Apis MelliferaWedged Top Bar (updated)
I made up some top bars to be used in the vertical top bar hive. The super or perhaps more accurately described "hive box" is dimensionally Americanized from the Warre design with the outer dimensions are 13 1/4" x 13 1/4" x 6 5/8" deep. Note that my original post had shown the hive box sides at 13 1/2" on a side, however I found that left too much free space with 8 frames. The top bars are designed for 1 3/8" spacing on center. I have also integrated some spacers to keep the bee space between top bars.
The top bars are 1" x 3/4" blanks, 12 3/8" long. The wedge angle in the bottom of the top bar is created by tilting the table saw blade approximately 20 degrees.
I was able to use some melted wax in a slow cooker and a foam brush as used to apply wax to the Pierco plastic frames to apply a small bead of beeswax to the apex of the inverted top bar.
I also made up a modified Langstroth medium super to hold these smaller top bars, so that a normal Langstoth hive can draw out the comb on the top bars and then hopefully split off some of the colony to start the Warre hive. I hope to have some photos of the finished versions of the top bars, hive box and modified Langstroth medium super in the near future.
Posted on May 30, 2009
updated...
To the left and below are a few photos of the top bars in the hive box. Spacing can be accomplished with wooden dowel pins. The width of the top bars are 1 inch, so the dowel pins need to stick out 3/8 inch. If you look at the bottom image closely you can see that one dowel pin is on the left side and a second is on the right side. In this way only two dowel pins are needed per top bar and allows the top bar to be turned around horizontally if needed. You may also notice a bead of bees wax down the apex of the inverted top bar.
Posted on May 31, 2009