[Specialkayme]

I've been trying to make all of my own equipment lately. So I've been at Lowes and Home Depot looking for the cheapest wood. Buying a 1x8x10 of southern pine would cost me about $13 and I could get two boxes (at best) out of it, making it about $6.50 a box. I can buy it for that price, if not cheaper.

So looking for cheaper wood locations turned negative, so I just went with cheaper wood. I bought 1x4x10 furring strips for $1.70 a piece, and glued two of them together. That would make a box about $1.70 each. But, I'm new to woodworking, so I'm not sure if there is something inherently wrong with gluing two cheap boards together to make a box.

Any woodworking suggestions?

 

[honeydreams]

when you glue wood look on the edge were you see the rings, just make sure the two peices of rings or grain are going in oppoisite directions you get a stronger bond.

 

[The Honey Girl's Boy]

I glue two planks together quite regularly to make equipment. If you do it, get alot of bar clamps and don't scrimp on the glue. Get and use a good outdoors glue. Those boards will try to twist and turn as they age in the weather, nothing worse then watching hives split because of cheap glue.
Ernie

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Gluing smaller boards together to make larger boards is what good woodworking is all about. :applause:

Some people call it board stretching. I like to use my router to cut a matching glue joint into the edges to be joined (helps to add strength to those edge joints), but that isn't 100% necessary and does reduce the width of the final product.

Such as this one, called a fingerjoint which is good for on-edge or even on-ends to extend the length of boards:

.

Or this one, a gluejoint, designed for strengthening edge-to-edge joints:

I use the gluejoint to lock the pieces of my covers together. It helps prevent leaks between boards.

 

[Specialkayme]

Thanks everyone I kept racking my brain, thinking there had to be something wrong with what I was doing, but I couldn't figure out what. Using those Pine Furring Strips, I can make a complete nuc (Solid Bottom Board, Migratory Top, and Brood Box) for about $4.25. That sure beats the $37 it would cost to buy one.

Get and use a good outdoors glue.
Ernie

Have one you would recommend?

I had been using Tightbond II to glue boards together when grains are inline, and Guerrilla Glue to glue ends together, or whenever wood clue wouldn't create a strong bond.

 

[peacekeeperapiaries]

titebond III is better, a little more expensive but WATERPROOF. We just built a bunch of supers gluing together boards with some leftover and excess we had from building boxes, the bees dont mind.

 

[hpm08161947]

If you are not too concerned about how the super looks you may be able to find a mill that cuts rough-cut cypress. Down here towards the coast we can buy a 1X8X10 for about $4.50 or 65 cents a board foot. Being rough cut - that means a true thickness of 1" which may be a problem - but if you are buying enough board feet you may be able to get the sawyer to cut it 3/4".

 

[iwombat]

Biz-kits are great for joining two boards together too. Plus, you get to buy a nifty plate joiner!

 

[beehoppers]

Look for a real lumberyard, Lowe's and Home Depot are high compared to the local yards I deal with...

 

[Specialkayme]

Look for a real lumberyard, Lowe's and Home Depot are high compared to the local yards I deal with...

I've been looking, but not finding. The local 84 lumber shut down, and there is a builder's supply, but they want to sell in bulk (I don't have that many hives, I only need like 10 boards here, 10 boards there).

 

[hpm08161947]

Look for a guy with a portable sawmill - they always have lumber laying around - cheap - at least compared to lowes.

 

[Ian]

keep in the back of you mind, that lumber will shrink.

I think everyone learns that the hard way,
even after being warned about shrinkage on lumberyard dry wood.

Look for at least 1/8 - 1/4 inch shrink.

They dry the wood to averages out of the bundle.

The box maker here says he buys his wood individual dry,

 

[The Honey Girl's Boy]

Have one you would recommend?

I had been using Tightbond II to glue boards together when grains are inline, and Guerrilla Glue to glue ends together, or whenever wood clue wouldn't create a strong bond.[/QUOTE]

I too use the Tightbond III glue on all my woodware. I also use drywall screws instead of nails to assemble the hives. It is easier to assemble accurately because I am not pounding on it with a hammer. Predrill the first board with a wood screw bit and use a cordless drill with a Phillips bit to run the drywall screws in. Makes for a strong assembly. The drywall screws come in all different lengths, only problem is they are a bit more "spendy" then nails.
Ernie

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

I left the department stores for a lumber yard for better quality wood. I found that it is better quality and cheaper. I pay $0.89 for 1 by 12 and $0.85 for 1 by 10. I can get cypress for what the department stores charge for pine.

 

[sasquatch]

im buildin all my eguip,my local home depot has a bargin bin located on there truck loading area.they cut in half eny worped lumber they got and sell them for 50 cen each.last weekend i built,18 supers.only cost me 12.00.i had to streighten them on the tabl saw but had fun.opcorn:

 

[Beee Farmer]

Joseph got it going on! use router to finger joint boards and use waterprof glue. That what I did till the girls started hauling in enoughnectar to start paying thier won way some.

 

[honeyman46408]

i had to streighten them on the tabl saw but had fun.opcorn:

:thumbsup: I like the way U think

 

[greengecko]

I've been trying to make all of my own equipment lately. So I've been at Lowes and Home Depot looking for the cheapest wood. Buying a 1x8x10 of southern pine would cost me about $13 and I could get two boxes (at best) out of it, making it about $6.50 a box. I can buy it for that price, if not cheaper.

So looking for cheaper wood locations turned negative, so I just went with cheaper wood. I bought 1x4x10 furring strips for $1.70 a piece, and glued two of them together. That would make a box about $1.70 each. But, I'm new to woodworking, so I'm not sure if there is something inherently wrong with gluing two cheap boards together to make a box.

Any woodworking suggestions?

Dang!

 

[sqkcrk]

Dang!

Can you elaborate on that please?

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

I am sorry to hear about shrinkage in Manitoba Canada. Buy bigger boards and faster bee trucks!