# Converting to a TBH from a Lang



## AlpineJean (Apr 3, 2005)

Hi MIKI,
I'm getting ready to transfer a swarm from a Lang into a just built TBH in the next few days. I am going to wire some top bars so that I can fit as much as possible of the comb from the Lang under them and into the new hive... I imagine I'lljust have to cut it out of the frames and lay it in the new "cage". I suspect it's going to be messy and time consuming especially considering my relative cluelessness  but I'm going to try anyway. 
Seems I should try to move as much of the work they've done into their new home.
Any thoughts?
And, how did you get that unhappy face to appear on the main subjects page?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Do you have some kind of frame to put the comb in? If so this should work. Do not attempt to tie or wire honey combs into frames. It is too heavy and too fragile. You might get by with pollen and you will get by with brood.


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## AlpineJean (Apr 3, 2005)

what if the wire that i use to cradle the comb between two split bars (so that when put back together maintain correct spacing) is chicken wire? i thought it might be useful since it has a hexagonal weave and can be cut at an angle to approximate the walls of the hive. 
by the way the volume of the hive they are moving into is 77.43 liters. I used the convert-me.com website to get the figure.


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## MIKI (Aug 15, 2003)

After trying everything exce Michael's frame idea I decided to just put the honey comb in and let them clean it out. I got to go make syrup now I won't harvest anything from this hive this season.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

AlpineJean, I like your idea for using chicken wire. In fact I may try some myself if need be as I haven't yet gotten around to making the frame Michael talks about....

Do you think the bees might use that pattern and upsize their comb? Instead of 4.9 mm it'd be closer to 4.9 cm. I'd hate to get stung by one of those critters.  

>...how did you get that unhappy face to appear...

Click on 'Full Reply Form' on the lower right hand side of your message screen. There are several little icons to choose.
And there are the 'Instant Graemlins' to the left of the message screen to play with too.








   















Another enjoyable waste of valuable time.


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## AlpineJean (Apr 3, 2005)

I'll let you know how the chicken wire works out... the whole experiment ought to be a real hoot and a big mess by the time I'm finished w/ it.







Bout to go check in w/ the Lang-ed swarm and pull one frame to "practice" with at the house before I tackle all of them-
Yeee-ha, wish me luck


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## Scot Mc Pherson (Oct 12, 2001)

Checken wire works fine. The disadvantage is that you have a higher wire to cell ratio and a higher percentage of bees will be damaged in the cell or fail to emerge.

The split bar idea works really well. You can squash the top of the comb between them really tightly and wire it together at the ends. The disadvantage is the split bars warp more readily, and you also have the problem of a lack of uniformity in thicknesses.

Usually people cull these combs as soon as possible anyway, no matter which form of framing you use. I just use hemp bailing twine. I spread the strands of twine at the bottom, and so long as its brood or pollen it holds up just fine. It has the advantage of being adjustable, so that if I didn't tie it tightly enough, I can just spread the ties apart at the top to draw the bottom back up. The bees then attach the comb on their own within a day or two and I can remove it. If the combs are really good and attached well, I don't have to cull it at all if I don't want to.


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