[Beut Idaho]

I am planning to build a few pallets, probably just 2 way pallets but possibly 4 way, and I think I will have someone that can wax dip them for me to save painting. If the bottom supports that contact the ground are made from basic pine will the wax dipping be enough to protect them against rot in contact with the ground? The other option would be to use wood treated for ground contact on those parts. I will probably use CDX plywood for the bottom board part and either ripped plywood strips or lath of some sort for the rim. If I were to use treated wood for part of it should the rest of the pallet be dipped and then treated wood added? Would the treated wood contaminate the wax supply in the tank and then contaminate later pieces like hive boxes?

 

[little_john]

Plastic pallets would do exactly the same job, without all the effort you're describing.
LJ

 

[Bdfarmer555]

I use treated deck boards for the bottoms of my pallets, treated 2x4's for the runners, untreated ply for the decks/rims. I dip my pallets in wax/rosin and don't worry about contamination. Doubt that it would add a significant quantity of contamination to the next set of boxes dipped. Besides, don't many of the equipment suppliers sell treated tops, bottom boards anyway?

 

[BernhardHeuvel]

Plastic pallets would do exactly the same job, without all the effort you're describing.
LJ

+1

Also their are much lighter which saves weight during transport. Means more payload for more hives per load. I can lift one plastic pallet with two fingers! Yet it can hold a ton of weight. Doesn't rott. Perfect.

 

[Beut Idaho]

What plastic pallets do you use? Are they specific bee pallets or do you adapt them yourself with something like the W clips used on wooden pallets?

 

[BernhardHeuvel]

I use the Asia standard pallets coming from Asia to our harbors with importation. The pallet costs me a third of what wooden pallets would cost. Another bonus. The pallets are more or less one way pallets, because nobody ships those pallets back to Asia.

It is square shaped and four Brother Adam hives fit perfectly on them.

I screw the pallets to the hive bottoms, and also screw the hive boxes to the bottoms. So everything is solid and tight. Nothing hops or jumps when moving them in the field with a fork lift. Nobody can tip the hives over, neither vandals nor storms. Stealing hives - at least single hive boxes is eliminated. The best part is, that I only need one big hive lid for four hives. So not much to strap down when moving the hives.

I don't leave any space between the hives, all are snug to each other, so each hive has only two sides exposed to the outside.

Of course there are minor downsides of this setup. But all in all I never regretted that setup. I like it.

 

[BernhardHeuvel]

I use those pallets also for self-made racks, for transportion of frames and feeders.

A wooden European standard pallet weighs about 25 kg (55 lbs)- in a dry state. With rain or wax it'll weigh much more. The plastic pallet weighs roughly 1,5 kg (3,3 lbs) . Size is 1100 × 1100 mm (43.30 × 43.30 in)

Laying out the hive bodies.

Adding the floors.

 

[BernhardHeuvel]

Adding the pallet and screwing it right to the hive floors

Finished pallet in a bee yard. Hive lid covers four hives, or one pallet.

 

[little_john]

These are some of mine:



and a pic showing the 'grid' pattern more clearly:



I also have about a dozen with flush tops, but the majority (around 150) are of the above 'grid' pattern.

The neat thing about these lightweight plastic pallets is that they nest into each other, so that a lot can be stacked on a small footprint.

I don't know what a W clip is so can't comment on that, sorry.

I mainly use mine to keep stored wooden pallets off the ground to prevent rotting. Those pictured above will be spread out over a grassy area, onto which will be placed large quantities of Leylandii branches, in order to assist drying prior to burning. I do have a few supporting beehives, which have dried grass stuffed into their hollow legs to prevent bees from getting stuck there. Many uses.

Pallet recyclers around here don't value them - so all mine were freebies.
LJ