# angled tbh or tanzanian



## Tigger19687 (Dec 27, 2014)

I decided on the Long Lang (long hive, TTBH ) because it was easier to make. GL


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The biggest advantage to a TTBH is that you can build it to take the locally available frames so you can put a nuc in it or interchange combs with your other hives. The advantage to the sloped sides is more attachment at the top to support the given weight making the comb a bit less likely to break or collapse.


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## yotebuster1200 (Jul 28, 2013)

I am pretty sure the angle helps discourage the bees from attaching (as much) comb to the side walls of the box. They consider it their floor and dont attach as much comb. 

Just so you know I dont own a top bar hive and havent studies them much but I remember reading something about that once so take it with a grain of salt.


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## Chuck Jachens (Feb 22, 2016)

I would recommend using deep frames rather than mediums for a TTBH. I think the mediums are to shallow for the winter cluster to be able to move laterally. Not enough thermal buffer.

My TBH have a 25 degree slope to the sides. There is an occasional side attachment so I know I should not be using a steeper slope than that. However you must keep in mind that this is based on my local conditions and it works based on a number of interrelated factors and my local environmental conditions.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I am pretty sure the angle helps discourage the bees from attaching (as much) comb to the side walls of the box. They consider it their floor and dont attach as much comb. 

I have not seen any difference.


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## sammy60 (Aug 19, 2015)

Ok, thanks for the answers. CJ i'm not sure what you mean by deep frames? (language problem i'm afraid) About building attaching combs to the walls, it seems to me that there are different opinions, but i can imagen that risk of braking is bigger with the tanzanian. But the transition is easyer. The thirth option is a long langstroth. Do they have the same risk with breaking like the tanzanian? (since you use a emty frame here)
Right now we have this kind of frames (same size) and we do melt in wax like you see in this clip 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMKcmJB86Wc
But since i want them to build themselfs i can use empty frames (maybe even a little wire?) but that would be a long langstroth, if i did my homework well and understood the difference? 
(still learning)


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## Chuck Jachens (Feb 22, 2016)

Sammy60 - the frame in the video are about 6 inches tall which corresponds to a medium frame in a lang. A deep frame is about 9 inches tall. 

The Tanzanian, with vertical sides, will get side attachments as time goes on. Honey comb is heavy and needs that extra support so it does not collapse. I think the Tanzanian needs to have side bars for support and to able to remove the bars for inspection and not worry about comb collapse. I feel if you have put on side bars then you should add a bottom bar to make sure the side bars don't spread apart.


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## Kathleen Bourn (Oct 31, 2014)

I have Tanzanian Top Bar hives that are made to the dimensitons of medium Langstroth frames. I like it because I can share resources with my Langs if need be. So far (3 years) they have never attached to the sides or the bottom. I don't think this is because of the slope/straight sides but because the hive is made using rough sawn wood. I have another one with plexiglass sides (for windows) and they attach to it all the time.
My bars have wedges on them and I think this makes a strong bond.

Even in my hot weather climate, I've never had comb fall off. You still have to be careful to keep the comb perpendicular to the ground when you handle it.


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## sammy60 (Aug 19, 2015)

Thanks for the information. Really helpfull. In my case... i guess i'm going for the tanzanian with side/bottenbar or long langstroth and i'n thinking about deep frames becourse of the cold winters here. I'n living in south sweden but it still can gets - 20/-25 some weeks in the winter.


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## AugustC (Aug 7, 2013)

I really like the sloped sides of the kenyan top bar hives. It has been something of a life saver when I was a brand new beek and managed to break a comb. The sloped side supported the comb nicely so I could "girdle" the comb with masking tape back onto the top bar. I happen to think that the shape is more thermodynamically advantageous. As air in the hive cools (relative to the hive atmosphere) it moves down the side of the hive and water condenses. As the water condenses it releases its remaining heat back into the hive. On a sloped side this is back up into the brood rather than vertically up the side of the hive reducing the heating work by the bees. But hey go with what works for you.


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