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Top bar hive. How thick planks?

 
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Hairyloon



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 14 12:45 pm    Post subject: Top bar hive. How thick planks? Reply with quote
    

Sorry for asking such an easily googled question, but it's not so easy to google from down the woods and it only just occurred to me to maybe cut some boards to build bee hives...

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 14 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Can you open this? It has a cutting list. It won't cut and paste otherwise I would.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/168332145/How-to-Build-a-Simple-Top-Bar-Hive

Hairyloon



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 14 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thank you, looks good.

RichardW



Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 14 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thicker planks will insulate it more.

As long as its structurally sound I doubt it matters too much.

Say 10-30mm ish. Thicker planks could be assembled with no framing, thinner ones with framing.

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 14 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The bee space inside is critical and I'm glad I made the theoretically double size version. It gives me space to work in and to put in things like feeders. I'm planning on insulating around the hive with sheep's wool when it gets colder.

Tavascarow



Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall
PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 14 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Really thick walled hives will take longer to warm in the spring.
The bees are perfectly capable of maintaining the internal temps at optimum all year as long as they have enough food.
So bees in a thinner walled hive will consume more winter stores but catch the early nectar & pollen.
Keeping them dry is more important IMHO.

Hairyloon



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 14 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I was wondering about using treated wood for the legs. Is this likely to be a bad idea?

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