building hives

[joens]

I know I can buy hive bodies and supers cheaper than I can build them but I always find myself out in the workshop cutting boards to make another one .I always say to myself just one more then I will buy any more that I need .but then I have a board left over just long enough to make one side of a super so I pick up some more wood to finish that box . I like woodworking and I love bees .it just feels good to be making bee hives.
Christopher Joens

[Paul B]

Hey Christopher,

Depending on the deals that you can get around the local lumber yard, I'd bet that you can probably make your hives cheaper than buying... especially if you are buying from the bigger beekeeping supply houses. I was able to buy mill-outs (some wanes, cracks, etc.) for 11 cents per board foot. I have to cut around a few areas, but, with all the small parts that you need for handles and frames, you can use up most of the wood and still be way ahead of the supplier prices. Besides, I find that it feels good when you know that you built it yourself.

Paul

[Glenn West]

I also like the fact that when I procrastinate, and I do it often, I only have to wait as long as it takes me to make the hive body. No one week shipping delay.

[Michael Bush]

I make a lot of equipment and buy a lot of equipment. Like you, I often have some boards around that can make something I need. I do make more of the odd stuff, like a double wide brood chamber or a four frame or three frame nuc.

[Alex Cantacuzene]

Hi,
It all started with a dare that said that I could not build any of that stuff. Well, I have bees in my own supers, outer covers, inner covers, screened bottom boards, a Miller Feeder with sight windows and it all goes on. Most of all I am having fun doing it. As I also have a welder in the garage I now have a nifty frame hanger made of flat bar and metal conduit. And so it goes until I think of another crazy idea. This retire has no boredom.....

[mrbillz]

My biggest problem is being too much of a perfectionist so that it takes 3x as long to get everything just right - 'course I don't think I've made more than one of anything yet so have'n set up the system. BTW, used some left over boat epoxy (like one uses to make a wooden / fiberglass boat) to seal the miller feeder I made from plans here and it worked very well/ Very durable finish that makes scraping easy.