On Wed, 13 Nov 1996, <H. Sweet> wrote:
 
> I'm a little in the dark. I have only learned of TBHs in the last several
> days.
> Still I'm not sure of all the specs.
 
Specs are "loose" except for the width of the tb's.  They need to be 35mm
for Italian bees.
 
> Height   ?
 
Whatever you wish.  I use 10 inch boards or there about.  One hive is made
with two old cabinet doors and must be about 15 inches high.  I don't
bother making my hives with sloping sides as in Kenya type hives.  I don't
find comb attachment to the sides to be much of a problem.  In the few
inches where comb is often attached to the sides, well, a little quick
work with my hive tool made from a 12 inch shelf bracket takes care of
that.
 
> Width   20-24 frames
 
I don't understand expressing width in number of frames.  The width of my
hive is determined by the length of the tb I choose to use.  I originally
made the tb's the same length of my frames and mixed tb's and frames in
my "Langstroth type" hives.  I didn't really care for the mixing.  The
bars were a pain in the neck to use on the tbh's because they would fall
inside unless placed carefully.  I made the next group of bars long enough
to come completely out to the side of the hives.  The bars will overhang
the sides of some of the hives I've made from old desk drawers or 30 gal.
plastic drums, but that doesn't matter.  Just don't make them too short.
 
> Length  30"
 
Whatever length you choose is fine.  Most of mine are for 20 bars.  The
hive made from cabinet doors is about 24 bars long.  Original plans I got
said 30 bars, and I think that would be good.  Pull the honey as it is
capped and then immediately replace the bar if you have a strong honeyflow
on and fewer bars.
 
> Shape of frame   ?
 
There is no frame, only a top bar.  Mine are 35mm wide, a little longer
than a standard frame, and have a 1/4 inch groove cut in the center of the
length of the bar.  I also make a notch, about 3/8x3/4 inches in the
center of the bar, on one side only.
 
> Number of stories  1?
 
Yes, but you can super.  However then you have supers to lift and more
equipment.
 
>
> What makes these hives so great?
 
They are cheap, fun to work, no heavy supers to lift, no sticky extracted
combs to store and fight with wax moths to keep, less honey but more
beeswax.  I am a bit biased, but I think the honey tastes better if it is
pressed from virgin comb and didn't come from old combs run though an
extractor.
 
These hives are great because they are a link to the past.  They aren't
new.  TBH's have been used for centuries if I understand correctly.  They
obviously aren't great for commercial producers, otherwise they'd be in
widespread use.
 
> I'm a hobbiest and a local independant dealer. I use a press to extract or
> cut comb. My langstroths seem to work very well. I can manufacture
> all my own equipt if neccesary. Is a TBH highly recommended? I love
> to experiment.
 
*I* highly recommend them, and I'll never keep bees in langstroths again.
They fit my goals and philosophy of beekeeping better.
 
Harry, do experiment.  That's the fun of beekeeping for me.  Best wishes
in your endeavors, and the same for all others on BEE-L.
 
Cordially yours,
 
Jim
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  |  James D. Satterfield        |  E-Mail: [log in to unmask]       |
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