Beekeeping on the cheap. Some tips and please add yours.

[flytrapman]

I make my own floors - roofs - stands - etc and have obained most of the wood free from the skips at building sites, timber merchants, wooden window manufacteurers
I get mesh, ally roof covers freezers for storing supers, tools from scrap metal merchants.
Paint, glue , woodstain etc from the skips at a local DIY warehouse
We live in a throw away society and it amazes me what people throw away

 

[mbc]

Get your bees free from swarms and nearly as important for keeping costs down and making beekeeping profitable, keep your bees alive.

 

[jakethedog]

back-tracking a little to the foundationless frame suggestion:
our family have been using a system for a fair few years now where (having wired the frames) we fit a smaller than expected sheet of foundation into each frame; the ideal example is that we take one sheet of commercial foundation and cut off approximately a couple of inches straight across the bottom (this is then used in a super frame) the remaining sheet is then split vertically and used in two different md brood frames -so, if you follow my description one sheet has done three frames. Next year I'm going to use langstroth brood foundation as there's actually a small price saving when compared to commercial.

Now, this isn't as cost effective as using no foundation, and there is a time cost but it suits my needs for now.

Sometimes the comb isn't drawn to the bottom bars but mainly it is, certainly never been sufficient concern to go back to full sheets.

The idea was actually based on an article by Alec Gale, in the short lived magazine which he produced, where he outlined his practice of trimming all foundation down by an inch or so to effect a space around the sides and bottom of the sheet as he was convinced that this increased the speed at which the comb was built by allowing better communication between the workers on either side. We just adapted it to suit ourselves.

Adaption of other people's ideas being one of the best time-cost savers we can aspire to...

 

[jakethedog]

keep your bees alive.

I like that suggestion, greatly!

 

[xgeordie]

Get your bees free from swarms .

Although probably not practical for most, it is recommended to quarantine swarms from unknown sources well away from your own bees if possible. The AFB outbreak near Preston was reported to originate from a captured swarm.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Get your bees free from swarms and nearly as important for keeping costs down and making beekeeping profitable, keep your bees alive.

If you want to do this make sure you've got isolation sites for hived swarms.

Ideally hive swarms onto foundation and not drawn comb. Also, don't feed collected swarms for a few days. The idea is to get any honey the swarm has carried from over the parent colony used up in comb building, thereby minimising the risk of brood disease.

I know of a few people that collect swarms and have ended up with EFB outbreaks from 'freebees'.

 

[mbc]

Horizontal transmission is many times more likely as a source of foulbrood than vertical transmission through swarms. I read this in a Swedish study ( sorry no link, memory like a fish ).
It would be great if the NBU could publish data about the origin ( if known ) of any foul brood outbreaks.
My guess, swarms would be a small percentage, after splitting diseased hives, robbing and using old equipment.
Not that I'm disagreeing with quarantining swarms, just that a bit of perspective should also be applied.

link: http://pub.epsilon.slu.se/1053/1/Avhandling.pdf

 

[Swarm]

After reading this thread I think there's a lot of ppl with plenty of time on their hands. Wouldn't that be nice.

 

[moor141]

An old be keeper told me only today, if you can get hold of an old caravan the sides make excellent roofs. Not only that but the rolling chasis make an excellent trailer for transporting your hives.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Not an 'advice', because I haven't got any experience yet, but I did originally think of getting a starter kit.

One thing I noticed is that the ones that include clothing tend to offer a jacket or smock, instead of a full suit, and most new beekeepers are advised to get a full suit with an integral, zip off, veil. So I wonder if some starter kits are a false economy?

 

[Poly Hive]

Ain't it a classic to sell the newb to anything, everything, esp what they don't need/want?

Buyer beware

PH

 

[ROACHMAN]

Not an 'advice', because I haven't got any experience yet, but I did originally think of getting a starter kit.

One thing I noticed is that the ones that include clothing tend to offer a jacket or smock, instead of a full suit, and most new beekeepers are advised to get a full suit with an integral, zip off, veil. So I wonder if some starter kits are a false economy?

Starter kits are a good starting point but as you quote you will probably end up replaceing some of the items with better ones especially the clothing. All is not lost though as its useful to have a spare outfit for visitors. Problem is you dont know when you start out where the hobby will lead you. You could spend loads on the best equipment on day 1 and end up quickly loosing interest.

 

[rae]

Buy lath from a moulding vendor. If you see a rack in a DIY place if it is Burdbidge they will stock it. Usually 9mm thick and 10 wide or so. Glue and pin round the ply and thats it.

You buy lath? Are you made of money? A piece of scrap pine run through the table saw at 6mm will make loads of the stuff.

Ekes. Why does anyone buy an eke? Any piece of scrap (assuming you can get 4 sides off the scrap) can be turned into an eke - you don't even need to be able to make 45 degree cuts.

Honey as presents - the biggest money saver ever. The sort of presents where you get a decent bottle of wine because you don't really know the person but have to buy a present. Replace with a jar of home produced honey, goes down far better and remember that an £8 bottle of wine can be up to £17 in pre-tax income.

 

[Poly Hive]

Rae?

Sorry but you are assuming someone has a few hundred pound saw and the ability to work it safely to produce a £2 bit of wood available ex stock.

I understand where you are coming from but... many canna do it.

Nor critically the space.

PH

 

[Nic Rhodes]

last time I looked at the one Richard Burbidge racks in my area, they had 6mm and 10.5mm sizes but no 9mm. Prices varied considerably.

 

[Swarm]

Seriously, who has time to do the stuff suggested here?

 

[Hivemaker.]

last time I looked at the one Richard Burbidge racks in my area, they had 6mm and 10.5mm sizes but no 9mm. Prices varied considerably.

Thats easy enough to sort out,just run it through a planer thicknesser,buy an old Wadkin or similar for this little job...lol

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Thats easy enough to sort out,just run it through a planer thicknesser,buy an old Wadkin or similar for this little job...lol

HM, that is the job over christmas, only have to drive to Somerset first to do that and get access to the tools 9 hrs if I am luck before christmas

 

[Andy Duff]

Rae?

Sorry but you are assuming someone has a few hundred pound saw and the ability to work it safely to produce a £2 bit of wood available ex stock.

I understand where you are coming from but... many canna do it.

Nor critically the space.

PH

To keep it simple, I use a table saw, 12 inch thicknesser, table router (home made), scroller saw, electric "mouse" sander, circular saw, electric drill, electric jigsaw, tennon saw, no.5 plane, pin hammer, 2 electric mite saws (high end), etc. etc. etc.

If you have the tools, time, talent and a source of wood, make it yourself.

which ever way you look at it, bee-keeping is not really a "cheap" hobby, it's a quality of life thing.

 

[countryman]

simples go to wood yard/B&Q buy sheet of 3/8 inch ply get them to cut to size a few screws and glue dozens of ekes made for what 15 quid 20 tops