Hello and some questions

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spytek

New Bee
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
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Location
Birmingham UK
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Hi everyone.. My name is Rob and I'm new to the idea of beekeeping and have been 'lurking' around the forum and learning about it all.. haven't lost interest so far so thats a good start. I'm considering building my own hive and am planning to join a local association (I think Birmingham and District are the closest to where I live).

I have plenty of questions but will start off with some on hives..

I'm thinking of building a national hive with a deep brood box using plywood and have noticed that B&Q sell 2 types of plywood, one made of softwood and one made of hardwood which is double the price of the softwood version. Does it matter which type I get when it comes to a beehive providing its WBP?

Also I know that the external dimensions of a national hive is 46cmx46cm but what should the internal dimensions be? Reason I ask is that different thicknesses of wood will affect the internal size and if there is an ideal measure of gap needed between say the inner side and the frame edge or the first/last frame and the inner wall then this needs to be taken into account.

Apologies if my questions seems strange but I would appreciate some help on this.

Thanks

Rob
 
This is a good place to start

http://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/learning/documents/number%204%20national%20hive.pdf

and this

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/newhome.html

Also a number of good videos on this website perfect to give you number of ideas how to start

also this section on the forum will be of help

DIY Hive construction and plans and tools

As for the plywood I doubt that the cheap softwood ply is WBP and is perhaps shuttering ply it will last for a good few years providing it is treated and may get you started.
 
since your a brummie and i am over at smethwick come over to bee shed studios and i will show you around you will also be able to see what can be done with cheap scaby ply and decent ply, but try the search thread button as we are talking about this on another thread at the moment,

also do you want to come and ply with my bees before the winter shut down??

also do you want a local mentor come movie star to help you on your way

pm me by clicking on my hedgerow name and it will do a drop down menu and we can arrange a time thats suitable for us to meet up
 
PS. your not a villa fan are you????

:laughing-smiley-004 I'm proud to admit that I am a Villa fan (but I like the baggies too)

I did notice the other thread after I posted mine so was too late on that one.. thanks for the offer to show me around and 'ply' with your bees. I'll pm you in a bit
 
look i dont mind people coming to the bee shed , and you can wear any thing you want as all are wecome, even ones wearing more sequines than me but as a blue nose i do draw the line on claret and blue, as for the west brom i dont think anyone likes them!!!

do you know that when they are full its when both supporters turn up. lol
 
also do you want to come and ply with my bees before the winter shut down??

also do you want a local mentor come movie star to help you on your way

pm me by clicking on my hedgerow name and it will do a drop down menu and we can arrange a time thats suitable for us to meet up

I said something like that to a neighbour and got arrested....:seeya:
 
I find that I'm stuck with B&Q. Their unique selling point is that I can have it accurately cut into five 460mm x 1220mm strips, at which point I can handle it just fine with the tools I have.

Much as it pains me as it isn't the most economical source, but I find it to be practical.
 
I find that I'm stuck with B&Q. Their unique selling point is that I can have it accurately cut into five 460mm x 1220mm strips, at which point I can handle it just fine with the tools I have.

Much as it pains me as it isn't the most economical source, but I find it to be practical.

and it fits in the car...
 
Hombre
next time you need some ply wood give me a shout, i am fairly local. you buy a sheet of ply full size and i can either help collect it ( big car ,big roof rack) and cut it down to size so you can handle it better.

also there are several builders merchants in the sandwell area that have saw mills on site, where you cab buy a sheet of ply or several and have them split down for you.

or just get it delivered to you house full sized from the builders merchants and i pop round and cut it down for you
 
Q59, yes that's the size. I get five 460mm x 1200mm lengths and the spare bit.

As Dishmop says, it fits inside the car just fine then, so I don't have to worry about the weather or lashing down the flying wing to a smallish roof rack.

Pete, I would be interested in builders' merchants with saw mills on site where the package would be an improvement on the B&Q price.

I did drop by a large timber yard just outside Oldbury, on Dudley Road (opposite Junction Street) - "Arnold Laver Timber World", last year - and the 'salesman' quoted a si££y price just for the setting up the saw. I didn't follow it up as they patently weren't living on the same planet as myself.

I can lift a 2400mm x 1200mm x 18mm sheet, but handling it for transport uncut is a real problem and I just can't cut it accurately with any confidence at that size. The 460mm strips are almost ideal for further cutting, travel easily in or on the car, store well and don't cause a riot as I carry the pieces through the house.
 
ply

I bought a sheet of 9mm ply (2440x1220) from homebase last night - cost around £55 BUT (with a little wait until the lad appeared at 6pm) had it cut to size for me for free - 6 dadant sized boards and 4 national plus some spare bits that'll come in useful for my project (see other posts and watch this space for final pics).

With the price of screws, glue and other stripwood it'll cost me about £31.50 all in for each three tier insulated roof/ventilation chamber structure. Not too bad in my book - ok could source a bit cheap but would involve burning petrol PLUS don't have access to many tools in UK - Homebase is also just around corner from apiary.

Oh- i might add that even 460x1220 wouldn't fit in the TT!!!!
 
Would you like to buy some more 9mm ply for £55 a sheet,or even really cheap for £45.:leaving:
 
Correction

Sorry it was 2440mm x 1220mm, not 2400mm by 1200mm.

I would choke at that sort of price for 18mm WBP.
 
The timber yard I use charges £14.99 inc VAT for 2440 x 1220 sheet of 9mm hardwood WBP far eastern ply.

Will cut for 30p per cut on their fancy wall mounted saw.

So for just over £17 you can get a lot of crownboards and they all fit in the boot.

Good value for anyone in N West (close to M6 near Preston)
 
hombre , i know where you went, it is better know as birmingham boards, they are one of the best suppliers of sheet materials in the uk, the last time i popped in for a friend i was offered 450 differant types of marine ply all with differant BS standard stamp and finishes and that was only the 8 by 4 sheets, they also sell ply in 14 foot by 6 foot sheets and a millon sizes and shape and style in between,

they also have on of the best timber mills in the west mids as we use them to off site cut all our ply wood pattressess for us.

unfortunutly there set up costs of the saws are very high but there run through rates are very low when dealing in big quantities.

may i suggest a smaller builders merchant. may i just point out that i have no connections with these people but i have found them to be very helpfull when i have gone in for stuff for the bee shed and for the home

Merric and Heath, 214 rolfe street, smethwick, west mids. B66 2AW. 01215581291

they are a very small builders merchants but the do have a small saw mill set up and can easily cut ply to size, but i dont know what they charge for ply or cutting
 

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