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Anyone have pictures of beehives on trailers, like a tandem axel utility type trailer

35K views 73 replies 23 participants last post by  Michael Bush 
#1 ·
A friend of mine is giving me a 16' tandem axel trailer, all I have to do to it is put a new deck on it! Im looking for pictures of people with something like this so I can get ideas of what I want to do to it. I plan on putting a boom on it to lift pallets with two hives each on them. Basically I am tired of hand loading hives into the back of my truck when I move them to places and eventually I want to get into small orchard pollination as well. So anyhow, just looking for some pictures or ideas on this!! Thanks!!
 
#30 ·
One thing to point out - those hives stay on the trailer 24/7/365. I only strap and tie them together when I move them. And I move them twice, from clover to soybeans in late June, and back to clover fields middle of October.
Regards,
Steven
 
#31 ·
http://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u637/peakebrook/IMG_20120316_164815.jpg

The above link will show a picture of the trailer that I made up using the frame from an old travel trailer. I cut the center axle section out and narrowed the wheel base. The front and back sections of the original trailer were welded together to create the deck. The deck section was than suspended over the shortened axle section to create a deck-over trailer. Angle iron was welded on the deck to create five separate "cradles" to hold 4-hive pallets. The original hitch was removed and a drop hitch installed. The overall width of the trailer and pallets is 72 inches.

When loaded with pallets and hives, the entrance to the hives is about 36 inches off the ground. This has helped minimizing maintenance around the entrances. The hives are worked from the center of the trailer since there is approximately 28 inches between the backs of the hives on each side. This creates a walk way down the center of the trailer. Working the supers is easy, but working the hive bodies can be somewhat tiring on the back.

The trailer tows well, but have only used locally and not at highway speeds. The overall axle width is somewhat narrow for the height, but I have never had any problems. Care had been taken to balance loads when not transporting a full trailer. I use a skid steer to load and unload pallets. Small D-rings are welded to the angle iron to provide attachment points for ratchet straps that hold in place the two hives on one side of each pallet. Ten straps total for a full load.
 
#35 ·
Maybe because he wanted to?? Hairy in a cross wind..........you know he mentioned he doesnt go on a highway right?? Not to mention a cross wind will cause shorter trailers to walk a bit anyhow, even a small boat on a trailer...............heck, even a vehicle without a trailer will get pushed in a cross wind.

Acebird, have you ever given a compliment to anyone about there homemade project?? I mean, people put a lot of work and effort into making things and are proud of the project they completed...........only to have you tell them what a piece of junk it is or that it wont work. I have YET to see you make anything worth while.................including posts.

Didnt your mama teach you that if you "cant say nothing good, dont say anything at all" ? Or are you just compelled to put your two cents on everything no matter what it is, whether you know anything about it or not??

It would simply amaze you at how many posts I dont reply to because either I dont know the answer or ive never dealt with it. Give that option a try sometime, youll make more friends than enemies that way.
 
#38 ·
I'm using a truck now to move hives, but previously I used a Tractor Supply trailer towed behind my Geo Tracker with no problems. Apparently, from the previous posts, I've been fortunate since I have Acebird on permanent ignore and and am blissfully unaware of what I've been doing wrong and the dangers I've been risking.

I do like the idea of a longer trailer with hives permanently mounted in a bear-proof cage.

Wayne
 
#41 ·
I might check into that ignore function soon just so I can stop beating my head on the wall!!

To keep on track with the thread, I also currently move hives with my truck but just see the ease of trailering my hives to different locations by a simple process of strap down, hook up and go!! And the most important thing, saving my back for other things like removing full supers!!LOL

I just like seeing everyones trailer designs and the ease of operation that can be had and it makes me wish I would have had a trailer sooner!! :)

Take care bud!!
 
#43 ·
Wow Radar!! I didnt see that thread!! That is simply amazing and absolutely disrespectful to a well known name in the industry.

When I posted a thread on my homemade extractor MAXANT even complimented it, which I thought was really cool coming from an extractor manufacturer!! There was no reply about how it wouldnt work and that I need to buy his extractor, and that is classy. I knew right then and there when I got ready to drop a dime on a real extractor, it would be from MAXANT, period.

The bird claims to have a knack for engineering..................has anyone seen his extractor yet?? Its interesting to say the least. And remember this fine qoute, "ceiling fans do not collect dust".......................:scratch:
 
#44 ·
When I posted a thread on my homemade extractor MAXANT even complimented it, which I thought was really cool coming from an extractor manufacturer!!
That was a very interesting thread, involving utilizing the motor and variable speed control system from a discarded treadmill to power a home engineered extractor. It prompted me to watch for a similar unwanted treadmill.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?271001-My-home-made-extractor!
I haven't built the extractor yet, but am gathering parts, and hope to this winter. (My bee club does offer a free extractor loan, so building my own can be a lesser priority.)
 
#45 ·
Goodluck with the winter project Radar!! It was a fun build!! If I would have done anything different, I would make a metal stand out of 1 3/4" extrusion. Then I would use 1 1/2" extrusion concreted into (4) five gallon buckets and just pick the extractor up and set it onto the "bucket bases", this would cut down the shimmying a lot!!! Hmmmmmm...................looks like I will be needing to do this over the winter!!
 
#48 ·
Here is one someone from Romania? Shared on my facebook page. I love the stuff from Europe and other cultures:
That's one European design I will skip. Climb up onto that rack to do all the bee work in that tight isle? How do you super the bottom row? Tough on the back to work the bottom row and tough on the back to work the top row. Must be for pollination or small crops. I like the moveable rack idea, similare to my BeeBed, but the double stacking would not work for me.
 
#51 ·
Here's another thing for you folks who start using a trailer. I have a 10' long 2x12, and I back my pickup up to the trailer with the tailgate down. I lay the 2x12 from the pickup to the trailer bed. That way I simply walk from the trailer to the bed of my pickup to stack allllll those full honey supers! Be sure to watch where you're going though, the fall could be a problem with a full super... both for you and the super.
Regards,
Steven
 
#52 ·
In viewing a lot of youtube videos with Russian beekeepers, I do notice, (And that's what I like about them) that many times they are just working with materials that are available to them..most likley salvaged and free. I am guessing this trailer/stand might have just been something they had on hand and tried to use it for the bee hives. Maybe not the best set up, but if it was free...
They are inventive and thrifty..same with the German videos..old time craftsmanship-no Walmart for them.

Here is the facebook page of the person who posted this photo-look for yourself:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/пчеларство-България/103043106445551?ref=stream

Lauri Miller
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Miller-Compound-HoneyBees-and-Agriculture/256954971040510
 
#54 ·
Lauri,

I googled "pictures of beehives on trailers" and about 90% were from European countries, some very innovative and heavy duty trailers there! Some even looked like a gypsi style trailer with sides that would fold up for transport and winterizing.
 
#55 ·
after studying the trailer for hours, I figure the bottom hives are on rollers, the beek rolls out the bottom hive to the isle down the middle, works it, then stands on that hive to work the top hive, using acebirds scientific methods, i've determined that the beek must bee 6'6" to reach the top boxes, so its rulled out for most of us.:thumbsup:
 
#65 ·
No experience yet here, but I imagine you should be good if your chalk the tires so it cant roll, or set blocks on the corners after jacking up the trailer to lift the wheels off the ground. And depending on if your in bear country some sort of cage or electric fencing.

I plan on installing removable posts to run an electric wire around the trailer to prevent the cows from rubbing on the trailer, but I dont have to worry about bears here!!
 
#68 ·
Dingo,

A trailer hitch lock would be good, but unfortunately with all the portable power tools these days, if someone wants something bad enough it can be had. The best thing to do is hide the trailer from roadways and prying eyes the best you can, or put plywood sides on the trailer like odfrank has and face the entrances to the center of the trailer.

My hives are currently visible from the road but behind a locked gate, and most passer bys don't want anything to do with stinging insects, but then those few dirtbags that know bees and want to help themselves will do it at will.
 
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