Slick 60's

I've been diverted from the 65 F100 4x4 recently to build these hybrid hives.

Wanted a different color than the traditional white, so I tried to match the color of the Slick.



Tops are made from a roll of aluminum used to trim out windows, facia boards, etc..

Thanks for posting that.sure looks different than the wood boxes I used years ago

Not like the ones I've ever seen
Are they more efficient ?
I don't know much about bees
But I do like honey !

Have you seen the Australian design hives, Flow Hives I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_pj4cz2VJM

These are one story boxes and longer. The biggest difference is that I made the top portion of each individual frame, to work like a top bar hive, but also used the sides and bottom from regular langstroth frames. The top bar hives rely on the top bar to seal the top of the box(langstroth hives have a separate cover), all bars are the same width, bees draw out natural comb. Often beekeepers will give them some guidance by placing small starter strips of premade wax foundation on the bottom of those bars. The hives lend themselves to quick access to the brood chamber without unstacking the traditional langstroth multi story hives. It should save time when working the hives and be easier on your back, those boxes can get heavy. The downside to traditional top bars is that you essentially destroy the comb when taking the honey. With the langstroth frames and reinforced foundation with wires, you take the honey by skimming the wax caps off the top of the comb with a heated knife and spinning the honey out in an extractor, or big centrifuge. And your bees reuse the wax comb and can start filling it with honey again and not wasting resources and energy to make new wax. This length box will hold 60% more frames in the brood chamber and about the same amount of super frames as two boxes you would see stacked on top in a langstroth hive for honey storage.

It took more time up front to build them, I'm still analyzing cost, but right now it's a little less than equal space in Langstroth boxes, the big win I'm hoping is time savings every visit to the hive from now on.

Moving these will be a chore, if pollinating business is the desire, but I've got a plan for the 65 F100 and a small hand pumped hydraulic lift/swinging crane arm, but that's down the road a ways.

Alan, I have seen those hives you had a link to. Very nice setup.