thing. It allows the roof to get screaming hot and the air escapes the ends (if you put openings in the ends - roof vents - like a house).

This keeps the direct heat from getting to the bars and keeps things a lot more manageable.

Adam


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