Building a National Hive

[E&MBees]

I would like to increase the number of hives I have next year by building a wooden national. I have one wooden national hive which I brought. My husband has a garage full of woodworking tools, which I can use!

Which websites are worth looking at? There are so many different plans to follow. Are there any useful hints to note or pitfalls to avoid?

Thanks,
Emily

 

[BMH]

Id try and work out how much you will pay for the cedar vs 2nds in the sales.

I make floors out of cheap wood and then buy poly boxes/roofs and seconds frames.

Works out the cheapest.

 

[enrico]

As stated, easier to repair seconds. Bee spaces are critical so the depth of the wood is also fairly critical. I have made them from scrap wood in the past but it really isn't worth the bother in my opinion!!!!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Much easier and cheaper to just buy flat pack 'second quality' bits in the sales. They are not rrally sedconds, just sustainable British cedar not imported Canadian, the quality control is not quite so tight so you may get the odd dead knot (British cedar is also a bit more knotty that Canadian) and the finish is a wee bit rougher. I've bought hundreds from Maisemore's and not one reject yet and only one needed a slight 'repair'

 

[drex]

As above, buy seconds, but if you really want to make your own, then Scottish beekeepers association website has plans. I did make up a couple of bait boxes from scrap wood, and it was a lot of faffing about

 

[nantmoel]

Agree with the above comments, the major suppliers have sales on right now, buy their seconds. By the time you purchase the materials, plane and dimension the wood, cut the joints and assemble its way more cost effective to purchase them in the sales.

 

[Murox]

This page carries some very useful links including building national hive - https://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/learn/technical-data-sheets

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you really want to spend some time in the workshop, make yourself some underfloor entrance OMF's - If you PM me I can send you the plans and building instructions

 

[madasafish]

I made some national nucs from scratch using pallet wood. The principles are the same for a full sized hive..

You need to be able to use a table saw and cut accurately and square. Table saws are dangerous and require specific safety tools - wood pushsticcks - used correctly. If you don't you run the risk of cutting off fingers(s) - been there done it, 12 hours in A&E

You need to be able to use hand saws or power miter saws - accurately.

You need to be able to assemble boxes square... clamping where needed..

Woodwork can be very satisfying as a hobby in its own right but unless very gifted you will take time and effort to equal the result from buying a precut box and assembling it.. and in reality your first few attempts are likely to be .. err not very good.. So if you are planning to buy expensive wood (cedar) don't bother till you have some expertise..


And poly boxes are better in every way than wood.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you really want to spend some time in the workshop, make yourself some underfloor entrance OMF's - If you PM me I can send you the plans and building instructions

Yes
Do that
Half my floors are like that
They are brilliant

 

[E&MBees]

Thanks for all the advice. I have ordered a 2nds hive, saved lots of money!

 

[joelsoo]

i did the maths,

Cost of:

DIY super = £8 in materials
DIY brood = £10 in materials
The above involves going to timberyard (not B&Q, Wickes etc because the material cost more!) to get untreated furniture pine boards 20mm thick, butt jointed design, & have to spend the time in the workshop milling out the timber. and then have to assemble it all.

i went to the National Honey show last weekend, prices of seconds grade Super and Brood boxes as of 2019 from Masiemore and Thorne are:

Masiemore Super: £12.50
Thorne Super : £13.00

Masiemore Brood: £15.50
Thorne Brood : £16.00
The above although are seconds, you get Cedar wood, slotted wood/finger jointed abutment, and only need to assemble it whilst watching telly in an evening.

i was just about to build them but after seeing prices in national honey show i bought them instead of building. it cost about 40% more than making but the value of it being cedar (lighter than pine), and the improved joints, and no hassle in workshop its a no brainer than its "cheaper" to buy seconds.

 

[Curly green finger's]

i did the maths,

Cost of:

DIY super = £8 in materials
DIY brood = £10 in materials
The above involves going to timberyard (not B&Q, Wickes etc because the material cost more!) to get untreated furniture pine boards 20mm thick, butt jointed design, & have to spend the time in the workshop milling out the timber. and then have to assemble it all.

i went to the National Honey show last weekend, prices of seconds grade Super and Brood boxes as of 2019 from Masiemore and Thorne are:

Masiemore Super: £12.50
Thorne Super : £13.00

Masiemore Brood: £15.50
Thorne Brood : £16.00
The above although are seconds, you get Cedar wood, slotted wood/finger jointed abutment, and only need to assemble it whilst watching telly in an evening.

i was just about to build them but after seeing prices in national honey show i bought them instead of building. it cost about 40% more than making but the value of it being cedar (lighter than pine), and the improved joints, and no hassle in workshop its a no brainer than its "cheaper" to buy seconds.

That maybe so but making your own equipment is so.....rewarding....especially if you have beekeeping withdrawals over the winter months..

I'm suffering and it's only been a few weeks.

 

[thorn]

That maybe so but making your own equipment is so.....rewarding....especially if you have beekeeping withdrawals over the winter months..

I'm suffering and it's only been a few weeks.

Woodworking is sheer misery. I'd rather undergo surgery without an anaesthetic.
Buy an Abelo poly hive. Ready made and you don't even need to paint it. Then just get on with keeping bees.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Woodworking is sheer misery. I'd rather undergo surgery without an anaesthetic.
Buy an Abelo poly hive. Ready made and you don't even need to paint it. Then just get on with keeping bees.

Each to there own as they say .
I made my first floor 2017 i was so pleased with it even though it only lasted the season it wasnt anything special but the sense of achievement sperd me on to make my own roofs which are still going strong..

As to poly hives I've only nucs at the moment but plan to get polys and will let the children paint them save me the trouble and they can be creative as they like .

 

[Millet]

Woodworking is sheer misery. I'd rather undergo surgery without an anaesthetic.
Buy an Abelo poly hive. Ready made and you don't even need to paint it. Then just get on with keeping bees.

 

[deemann1]

I bought alot of seconds equipment this year I'll be making all the floors and roofs , last year I made all my equipment 45 boxes plus roofs and floors ,crown boards etc and I really enjoyed it there is nothing more satisfying than getting rough timber from the mill and then seen your finished product. Unfortunately this year I just haven't the time with work load

 

[Curly green finger's]

I bought alot of seconds equipment this year I'll be making all the floors and roofs , last year I made all my equipment 45 boxes plus roofs and floors ,crown boards etc and I really enjoyed it there is nothing more satisfying than getting rough timber from the mill and then seen your finished product. Unfortunately this year I just haven't the time with work load

shot I've never seen a harp played like that before that's double time!

 

[bingevader]

I've been wondering about this as time goes on and we're needing extra kit or to replace some.
Coming from a slightly different angle though!
With insulation being key these days, I'd like to make the Nationals thicker!
Anecdotally, with no science to back it up, the National bees appear slower to build in the spring than the WBC, Warre or the kTBH.
Making new kit would be fine, it would be how to get it to still fit to the old stuff.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don’t make the hives thicker and heavier.
Give them a cosy