Top Bar Hive for beeswax production?

[Sighthound]

Complete noob here. Am really only interested in beeswax production. Would a top bar be a good way to go? Also, have a bad back and trying to avoid too much heavy lifting.

 

[CHCHPaul]

it would seem that nobody thinks so and that it also require MORE heavy lifting according to this forum

Only one person said this. Not the forum.

You should definitely learn beekeeping and get some hives when you are ready. You will get plenty of wax whichever system you choose. And if you are willing to stimulate your bees with syrup you can get them making lots of wax.

 

[Grant]

Think of it like having chickens to get eggs. You don't end up with a cheap egg supply. What you have is providence of where your wax has come from.

It takes 6 to 8 times the weight in honey to make wax. And they will need to build up enough comb for brood and food first, so production of wax probably wouldn't be viable until year 2 in a Lang, hence why you're being advised to use topbar.

This is probably because topbar hives generally crush the comb during honey extraction.

Also you have to remember your in a beekeepers forum asking for info on wax supply for soap making. So your going to get beekeepers answers not soap makers answers.
You ask 10 beekeepers a question you'll get 50 different answers and I'm not joking when I say that. They're a fickle and defensive lot.

Here is some background info on wgt you want. BTW this particular forum - sort your answers by relevance not date it gives you a different perspective.

 

[tristan]

Only one person said this. Not the forum.

You should definitely learn beekeeping and get some hives when you are ready. You will get plenty of wax whichever system you choose. And if you are willing to stimulate your bees with syrup you can get them making lots of wax.

several people mentioned it.
top bars require lots of manipulation, which means more lifting.
they are not for beginners beeks.

the other issue is amount of wax required, which i suspect to be well more than what someone will get from a few hives.
plus there is a few beekeeping issues. you have to do something with all the honey you get with the wax.
just harvesting wax can make the hive short on honey storage so they will pack out the brood, which can make them swarm or reduce in bee numbers.

And they will need to build up enough comb for brood and food first, so production of wax probably wouldn't be viable until year 2 in a Lang, hence why you're being advised to use topbar.

This is probably because topbar hives generally crush the comb during honey extraction.

decent hive in a decent aera should do way more than just brood boxes.