Budget Hive - Fragile Planet

[nonstandard]

I'm just looking ahead to next season and assuming everything goes well this winter, I am planning to divide some of my colonies to build up a couple of new colonies.

I have noticed that fragile planet are advertising a 14x12 ply hive with 2 supers for £60,

Has anyone got any experience with these hives and/or comments on the quality of them?

 

[oliver90owner]

If all other things considered were OK, I would be struggling with the extra weight of a full brood box. The supers, while heavier, if in 18mm ply, would be OK for me, but nevertheless, heavier than some others.

No experience with those particular hives but quite a bit with 14 x 12s.

Regards, RAB

 

[Brian Bush]

Why not buy one and use the pieces as a template and build your own in the future. I can build 4 14X12 brood boxes and 4 supers from one sheet of 8ft x 4ft wbp ply.(£25 ish).

you then need to make the floors, 5 from 2 lengths of studding timber.(£6) floor mesh £5 per sheeet. Scrap timber for entrance blocks roof etc. Felt or scrap aliminium for the roof. For £150 you would easily be able to buy one for the template and build 4 hives. Alternatively use Dave Cushmans plans for a national and lengthen the sides by the difference between national and 14X 12. drop me a pm and I will supply you a cutting sheet for ply to get the best number of supers and brood boxes from a sheet of ply. I have a timber merchant I have used in the past who cuts the sheets to my cutting sheet for 50p per cut. Two sheets fully cut up for under £90. This would brovide about 8 BB and supers.

 

[trapperman]

my second hive was from them, when i thought i`m not spending another £250 on a ceder set up for a spare.
as a spare its fine but no comparision to a good ceder one, the corners just butt together no joints, i had to get the planer out to get them to fit properly and the ply isnt the best quality, but i suppose you get what you pay for.
i have only put together two hives this one and my ceder one from paynes bee farm the ceder one was superb to build everything fitted perfectly with good strong joints.

 

[Arfermo]

Fragile Planet is just up the road from me and I have seen their stuff. Local comment is that they often use old floor boards. Don't think it's true but can't find any local who are very impressed. All of it is painted watery green. Ply hives surely delaminate outside? Cedar surely much better for many years of use.

 

[darren64]

pm for you

 

[Polyanwood]

Oh dear. I've already ordered one. I thought they were so cheap that it would do for spares to do artificial swarms.

With my rubbish woodworking skills, if they aren't cut properly there will be trouble... rage, begging, snivelling and quiet swearing when I think people can't hear.

 

[keithgrimes]

I have a nuc box from them which is 'OK' but no experience of hives. Outside paint is definitely on the watery side. Considering £ per year of life I'd always go for cedar for the bigger items. Its light, lasts for ever and looks great when its weathered. There have been posts here from guys who have renovated cedar hives that have been lying about in long grass/weeds for years.

 

[Terrysbees]

I'm just looking ahead to next season and assuming everything goes well this winter, I am planning to divide some of my colonies to build up a couple of new colonies.

I have noticed that fragile planet are advertising a 14x12 ply hive with 2 supers for £60,

Has anyone got any experience with these hives and/or comments on the quality of them?

Hi I live only a few mls away after seeing oneI traveled 165 mls each way to Somerset for a cedar.Hivemaker, 3 weeks later I went for another, I will build my own cedar this winter
its cheaper to build your own but a lot of time involved you have all winter to do it, it depends on knocking a few nails in a a few planks or a piece of ply. or a tidy finished as Dave Cushmans plans

 

[MuswellMetro]

Oh dear. I've already ordered one. I thought they were so cheap that it would do for spares to do artificial swarms.

With my rubbish woodworking skills, if they aren't cut properly there will be trouble... rage, begging, snivelling and quiet swearing when I think people can't hear.

P&W, i have one, £17 inc delivery, it is ok, but not the best ply. i don'y think it is proper exterior ply. and there are rough vaneers on mine

i am just going to use it for AS then re combine not to over wintering

you need to seal the edges with pva glue and paint all the outside, i glue and nailed

the have the 45 degree edges to frame ledge rather than frame runner, if i made one again , iwould square up the 45 degree edge and use a metal runner

Musell Metro on holiday in lymphstone..for the furry dance

 

[Hivemaker.]

Musell Metro on holiday in lymphstone..for the furry dance

Hope your having a great holiday down there MM......

 

[Queens59]

EVERYONE'S in Devon/Sidmouth today!!! Took 40 minutes for the 10 minute drive to the Butcher...I'm staying home this week!

 

[MuswellMetro]

EVERYONE'S in Devon/Sidmouth today!!! Took 40 minutes for the 10 minute drive to the Butcher...I'm staying home this week!

you should have been on the M5....aaaaaaagh, do london camborne in winter no problem...london bristol 2hrs..bristol lymphstone..4hrs...had to get out and let the dog out at juntion 23

 

[iball]

EVERYONE'S in Devon/Sidmouth today!!! Took 40 minutes for the 10 minute drive to the Butcher...I'm staying home this week!

Is it the folk festival week?

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

That's why we never travel to England in the summer! Time to pull up the drawbridge over the Tamar!

 

[Queens59]

Got it in one - and why do they wear bells??

 

[iball]

Got it in one - and why do they wear bells??

To give you fair warning, you hear them before you see them.

Ian

 

[MuswellMetro]

Is it the folk festival week?

Yes, but i may not remeber, if last night was the normal session

 

[nonstandard]

Thanks for your comments people, I may buy one just to see how it's constructed and for temporary/emergency purposes. if nothing else I can use it as a pattern for building my own.

 

[beeboybee]

why not try Peak hives, they are in your area i think. Look like really nice hives and i hope to oder a few items over the winter months