TBH top bar weights and dims

[bigbearomaha]

 I would like to ask top bar beekeepers to post top bar dimensions and honey 'full' weights of fully drawn and capped.

Also same for brood bars as well.

Big Bear

[BjornBee]

I have never weighed the combs or the entire TBHs. My main demonstration TBH, has never been moved. It's about as big as they get. 34 bars, and a 19.5 inch comb length (top to bottom). When I built my first, this was suggested as the maximum before serious comb drop would be an issue.

I do know when full of honey, each frame must be at least 10 pounds.

My plans now are for any new TBH to use standard frame bars. (same as standard hives)

The comb picture is a bar from the pictured TBH.

[mtbe]

My bars are 14.5" long, but with sitting on the sides, about 13.5-13.75 is 'usable' by the bees.  Like Bjorn, have read that anything much longer and comb damage, and straight comb (comb attached to only one bar), becomes an issue.

Did work another TBH that was probably 20" or more wide.  Much of the comb was curved, spreading out to multiple bars, which made it very difficult to work.  And the ones with honey were VERY heavy.  Unfortunately, I broke a lot of it because it spread to multiple bars.  I haven't seen it since, so I hope they were able to rebuild over the summer.  I felt very badly.

The width of the bars vary.  Most are 1.25".  However (from learning here and Michael Bush's site), the bars toward the back, where the bees build comb to store honey are 1.5" wide.

Have not weighed them.  First year into it, and I'm leaving the honey for them over winter.

[cam]

My bars are standard size 19 7/8" by 1" wide with 3/8" spacers between them.

[bigbearomaha]

This will be my first year in 2010 with top bar hives.   I have been studying them and making calculations like crazy.

I have finally ended up with top bars that are 16" long OD and potentially approx 11.5 " deep. Two width sizes, 1.25" and 1.5"

Once comb gets built on them,  I will add weights here.   I have two colonies wintering on peoples house walls right now that will be taken and placed into these ktbh's in the spring.

Big Bear

[Michael Bush]

My dimensions are all online:

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

I never took weights...