Need cheap 1x12 wood for hive body's

[Buzzy Bee]

Hey guys

I have been looking for 1x12x8 - 1x12x16 for building deep hive body's

I live in central Missouri around Springfield.

Is there any local sawmills or discount lumber stores to get the cost of the hives down.

I am also considering rough cut lumber and planing it.

Thanks for any replies.

[AmericasBeekeeper]

I just called every lumber yard in the Yellow Pages until I found the best price. I am sure they have Yellow Pages in Springfield.

[PCM]

There are a number of sawmills in the Missouri Ozarks !

The problem I believe will be finding 12 in. pine, oak is another story.

Go about a 100 miles South of Harrison Ar. then you get into big pine trees, with lots of commercial mills.

And when you find "cheap" lumber please post were you got it !

PCM

[MassKeeper]

Good luck on this one. Lumber prices went up about 20% after the tornado in Joplin....and that was in Mass. I'd take an extra day and glue up some boards to get the right width

[jeb532]

I use 1" x 12"x 6' pine from Home Depot. $10.50 I don't do a finger joint...but instead cut a 3/8" deep x 3/4" wide groove on the ends of the short side boards (16-1/4" wide) with a router...cut the long side boards to 19-1/8" (no grooves)...and use five 1-5/8" fine thread sheet rock screws (and Titebond III glue) per edge (pre-drill through the 16-1/4 boards and screw into the end of the 19-1/8" boards). Makes a rock solid box!

[jeb532]

I meant to say I use a rabbet joint...not a 'groove"

[K.E.N.]

Generally local lumber yards have better prices than Lowes or Home Depot at least here in Co. I can get a 1 X 12 X12 for $18.00 and Lowes and Home Depot want $36.00 for pine

[cheezer32]

Ken: what grade of wood is that? Seems kind of high to me. Around here a 1x12x12 is usually about 12 or less personally though I use all 8 ft. boards rough cut and green you can get as low as 30 cents a board foot, try asking around to some small time mills out in the country, you will usually find some good prices just by knocking on some doors and asking.

[Thermwood]

that price must be for clear pine, all you need is #2 which should be around aa buck a foot retail, glad I buy wholesale

[K.E.N.]

cheezer32

what grade of wood is that? Seems kind of high to me

#2 but really good #2 very few nots that are small (1/2" usually not much bigger) and tight. I don't actually buy any lumber to build my hives as I build custom furniture for a living and use everything left over. I have 2 really nice curly maple deeps that I dovetailed and stained with old masters provincial gel stain and 3 coats of spar varnish. Looks just like an old chris craft boat. I also use alot of poplar and oak. As long as it's free I'll keep building.

[RAK]

I get Pine 70 cents - a buck a board foot in Idaho. If you got a nice trailer you could take a trip. Load a ton of wood and sell of some pine in your place to other beekeepers to cover your fuel and maybe earn a little.

Lots of northern states have very cheap pine.

[Charlie B]

I meant to say I use a rabbet joint...not a 'groove"

That's what I do, rabbit joints. Sometimes when I'm in a hurry, I'll just do plain old butt joints, glue then screw. Two coats of exterior latex and it last forever. You really don't need to do dado joints.

[pine_ridge_farms]

1x12x12's for around 11 bucks at menards. Its number 2 but I pick through and get the better pieces.

[pine_ridge_farms]

Care to share your souce for roughcut green lumber? I have called and e-mail every saw mill in the area with no luck. They just don't cut much pine around here. It all goes to the paper mill. lol

[honeyman46408]

I too go to "Menards" when they have a sale going on on boards and go through a LOT of boards last time I went I sorted through about 60 or 70 and took home 17 I have a lot of lumber now because another beekeeper went to an auction and brought me a pallet full of lumber, lots of 1x12 but I will do a lot of sorting and culling but ti was FREE and I wont have to buy for a while

[HEV261]

Here n northeast al. approx 7 miles from me there is a sawmill i buy any kind of lumber at 40 cent a ft a fewday ago i bought 10ea 1x10 10 pine for $30 bucks rought cut will plainn dow have own 13" planner poplor same price