Hive stands diy route

[wightbees]

Up until now I have tried pallets and single diy wooden hive stands. Last winter I had some trouble with rodents chewing through the polyhives which sat on pallet : ( I feel the pallets are too easy for the sods to attack again this winter!
So I'm going to make a load of wooden stands and need feed back on simple but works. Not wanting to lug concrete blocks about either lol.

Thanks

 

[wightbees]

Double or triple stand ideas please

 

[Hachi]

They wouldn't per se stop rats climbing and eating your PH's but worth a go.

There are some good youtube videos showing how. One particular one did mention the beek should not rely on simply butting up and bolting or nailing thro as the shear strength is quite low compared with simple jointing the name of which escapes me but for eg if using 4x4 at the top okf the leg cut out a 2x2 [half] on both pieces such that they mate as a 4x4. He stated attaching legs this way is much stronger.

 

[Wingy]

If your hives are in a row, hammer 4 pieces of scaffold tube into the ground so it is solid and won’t sink under weight, leave it stuck out by about 18” - 2’, 4 couplings to attach 2 long lengths of scaffold horizontal and level, like rail way lines, 1 front rail, 1 back if that makes sense.
Sit your hives on the cross rails away from the legs. For added rodent security you can place a piece of plastic pipe with slightly larger diameter over the scaffold so as a rat walks along the scaffold towards the hive it steps o to the plastic pipe which rotates and the rat falls off.

 

[Beefriendly]

I'm slowly switching to these ones with adjustable legs.
Not cheap and you need to provide your own wood.
But great for migratory beekeeping and those apiaries that just aren't quite level.

But the wooden one in front of the ladder is one I built a few years ago and works well.

 

[citrus]

If your hives are in a row, hammer 4 pieces of scaffold tube into the ground so it is solid and won’t sink under weight, leave it stuck out by about 18” - 2’, 4 couplings to attach 2 long lengths of scaffold horizontal and level, like rail way lines, 1 front rail, 1 back if that makes sense.
Sit your hives on the cross rails away from the legs. For added rodent security you can place a piece of plastic pipe with slightly larger diameter over the scaffold so as a rat walks along the scaffold towards the hive it steps o to the plastic pipe which rotates and the rat falls off.

love this with the rotating rat

 

[wightbees]

I like those BF not difficult to make either. Out of interest what's the cost of those and from where?

 

[Brian Bush]

I make wooden ones similar to BFs. The father of a beek friend brings be the bearers that wood is delivered to a local company that ensure the timber is lifted off with a forklift. 5 Pieces, 2 for the rails, 2 for the legs and one for the cross pieces make the stand. It requires 2 pieces of roofing batten and 4 coach screws to complete. I made a number for my association that were not required at present and members bought them a £20 each. They can hold 2 Nationals with the entrances facing in different directions or a hive and a NUC for artificial swarming. I don't know about rats though!!!

 

[Beefriendly]

I like those BF not difficult to make either. Out of interest what's the cost of those and from where?

The Galvanised steel ones are £70/pair from Abelo. Then some tanalized timber for the runners, a few quid. Set up they take 4 hives but this could be increased if you needed more.

The wooden ones were all tanalized timber and long bolts so the legs will fold...can't remember costs but not a lot, probably less than £15/stand that will 3 hives plus the time to make them. Buggers on the uneven ground though.
Beckys bees sell something very similar for £80 but it only takes 2 hives.
https://www.beckysbeesonlineshop.co.uk/double-hive-stand-1361-p.asp

Swienty sells some really cheap low-level plastic hive stands. Can't find them on their site, but they were cheap about £5 each.

 

[Hachi]

I use similar to BF and a guy used to make the professionally for £30 each but he's late of this parish having moved to Cheshire.

 

[Angry_Mob]

I used this guide: https://tinyurl.com/ya9q8v9e

I'd love to try those Abelo ones and asked my brother in law about them but they were still too expensive as the drilling of the holes would be time/labour intensive. Would be a different matter if you could get hold of a laser cutting machine and make a large batch of them.

 

[user 6228]

home made

 

[wightbees]

A bit costly but look really good BF.. I think I go wooden for the minute using Mob guide, thanks for that.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I make something similar to the wooden one of BF out of 2 80x40mm tanilised fencing rails from Mole Country stores (about £5 each) plus just a few screws if you don't want it to fold, plus 4 coach bolts if you do.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

home made

That'll make life difficult for vermin to approach the entrance

 

[enrico]

I make mine with extra room at the back to put equipment, supers etc on . The area under the hive has no planking for varroa control, I also stand them on a sheet of farmers gate sheet which is made out of rubber and is three metres by two metres which stops moles from coming up under the legs.
The second photo shows the gate matting
Hope I have attached the photo!
E

 

[enrico]

Correction to above, the mats are 1 meter by 2 meters

 

[charlievictorbravo]

A bit costly but look really good BF.. I think I go wooden for the minute using Mob guide, thanks for that.

The only change I have made to the basic design like this is to cut a 'scollop' out of the rails so that you can get your fingers under the hive to do a bit of hefting in the winter.

CVB

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I make mine with extra room at the back to put equipment, supers etc on . The area under the hive has no planking for varroa control, I also stand them on a sheet of farmers gate sheet which is made out of rubber and is three metres by two metres which stops moles from coming up under the legs.
The second photo shows the gate matting
Hope I have attached the photo!
E

"Stockboard" beloved of pig farmers as it resists chewing.

 

[thorn]

An advantage of the Abelo metal legs is that they are adjustable. I've got mine on a sloping site, and found it easy to get the bars horizontal.