Another siting thread...with pics!

[drex]

Made all mine up from plans on Dave Cushman's site

 

[Quigs]

Thats an interesting site....its also blown my plans completely out the water..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I make all my stands from tanalised 4x2 each will hold two or three hives - the legs are just two aitches with the crossbar near the top then two lengths of timber put narrow side down the width of the hive apart - the hives rest on the two rails and you can even hang a frame next to the hive when examining - if I have a chance tomorrow i'll take a photo of the one I made over the weekend but you can probably work out what I mean from these photos

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15266

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

here's another photo of a smaller stand - it can still hold the roof and supers when your inspecting the hive. not very clear but the best i could find at the moment

 

[For want of a better word]

Then there is the modified Bryn with 2, 50 gallon oil drum floats attached for the exceptional high spring with a combined Sou Westerly and a lot of rain flooding into the Great Grey Green Slimey Tamar River all set about with Social Housing !!!!

Good idea to anchor it to the shore!

Honestly I would be looking for higher ground!

( But then I worry about my out apiary not too far from the banks of the Lyner !!!)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

as promised - photograph of my latest hive stand - height is 18 nches
I have two - one is 48 inches long which will hold two hives with a bit of a gap in between and one 60 inches - more than enough for three hives -simple to make each uses eight 3 or 31/2 inch screws
I also left the ends stand in a pan of creosote overnight

 

[newportbuzz]

id go with option 1

i have seen a very similar setup at a freinds house and i will ask him if i can put up a photo of it. basicly he used a wall of his shed and fenced around an area with 6ft fencing he has about 7 hives in it and it is not much bigger than 4m*4m

the really nice thing is that the bees dont seem to bother anyone on the lawn only 10ft away or the orchard or even the shed. so it makes a nice safe job of it.
you can see the bees flying quite clearly from about 50ft away in his kitchen aswell.

 

[Quigs]

Option 1 it is...although if I do, the hives will face SWW, although I could turn the entrances towards the hedge will will point directly south, its just that I will be looking at the back of the hives all the time! Also, as you can see the foliage is quite dense and high during the summer months so not sure how the bes would react in their flight paths.

Thanks for the pics of the stands, I was going to go with something similar to start with until I read the Dave Cushman comments about disturbance to adjacent hives when dealing with one...vibrations etc!

 

[Quigs]

as promised - photograph of my latest hive stand - height is 18 nches
I have two - one is 48 inches long which will hold two hives with a bit of a gap in between and one 60 inches - more than enough for three hives -simple to make each uses eight 3 or 31/2 inch screws
I also left the ends stand in a pan of creosote overnight

Thanks - That all makes sense. Is there any need for a corner brace?

 

[oliver90owner]

simple to make each uses eight 3 or 31/2 inch screws

Maybe simple to make, but I would be using at least one through-bolt at each corner, and not relying entirely on screws in shear. Even preferably having the long bars sitting on a shoulder on the corner posts. Just my opinion.

RAB

 

[tonybloke]

simple to make each uses eight 3 or 31/2 inch screws

Maybe simple to make, but I would be using at least one through-bolt at each corner, and not relying entirely on screws in shear. Even preferably having the long bars sitting on a shoulder on the corner posts. Just my opinion.

RAB

relying on a couple of screws in each corner ain't the way forward. coach bolts are cheap enough these days, and I like rabs idea of having a shoulder to lean on.
my stands are made from concrete blocks with 3x3 hardwood cross members, each take 2 hives

 

[moor141]

Use coach bolts then you can have the legs so they fold flat if you need to transport it. Just make sure they splay outwards and rest against a bearer stop, this stops any movement when in use. Bit more work but worth the effort.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Use coach bolts then you can have the legs so they fold flat if you need to transport it. Just make sure they splay outwards and rest against a bearer stop, this stops any movement when in use. Bit more work but worth the effort.

I considered that but decided against it as i have the means to transport them as they are (if I ever needed to.
Coach bolts yes, always on the cards - when I get round to getting them - the long bars sit on the cross bars - that was the whole point to distribute the stresses.

 

[BeeJayBee]

my stands are made from concrete blocks with 3x3 hardwood cross members, each take 2 hives

That's what we've got.

Two supports, each made of three concrete / construction blocks, then two 3x3 fence posts across the top. Brings the base of the hive to 15" above the ground - which is within easy bending height, and there's plenty of room for two hives and space to put a roof on the timbers in between them.

 

[oliver90owner]

Coach bolts will do, but I wouild still prefer a through-bolt. Can then have a large washer under both bolt head and nut; and using two spanners is better than relying on a coach head bolt turning, long into the future, if one needs to dismantle for transportation. Just thinking ahead.

Also doing the maths, I reckon using only two screws per corner (one through each piece) is not nearly enough?

Further, I would say OK for two hive jobbies, but I would want some support under that third hive, as those timbers could bow under the weight, over time.

RAB

 

[Quigs]

That's what we've got.

Two supports, each made of three concrete / construction blocks, then two 3x3 fence posts across the top. Brings the base of the hive to 15" above the ground - which is within easy bending height, and there's plenty of room for two hives and space to put a roof on the timbers in between them.

Could I ask the overall length to allow the central roof space?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Could I ask the overall length to allow the central roof space?

The ones I've built are 60 inches - just enough space in the middle for your roof whilst inspecting.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Could I ask the overall length to allow the central roof space?

Six foot tanalised 3"x3" fence posts. It was by far the cheapest way of buying the timber.

Each hive is a few inches in from each end. We put a spare hive-sized frame in the middle when we were placing them, to make sure we left enough room. They aren't square onto the timber, to make sure there was clear space beneath them for ventilation, and to discourage drifting.

The blocks we've got - the height is half the depth, so it didn't matter how they were stacked. Total height is 12 inches.

*edit

... and the timber sticks out beyond / further than the blocks supporting it. Hopefully to make it stronger. Something like this, but with the three blocks stacked to make a 'pillar' aka stonehenge, but without a gap in the middle. (not easy to show using text!)


...[hive].................[hive]
_____________________
....x..........................x
....xx.......................xx

 

[newportbuzz]

still havnt got to my mate yet for a pic of his site. but can i make a humble sugestion which i have found very helpfull. i leave a space between the runners big enough to take a frame. this way i dont have to lean the first frame against the front of hive or in the grass. heres a photo taken thismorning with a foundation frame to show what i mean.
ps my stands are permenant and as such not designed to move and only hold one hive and its roof beside or nuc box for as etc.

 

[Quigs]

Thanks - Like the idea of the gaps for the frames.

Still like to see your friends apairy pics when its not too much trouble. Regards