Brushy Mt's Rabbeted Garden Hive Boxes

[BeeCurious]

I have a friend who has several hives worth of BM's cypress Garden Hive boxes and they are all warped (or warping) badly.

Perhaps more, or a better glue would have limited the bowing of the box ends, but the fact is that these boxes want to come apart...

I'm certain that an non-glued finger/box joint would be more sound.

My suggestion would be to purchase BM's Unassembled Pine DT Medium Super and the Garden Copper Top separately.

[MichaBees]

I have exactly the same garden hives from BM; they are coming apart in just 8 months of use!
I strongly disagree with the idea that cypress hives will keep well and do not require paint.
I am going to transfer my bees into new equipment I just bought, will take the BM hives apart, give them some strong glue and 1 5/8” screws and then; I will paint them (1 coat of primer and two coats of a good quality exterior paint)

This boxes are expensive and not worth the aggravation of seeing your bees suffer the cold drafts for lack of good craftsmanship.

[BigDru]

I've got 3 of BM garden hives in my backyard. Haven't had such a problem. Summers are hot 100+ degree days. And cold winters that are in the negatives with lots of blowing winds.

With that being said. I have had problems with rossmam Cyprus products. I'll stick with BM.

[Lauren]

I just ordered one of these for my dad for his birthday.....

Beecurious, did your friend paint his/her hives? I thought that you were supposed to paint them regardless of wood type. The ad for them says, "just paint and your ready to add bees" or something along those lines.

Personally I would rather assemble them myself but I didn't see that option.

Lauren

[BeeCurious]

Lauren,

Yes, my friends hives are painted and I would suggest that they be painted. I use a lot of TiteBond III glue. I would precoat joints to let the glue "soak" into the wood. Then reapply glue and put in your fasteners. I coat all of the exposed endgrain with the glue as well. If water/moisture can't enter, the joint should stay put. I also run a bead of glue along the inside corners of all of my boxes.

Hold a straight-edge to the box ends to see if there is any cupping to begin with.

I just reread your posting and saw that the boxes were pre-assembled. Did BM use glue?

I prefer the "look" of the finger joints as well.

Seal the end grain...

[BigDru]

One thing you can do as well which I have do with one of my hives is use deep hive bodies for the brood boxes and the mediums as honey supers.

[Lauren]

It hasn't arrived yet, so I am not sure about the glue. Titebond is a great product, but if the board is stable, i prefer not to glue it so that it can expand with the weather... I'm guessing the boards are not as stable as white pine?

Surely they wouldn't send cupped wood??? If so, I will just send it on back.

[KQ6AR]

We have one of there garden hive tops. Third year in service.
The top is stained with exterior deck stain, & is holding up very well.
Don't know about the boxes.

[BeeCurious]

snip

if the board is stable, i prefer not to glue it so that it can expand with the weather...

If you don't glue the joints I can guarantee that they will fail.

Try both techniques and paint all of the boxes in the same manor, and then take some "Before" pictures.

[BigDru]

All three of my garden hives are painted a dark green. Used primer first of course. In building my own hive bodies and supers I use elmers wood glue and nails.