Brand new baby top bar hive

[ArmucheeBee]

I finished up my new top bar hive with help from several sources on the web and forum advice.  It came to 24 bars with one being a follower board and one dumby bar to cover a wider gap so 22 actually bars for the bees.  I cut all the bars instead of gluing, etc.  They are all a hair wider than 1 3/8.  I also had my own idea to make them overhang 1/2 inch on each end for easier lifting.  But I cut the triangles on a slope that puts them right against the sides so there is no lateral movement.  The handles also will act as bar hangers.  I plan to put a light poly on the top of the bars like the body of the hive.  No poly inside.  As for the inside, 2/3 of the bottom is screen with the last third being a wood bottom where I plan to sit a chick feeder.  Sides are sloped at 120 degrees though that may or not matter.  Three questions:

1.  How many bars should I give the bees when I first put them in? 
2.  Can the follower board have holes in it so they can get to the feed?  I don't want to use a jar type.
3.  Most important.  Where should I put my entrance?  I like holes because I can use a cork to plug them, so I thought about on the end at the top or on the sides at the top--remember it has a SBB.  Advice please!!

[Michael Bush]

>1.  How many bars should I give the bees when I first put them in?

All of them.  You might limit them to one end but all the bars should be in the hive.  Bees have a habit of finding a way around your follower.

>2.  Can the follower board have holes in it so they can get to the feed?  I don't want to use a jar type.

Then it no longer serves it's purpose of limiting the hive.  Just leave it out and put the jar at one end.

>3.  Most important.  Where should I put my entrance?  I like holes because I can use a cork to plug them, so I thought about on the end at the top or on the sides at the top--remember it has a SBB.  Advice please!!

I like NO holes and just leave the front bar back 3/8" (which it should be anyway to come out rignt on beespace) and the top overhangs leaving the door as the gap in the front.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm

[bassman1977]

That's a fine looking TBH.  Nice work.

[1reb]

The top bar looked great !
Johnny

[ArmucheeBee]

Thank you for the replies.  I'll have picks of my new OB hive in a week.  I'm also going to make a frame holder to carry to the hives, similar to the one from Eastern Europe that had some pics last month.  Mine will not have the metal spacers however.