Buy? Build? Mix?

[Derek]

Just wanted to get a fill of how many of you do this. As I get ready for next year and look at plans of mediums. I was woundering how many of you bulid your boxes and buy your frames. Or just what you do to get the best bang for your buck.

[IABeeMan]

No more hives than I have which is 8 I dont have a high demand for the boxes. But I do have a local supplier that has several Handy Man specials as he calls them that need some small minor repair on some but most are usable as they are. He sells these for 50% of reg costs. I made 14 deeps this winter and was able to simply assemble and paint them all. There was no repairs needed.

[alpha6]

I build my boxes and buy the frames. For what they cost I can't justify my time and the raw material expenses...I don't know how they do it as cheap as they do. It's the shipping that kills me. Aggggg:mad:

[SCBEEKEEPER]

I just started building my own boxes and buy my frames from a local retired beek. It just is not worth the time and money for me to build the frames compared to what he sells them for. Plus the extra advice and stories from someone who has been at this for years is even more valuable.

[tecumseh]

I buy frames, grommets, wire and plain foundation. I make my own boxes largely from salvage (free) and drops from home depot and lowes (very low/bd ft price).

[Grant]

I build all my boxes from scrap/free wood. This is probably more expensive if "time is money," but I find it very therapeutic. I also expend a great deal of gasoline driving the back alleys of implement dealers and the restuarant suppliers. That's where I find the best pine boards in their shipping containers. I don't always come back with worthy material.

I buy my frames. More and more I'm switching over to plastic frames with plastic foundation. There are many issues, the greatest of which is the bees' reluctance to jump right in and give you a hearty, "Thank you for plastic foundation!" I covered these issues in articles published earlier this year in Bee Culture and the ABJ.

If I find wood frames at a sale or from a retiring beekeeper, I will use the "strips" rather than buy full sheets of embedded-wired foundation. I still wire my wood frames for support. This is time consuming but necessary.

I'm also a sucker for used equipment and I've acquired small lots of old boxes from the widows of deceased beekeepers. I end up buying a lot of fond memories of days gone by, but wind up with nothing but high-grade kindling wood. Many of these boxes need repair and those repairs take more time than you think.

Grant
Jackson, MO

[Ross]

I buy my boxes from Dadant. They are close enough to pick up so I save shipping. It's ag so I save tax. They are pre-cut so I save time, electricity, and wear and tear on my equipment. I buy 50 at a time so I get a price break. I can't buy the wood and make them as cheap as I can buy them. I do make tops and screened bottoms. I find those over priced for the amount of material involved. They are also very quick to make with a minimum of cuts.

[Ben Brewcat]

I used to build boxes, but when I started counting my time (after the fun wore off) as having value, I buy boxes. And I'm using the one-piece, small cell PF120 plastic frames from Mann. $.99 each.

[mlewis48]

I build all of my boxes and buy frames. I get some good deals on wood and there is not a supplier even close to me. The closest is a 5 hour round trip, hard to do that with the gas prices that they are. But when I do go there, I stock up on budget boxes. I find that the wood shop is my escape from the toubles and stress that the world throws at me. If you are going to build your own, Ross has a couple of nice jig plans that will help out.
Marc

[msmithnewbee]

this is my first year. we bought one hive. (2 large bottom's 1 med). with frames. then we built one more. i tried makeing the frames my self. I dont have the time to make all the pices. its worth'it to me to buy them than to make them.

[Kelbee]

I enjoy making my own equipment. and may never buy anything again. I've made all of my boxes, top covers, most SBBs, and many of my frames. Frame parts take the most work, but I end up with a better quality frame customized to what I like. I worked for 2 days last winter making enough parts for about 450 frames. It's was a pretty repetitive, tedious task to make that many and I'd probably stop if I had to make more than that or have to do it more often than once/year. I use mostly scraps so cost is minimal except for labor. It's pretty fulfilling to be self sufficient and adds to my enjoyment of beekeeping.

[Hillbillynursery]

I have easy access to scrap lumber. I make my own boxes and may never purchase another. I have even made my own frames. The deal with making frames is set up each operation(once you have a pattern that you know fits properly) and make a million(so it seems) before switching to the next piece. I spent about 10 hours cutting all the material for 500 frames. These frames have the pointed top bar for foundationless use. A couple of the pieces I have enough parts for another couple hundred frames. I just need some thicker pieces to make more top bars and have another 100 to put together. I honestly do not think making your own frames is worth the hassle. One thing that makes making your own equipment easier and has a few other benifits is using only one size box. Every box I use is mediums. No shallows or deeps. Bad back is why I went to all mediums but after having several sizes of boxes and going to all one size I think you are crazy for using multiple sizes. My next step though is to make some 8 frame boxes as I may change over to them as again the weight is sometime to much for me.

[dhood]

:confused:I thought about building them myself but then I heard that you shouldn't use scrap wood because of pesticides that may be in the wood. After thinking about it, they don't have a problem in the walls of your house. Is this just a myth? Or is there any fact to that statement. Also, if I build boxes out of scap plywood from work, and paint them, how long should I expect them to last? Would they be good for medium (Honey) supers?
Thanks, Daniel

[Hillbillynursery]

Honey supers are not on the hive long term. Well painted ply wood last well but you need to make sure you paint them more often to keep the water out. Also make sure to paint the cut edge very well for the same reason.

As to scrap lumber, I get mine from new construction. I even use OSB(waffer/chip board) for sides of supers but I use a 1X for the short end with frame rest. These are only used during honey flows. I have some that are 5 years old made this way. A product called Advantech sub flooring sheeting. It is just over 3/4 inch thick. It is like waffer board but uses a plastic polymer instead of glue. These I do not even paint unless I am painting other boxes. I left a sheet laying on the ground for 3 years with no paint or anything covering and made hives out of it. This stuff is water proof. Just stay away from decking material as it is nearly always treated. The red wood/cedar is ok but if it was used for a deck it is normally treated to keep insects out of it.

Time for work.

[hankdog1]

I plan on getting into building some new boxes someday but for now i've got my hands full with all the boxes and stuff that are given to me by people that didn't take care of thier bees and let them die out. :eek: Even offered to help one of the guys out with managing them and he never called me bought 30 some hives and now he's down to one. Sad sad sad but at least i get free equipment. :)