# 55 gallon Drum Top Bar Hive



## Needo (Sep 10, 2013)

Did you see this page on BeeSource? It's not exactly a half circle, but pretty close.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

:thumbsup:

Huh! I thought I was familiar with most sections of Beesource, but I had never seen the section on _Alternative Hive Designs_ before. Thanks _Needo_!


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

I've built several barrel hives. I have two of them active at the moment. Check out my website and click on the bee hive section: http://www.savebeesflorida.com/

Also, here's a YouTube video of orientation flights happening a few days ago with one of my barrel hives. I have a bait have sitting on top of it, so don't think it's a second level, or something like that. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxyCl5dCNf0


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

I never did a hive with this, but a 30 gallon barrel half, lined with ordinary planks (3/4 nom.) just laid inside, takes an ordinary KTBH bar, about 26 of them. Laid one out, and never put it together. That would be an easy build, the dimensions are aproximately the same as the usual KTBH.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

I just did a cut-out this past Friday using a 55-gal barrel hive (with smaller legs for loading) which worked fantastically.

Did I mention I GOT THE QUEEN !?!?!

I also briefly explain the half-inch hardware cloth method for placing comb on the top bars.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

The first TBH I ever saw was a half barrel hive. The explanation was that it was basically what folks in parts of Africa could get their hands on. A demonstration of what was going on in countries where wood was not as easily come by as in other countries.


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## nalesmichaus (Oct 2, 2013)

Great job rescuing all of them, they would have all followed the queen eventually but you got them to the happy place much faster. very cool setup... I would like to make some TBH in my farm. I have many barrells leftover around the farm and can definitely repurpose them to grow my bee hobby. I will be posting some pictures in my site when I'm done with the new build. thank you:applause: www.gerardonalesmichaus.wix.com/business


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

So I opened up one of my 55-gal barrel hives today and placed some of the combs on a stand I hammered together and took several photos. These bees are from a cut-out, so that's why you see the half-inch hardware cloth on some or all of the bars/comb. These combs will get much bigger than this. They've only just begun. When they are done, the combs will be a perfect, huge semi-circle. This cut-out was done about a month-or-so ago:















































*This is a shot of a smaller comb, but a cool shot nonetheless, IMHO. The bees happened to be doing orientation flights while I was inspecting them:*


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