New hive question?

[irerob]

  I've recently made a KTBH from recycled crates the project has cost $4.75 minus the bees.
    My question is as I watch the hive in the weather i notice the top bars will expand enough to arc off the  hivebody when its damp out and shrink on dry days to the point it leaves enough space for the bees to get out from the top. Is this going to be an issue when i but bees in it this spring?
 Any thoughts would be useful thank you.

[fermentedhiker]

what do you have for a cover?  Your post makes it sound like you are using the top bars as the roof.  It could be just me though :)

[irerob]

  I made a peaked roof from plywood, it  hangs over the side where i left some room for ventilation.

[HAB]

Could you post some pictures of the TBH?  Dry and wet would be great.

[fermentedhiker]

what kind of wood did you use for the top bars?  How fast do you see them change(ie does it take several days of wet weather to swell them or does it happen fairly quickly)?

[irerob]

  I used pine 2X4s ripped to 1 3/8s x 30 total when i put the hive together I had about 1/2 inch gap at the end,it didn't worry me to much i figured i could just cover it with the false back. the other day it rained and i took the top off a few days later and the top bars swelled to the point of arcing about 1/4 inch off the hive body. now I'm starting to worry that if there going to be expanding and contracting that much it may leave to much room on top for the bees to defend/ heat/ cool etc.
  sorry dont think i can post pics yet.

[fermentedhiker]

If they aren't actually getting wet and they are swelling that much I would be concerned to.  I've never had TBH so maybe someone who has can give you more reliable feedback.  The 2x4's could be any one of several species of softwood(none of which are particularly resistant to moisture) so it's hard to gauge if it's directly related to the species.  Normally I would say coating the with paint or some sealer as the moisture barrier created slows the transition of the moisture through the wood, but that's probably not a good idea inside the hive.  Maybe dipping them as MB has been doing his hive bodies would work though.

[irerob]

 The top bars are the triangle type with no foundation I'll have to coat at least part the bottom with beeswax,to encourage the bees to build on it, I wonder if a light coating of paint or urethane on the sides and top would be out of order, or if i should get some hardwood to make the top bars out of. It will turn my $5 hive to a $30 dollar hive but...better to figure this out now than after the bees come  :)
  mostly just thinking out loud here.

[fermentedhiker]

Just had a thought.  The biggest problem with the swelling bars is the arching which could create trouble once there is drawn comb attached along the entire length.  If you nip just a tad off of the length of your bars....say 1/16" to start that will give them room to expand so they don't need to arch to take up the excess.  Then I'd rub the entire bar with wax which should slow the absorption/release of moisture and be completely worry free in terms of it's presence in the hive.  Just my 2 cents. 

[Michael Bush]

I leave a gap at the front bar for the entrance.  It varies between 3/4" and 3/8" depending on how wet the bars are. :)

[irerob]

   Thanks for all the input. I'm going to make the space a little wider and that should do the trick as far as the arcing problem.
   MB do you have any problems with burr comb in your roof? Or am I worrying to much.
 

[Michael Bush]

>MB do you have any problems with burr comb in your roof?

No. I'm having trouble picturing why you think I would... 3/4" isn't really enough for a full comb...

> Or am I worrying to much.

Probably.  :)