# Possible Hive Design



## erikebrown (Oct 27, 2014)

Hey folks,

I have a top bar hive I purchased that is overwintering (I hope). I'd like to build a new one this winter, and wanted to ask for any comments or thoughts on a design I'm considering.

My goals would be to have top bars the same length as a Lang frame (19 inches) and have the comb as big and deep as possible with standard-sized wood. Attached is a sketch of a possible end board (from Visio) using standard 11.25 wide boards. The end board is is 19 inches wide at the top with 12-inch sides, making the base just under 10 inches. The sides attached inside the end board, the bottom is longer and attaches to the bottom of each end board. If my numbers are right, leaving room for bee space, the comb will be around 131 square inches and just over 10 inches high.

I'm looking to match an 8-frame Langstroth setup of two deeps and two mediums, which I believe is 3,568 sq in (16 x 136 + 16 x 87). I would need 27.2 frames in this top bar to achieve this, or 37.5 inches (using 1 3/8 wide bars). So if I make the interior 40 inches I can fit 29 top bars and more than cover this. So I end up with a 3.5 foot hive with a 40-inch interior that matches a reasonable 8-frame setup for my area.

Does this seem like a reasonable approach? Am I missing anything here? I do realize this comb will be bigger than my existing hive, which is one drawback, but I think I can work around that and this size might be a better standard size for me long term.









Appreciate any insight or thoughts anyone may have. Thank you,

Erik


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## SteveStevenson (Feb 14, 2014)

Check Michael Bush's website (ad to the right on this page). He recommends different width bars for brood & honey. Also, I believe he says to have a hive about 4 ft long.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Beeline apiaries and woodenware make a topbar hive kit that is probably what you are looking for. It costs $165 shipped to you and then you can copy it to make more. It's about 45" inside. Bars completely match a Langstroth hive and they use 1x10 to make the sides. Total of 28 bars. 14 are 1 3/8 the other 14 are 1 5/8 and it comes with 2 follower boards to make up the difference. The end pieces are a bit taller than what you show and it lets me put their roof about 1/2 inch above the bars for air flow underneath during the hot summer months.


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## Apismellifera (Oct 12, 2014)

I say why not make it a full 48" long? That's half of an 8' board. Seems to me you're just tossing the trim otherwise? We're always talking about how we have to manage topbar space, a bit more isn't a bad thing and 8" longer is really not going to add all that much to the final dry weight and really, you're not moving 'em much once they're occupied, hopefully.

Nice sketch. I made my hives about 9.5" at the bottom and 15" inside at the top but I have one I haven't put together and I'm seriously thinking of cutting new ends so that it would fit "lang" sized bars.

I'd like to sell a few hives to fund my habit and I think this might sell better, also. Makes a pretty hefty comb full of honey using 11.25" vs 10" for the sides but I'm sure they're still manageable with care. 

Thanks for the info on the beeline side dimensions, Ruthie. Their site is silly with only a low res pdf catalog and no dimensions on anything, so I was wondering. No window in their hives, either, so if you go that route you'd want to just get it unassembled which is about $30 cheaper and cut/install your own window. There's a local saw shop guy that stocks some of their stuff to fund his own habit, I'm trying to talk him into bringing in a topbar, he just has lang stuff now.


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## erikebrown (Oct 27, 2014)

Apis,

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree another 8" would not add much to the design and weight. I was looking at this from the perspective of how to match an 8-frame Lang with 2 deeps and 2 mediums, and the result was around 38-39 inches, so I settled on 40. You can always go smaller or larger. This is loosely based on Wyatt Mangum's design, which has a slightly smaller comb (same depth, but about 16" internally at the top). He used 1 ft and 2 ft hives for nucs and pollination, and 4 to 5 ft hives for honey production.

This may become my January project, I'll have to think about the length. Let me know if you try it out as would be interested in knowing how this works out.

Thanks again,

Erik


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## Apismellifera (Oct 12, 2014)

One of my priorities is how to minimize waste on the lumber, so I definitely will be using a 4' length on any more hives I build, even at the wider width. I currently have 4 full and 2 half size, unlikely to build more soon as I have no bees at the moment unless I build some for sale. With the beeline stuff being so much less than what I can sell for who knows, I have tons of time in mine due to my bottom screen design and all the cuts on the wedged bars & angled cuts on the roof ends & routing slots on them for the flip up lid. ;-( I'd love to stock 'em all come spring but I rely on swarms so that's pretty iffy.


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## BWrangler (Aug 14, 2002)

Hi Erikebrown

Here are a few thoughts and some plans.


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