# Top Bar Nuc



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

The good thing about a TBH is that we don't use plastic foundation. It makes chop and crop so much easier. It's still going to be painful for the bees. You will basically lay a follower board up against each comb and decide where to cut it. You will end up cutting through brood cells and nectar and it will make an aweful mess. I highly recommend that you leave the comb with the queen on it until the very last one so you can transfer her with your fingers over to another comb that has already been cut to size. Any trimmings that still have capped brood, can be stood up on the bottom of the hive and the bees might hatch out. Pieces with honey and pollen should also be left in the hive for them to rob out and move.


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Whoops I would guess if his are that wide they are probably more shallow if that is the case cut them free from the bar and split right down the middle and attach to your bards with rabit cage wire like patbeek uses this way there is no wasted comb to stand up and cause a mess be very careful with the bar with the queen


----------



## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

Ruthiesbees-100% right-:thumbsup:


----------



## mahobee (Apr 24, 2013)

not sure what the patbeek cage wire method is. Yes, they are shallower, since both bottom boards are 8". I'm sure the ruthiesbees method is right, just way to messy for me to have confidence that I can do correctly


----------



## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

If you think it is to messy for you and you DON'T have confident,, it Want work. Ruthies method has worked for me, you may have to cut the sides off the frames for bee space,,YOU CAN DO IT, the bees will clean up--just don't hurt the queen..


----------



## Kyo Un (Jun 7, 2015)

I'd suggest to leave them as they are and put them into the hive in an angle.
Put them in the back of the hive.
Hang the queen (caged for one day) in the front between some top bars so the bees go there too.
Leave a gap of some inches between front and back. The queen will probably stay in front.
Maybe you even put something between front and back so the queen can't pass.

The bees will start drawing the topbars in the front because they like their nest close to the entrance.
The original comb will be free of brood after three weeks and off you go.

No mess...

Kyo Un


----------



## mahobee (Apr 24, 2013)

I'm confused (almost sounds too easy). The queen isn't caged, it's in a fairly advanced overwintered Nuc (approx 8 frames of comb/brood) If I move all to the left away from the entrance and leave them on a diagonal, with just one frame on the right near the entrance (also on a diagonal) I imagine there would be a cross combing mess?!?


----------



## Kyo Un (Jun 7, 2015)

I know it isn't caged, but you should cage it for that so the bees gather around her. otherwise she moves back to the old comb which doesn't fit into yout TBH.

So cage her for 1 day –*until one Topbar is built sufficiently so that she can breeed.

You put the original comb to the far end – diagonal so it fits better.
To the near end you put enough top bars, five to ten and the caged queen.
Hang it UNDER a top bar, not in between else you get cross comb.
Cover the top of the hive so the bees won't get out there but in the regular entrance.

Leave some space between the diagonal –*old – comb and the (straight) fresh top bars. Put a queen separator to keep the queen from wandering to the back. Worker bees must be able to pass to care for the old brood.

The new brood nest forms in the front.
Take care they build staight!
Maybe you have to feed if there is no nectar flow.

You won't get a cross comb mess if the bees get enough top bars to build in the front

If you get cross comb in the back –*doesn't matter. You discard all the old comb as soon as it is free of brood.

It should work. 
Maybe some one else will comment?

Kyo Un


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

mahobee said:


> not sure what the patbeek cage wire method is. Yes, they are shallower, since both bottom boards are 8". I'm sure the ruthiesbees method is right, just way to messy for me to have confidence that I can do correctly



Not too messy at all, shake most the bees off gently then like I said slice it off the bar, split in lengthwise from top to bottom and stab on to pre made bars like shown here :






the bees will fix the rest. Try not to kill the queen, but if you do it's not a total deal breaker since it's a nuc they should have the resources to make a new one. after it's been in there a few weeks and they are attached well, you can pop the staples and slide the wire out from the side.


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

mahobee said:


> I'm confused (almost sounds too easy). The queen isn't caged, it's in a fairly advanced overwintered Nuc (approx 8 frames of comb/brood) If I move all to the left away from the entrance and leave them on a diagonal, with just one frame on the right near the entrance (also on a diagonal) I imagine there would be a cross combing mess?!?



Absoutly there would be a huge cross comb mess don't do this.


----------



## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Kyo Un said:


> I'd suggest to leave them as they are and put them into the hive in an angle.
> Put them in the back of the hive.
> Hang the queen (caged for one day) in the front between some top bars so the bees go there too.
> Leave a gap of some inches between front and back. The queen will probably stay in front.
> ...


No offense, but that sounds like a terrible idea. I think the best idea is figuring out why you didn't ask them how big the hive was to begin with. 

In all seriousness... all TBH's are "custom", some just happened to have names associated with them like Crowder, Bush, etc.

I'm still in the process of getting out of TBHs and into Langs. A somewhat lengthy and involved endeavor.


----------



## mahobee (Apr 24, 2013)

jwcarlson said:


> . I think the best idea is figuring out why you didn't ask them how big the hive was to begin with.


That could be a lifetime project!


----------



## Sovek (Apr 27, 2014)

Kyo Un said:


> I'd suggest to leave them as they are and put them into the hive in an angle.
> Put them in the back of the hive.
> Hang the queen (caged for one day) in the front between some top bars so the bees go there too.
> Leave a gap of some inches between front and back. The queen will probably stay in front.
> ...


This is a very bad idea for several reasons. If you have SHB problems in your area, thats just asking for a mess, and not to mention, the bees will build EVERYTHING at an angle starting from the frames and then moving forward. You wouldnt have a straight comb in there. No, just use a queen catcher, cage her while you work and crop your bars to fit. You'll loose brood, you'll loose some nectar but you'll like the end result.


----------



## mahobee (Apr 24, 2013)

I finally did the dirty deed and transferred the hive. I created 12 bars using the metal cages suggested by Harley Craig, The slicing was easier than I expected. Messy? yes, but not disastrous. I have my fingers crossed that they will attach the comb to the bars and live happily ever after.


----------

