Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[CescaBeamish]

Hi,
I am new to the workings of a TBH but am racing ahead making one and ordered the balanced beekeeping book and watching videos etc. I have been beekeeping since 2000, using nationals.
I need to make the followers first as they act as formers for the sides. Will it matter if the followers are made of planks with vertical battens on the not brood side? I can see that the un-eveness would be an issue if next to comb but is the cavity ever used on the outside? Are the followers ever in the middle?

Apologies if this is a dumb question but I am making a hive perhaps before I have read enough but it's cold out there and I haven't got any other work on!

Thank you.

[Barbara]

Hi and welcome

Your suggestion will work fine. Other options are to use marine plywood or I find MDF works well as it doesn't warp. Many people are concerned about the glues used in these products off gassing but you can always torch them and then seal them by coating in beeswax before you install the bees and indeed it is a good idea to lightly scorch the interior of the hive when it is finished and then give all the surfaces a rub over with a beeswax block to make it smell more attractive.
What type of floor are you going for? I'm not sure how old the plans are that you have but many of us have moved away from a mesh floor and are not using eco floors.

I would highly recommend an observation window if you can incorporate it into your construction. For the bit of extra work, I think they are well worth while.

Best wishes

Barbara

[CescaBeamish]

Thanks for that. We'll I was getting excited about eco floors. But you sound negative about them?
Thanks for the nod about windows too. I sit and watch the entrance of my nationals so I'll never get anything done if there's a window!

[Barbara]

Sorry that should read now using eco floors...... what a difference a single letter can make!!

[CescaBeamish]

that's good news !

[BuffBum]

When I made my hTBH I didn't appreciate how accurate making of the follower boards should be, not precision but the more accurate the better. As you know these are used for patterns when constructing the main body of the hive but also later to follow the sides of the hive when making it bigger or smaller. Because my boards were not accurate they don't make the hive bee tight in some places, not a big deal but I wish I had tried harder when making them.

HTH

[Rusty Strings]

Having access to a router does help, if can make an accurate follower board you can then use it as a template to make as many others as you like and they will be identical.

John