# Removing attachmentpoints



## Steven Ogborn (Jun 3, 2011)

That's what gets them the maddest at me. I haven't found a way to make it less traumatic for them.
That foriegn blade still has to stab down between the comb and wall of the hive and shove them out 
of the way to get to the attachment. They don't like it. I don't think they will ever get used to it.
That's what makes inspecting the hive from the back with all those honeycombs a pain.
That's why they calm down when I get into the broodnest. They don't reattach them as much.


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## Delta Bay (Dec 4, 2009)

Try lightly touching the bees that are in the way of the blade with the tip of your finger as you draw the blade upward giving them time to move out of the way. Smooth and steady.

A little smoke before you work the hive also.


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## Bush_84 (Jan 9, 2011)

This year I did something different when removing top bars. I took my hive tool and pried one side apart from the other. If the side didn't move with the top bar, try the other side. Odds are if you can get one side to move easily, you can continue to turn that side until the other side comes free. You still occasionally have to cut attachments, but the bees don't get pissed. You also have to watch carefully. If you see or feel the slightest resistance, then you must immediately stop.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Next spring I am thinking of building frames for my TBH to give that idea a whirl. I am thinking it will work quite well. This should eliminate the need for support comb alltogether.


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## Beev (Jul 16, 2011)

Mr.Beeman said:


> Next spring I am thinking of building frames for my TBH to give that idea a whirl. I am thinking it will work quite well. This should eliminate the need for support comb alltogether.


Oh no.... now you've gone and done it.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

LOL

I know what you are thinking.
I do have three lang hives as well as the one TBH. Maybe we CAN have the best of both worlds!
I wanted to see which hive system works best for me. 
I will admit I have have a load of problems with the lang hives (abscondtions)(new word?), but not one problem with the TBH.


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## Beev (Jul 16, 2011)

I started a TBH this year and they have done well. I made a "frame" (really just a flexible wooden strip) for them to make attachments to, but have not tried it yet. If they survive the winter, I plan on adding a few of these in the spring for them to build honeycomb on.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

If you are going to go with frames, why not just build a long hive. At least then you can purchase frames. Making frames for a top bar seems like a pain. More of a pain than running a lang hive.


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## Origonhives (Jun 13, 2012)

We went into our TBs yesterday. We have two with plastic viewing windows. One hive has very few attachment points close to the bar. The other has one to two for each comb but only on the window. These are full length combs almost touching the bottom. We use a tool that's “L” shaped with the end blade about an inch long. Slow steady work without smashing any girls keeps them pretty calm. (learned by error and error.)
We have foundation less frames in our lang supers doing well but We will have to think about frames for the Tbs. They don't seem to be worth the trouble right now.


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

Delta Bay,
Pulling up on the blade IS the deal...Safer than pushing down and breaking the comb off.
Idea--what if you heat the tool enough to melt wax but not torch bees...125-130 degrees. Then there would be less shaking and other stress to bother the bees. Also possibly they would avoid the heat produced from the blade.?

I get what Shannon is saying...Horizontal lang and buy cheap frames already made. But to put a couple in an existing hive would give you a good comparison of the time saved during the inspections vs the time to build the custom TBH frames. Post pics when its full.


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

I'm with Delta on the smoke. 

Are you talking about attachments to the sides or attachments to other combs? I eliminate attachments between combs by cutting off odd shapes and then putting an empty bar on each side of the odd comb. Of course, I do that early enough in the season so that they're still building comb to fill in the space. Now is too late.

I modified a BBQ burger flipper to make my top bar hive tool. I cut the 'blade' of the flipper so that it's narrow. Then I just press it flat against the side of the hive and slide it up to cut attachments.

They tend to attach a bit this time of year, as the combs are getting heavy. Slow and steady during the warmest part of the day is best. And as Delta suggests, use smoke to move the bees if they're congested in an area of attachment.

Adam


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

I actually found a narrow blade burger flipper at Goodwill. It is pretty thin, I was thinking maybe one of those big cake cutters may work too. Whatever you can get cheaply. I did see on some site someone has some top bar hive tools that are the L shaped tool. Seems like a good idea, but I'm too cheap to purchase one.


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