tbh making frames

[ITstings]

Hi , Could use some help. I made my tbh hive like Mr Bush.  I made frames  to his measurement . I put grove down middle and glue sticks in there.Is there a way to cut the triangles i see on his hives and others ? I would rather do all at the saw and be done, than to have to glue. i am very new to carpentry so i am wasting a lot of wood trying to make them.Thanks for any help.

[Michael Bush]

>I made frames  to his measurement.

But my TBH has no frames... I guess you just mean the top bars?

> I put grove down middle and glue sticks in there.

That will work fine.

>Is there a way to cut the triangles i see on his hives and others ?

If you have glued the sticks in there is no need.

> I would rather do all at the saw and be done, than to have to glue.

I cut the triangles and nailed and glued them on.  But now that you have the sticks you don't need them.

> i am very new to carpentry so i am wasting a lot of wood trying to make them.

I think it's too much trouble to cut them all in one piece.  And I used to be a carpenter...

[ITstings]

lol Thank you for the help Mr Bush.

[trapperbob]

 Your right about them being a lot of trouble to make but I make them any way. I like the way they look and for what ever reason the bees seem to stay on track better for me. I have some with sticks and had a lot of trouble getting them to make straight comb to start. They do fine now that there is a small strip of comb left over when I cut the comb to harvest. It's not a big deal though all you have to do if the get off track is cut it back far enough to bend the comb in the right direction and they will reattach it just keep a look out because it is much easier to fix sooner than later. Mostly like I said I like the way the triangle bars look and they are a lot more work. 

[john steinmeyer]

One more question:  After all bars are constructed and  ready to place onto the hive, should I coat the triangles with a litte smear of wax or just leave them uncoated ?  I have read both ideas.  I believe Michael said that if you coat them with wax the comb might not hold under the weight of a full comb and that the bees could make a stronger connection than I could make by coating the strip themselves on a bare stip of wood without any pre coating of wax.  If a coating by me is preferred I am not sure how to coat the strip, how thick the coating should be IF one is desired.  Should I just use a finger to spread some melted wax along the strip?  Obviously this is my first  hive.     Thanks,  John

[Michael Bush]

>One more question:  After all bars are constructed and  ready to place onto the hive, should I coat the triangles with a litte smear of wax or just leave them uncoated ?

I prefer to leave them uncoated, even if I wasn't lazy.  The bees attach the comb better to the bare wood than to the wax that I put on it.

> If a coating by me is preferred I am not sure how to coat the strip, how thick the coating should be IF one is desired.

If you insist, take a block of solid wax and rub it on the peak where you want them to build the comb.  But I wouldn't.

>  Should I just use a finger to spread some melted wax along the strip? 

Melted wax is the worst at not adhearing to the wood well enough.  Just don't do it. 

[BGhoney]

The easiest way I've found to make the triangles , Cut a strip of wood into a square, then cut it corner to corner once,  now you have 2 triangles to nail on, safety tip, cut your 1 inch square wood long its nicer to control a 4 foot section than a bunch of 15 inch ones..