Home made hives.

[rossbyjove]

Thinking of making my own hives to help keep the cost down.
Looking at plywood, 18 or 25mm and what grade exterior or marine?
Been researching it and WBP exterior ply seems to be the choice of some.
Confused as to what 'class' the ply ought to be, is this to do with the glue used in manufacture or will any class be satisfactory and not be harmful to the bees ?
All advice welcome.

 

[Ian123]

Ply can be expensive the minimum grade you want is a hardwood WBP. I have some ply nucs that are many years old but had a considerable effort put in to seal edges and preserve when made. For those wanting only a few boxes I’d really suggest seconds. Between time materials and equipment to make boxes any savings are minimal. Long type hives can be economical but I’d advise checking second prices first off. Ian

 

[pargyle]

Plywood costs have gone through the roof this last year ... it's a very heavy material to make hives from and unless (as IAN123 said) you go to great lengths then anything less than marine ply will delaminate. My first hive was a long deep hive (10 years in it's still going strong although now in need of a new coat of paint). It's double wall construction- Victorian floorboards inside, pallet wood outside with a polystyrene core. The only disadvantage is it's very heavy - but the bees love it and it was easy to work with as a first hive.

This will give you some idea ...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/albums/72157634865981506

 

[enrico]

Tried it! Sod that! Buy seconds!

 

[madasafish]

I do make boxes from pallet wood. It is time consuming and to do a decent job you need reasonable equipment. If you cost your time,then seconds are the Way To Go,
Pallet nucs are easier £10 each.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thinking of making my own hives to help keep the cost down.
Looking at plywood, 18 or 25mm

I and a friend looked at that idea years ago when we had access to all kinds of wooworking machinery, and a contact in the timber trade for discounted ply. Then Maisie's 'second quality' flat packs came along and we ripped up all plans and calculations - now, the only things I make are UFE's, crown boards, clearer and demarree boards

 

[blackcloud]

Marine grade ply
It's laminated with bitumen rather than glue.
But like everyone says,you can't buy the materials less then what the likes of Bee Equipment can post you a seconds grade super.
Plus the quality is often First Grade.
I just make floors crownboards stands snelgroves etc.

 

[Apiarisnt]

I have made my own British National 14 x 12 from scratch, and am very proud of it. Been there, done that, got the hive. Since then, its always been Maisie's seconds. Make your own hive for pleasure and pride by all means, but not to keep costs down.

 

[BBC]

Thinking of making my own hives to help keep the cost down.
Looking at plywood, 18 or 25mm and what grade exterior or marine?
Been researching it and WBP exterior ply seems to be the choice of some.
Confused as to what 'class' the ply ought to be, is this to do with the glue used in manufacture or will any class be satisfactory and not be harmful to the bees ?
All advice welcome.

Following the recent price hikes after Brexit and Covid. All ply and OSB sheeting has become very expensive. It may not be as cost effective as you would like.
Further, I would advise on the “Marine” equivalent which has been superseded. This will push the price up even further.
I used a lesser exterior grade for a garden project which has delaminated since.
Ply is not what it used to be and is often sourced and made in far off places like South America and China. QA seems to be hit and miss.

 

[BBC]

Further to the above.
18/25mm ply will be much heavier than cedar or pine. Much denser!

 

[rossbyjove]

Plywood costs have gone through the roof this last year ... it's a very heavy material to make hives from and unless (as IAN123 said) you go to great lengths then anything less than marine ply will delaminate. My first hive was a long deep hive (10 years in it's still going strong although now in need of a new coat of paint). It's double wall construction- Victorian floorboards inside, pallet wood outside with a polystyrene core. The only disadvantage is it's very heavy - but the bees love it and it was easy to work with as a first hive.

This will give you some idea ...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/albums/72157634865981506

OK I think I get the picture
Don't bother making them!
I have the tools and the experience of using them but as everyone has said, cheaper to get cheap.
That is some hive you made there, belt and braces and baler twine with another belt and more braces just in case!!!
Thanks for the advice chaps.

 

[rossbyjove]

Thanks for the advice chaps.

 

[BBC]

Plywood costs have gone through the roof this last year ... it's a very heavy material to make hives from and unless (as IAN123 said) you go to great lengths then anything less than marine ply will delaminate. My first hive was a long deep hive (10 years in it's still going strong although now in need of a new coat of paint). It's double wall construction- Victorian floorboards inside, pallet wood outside with a polystyrene core. The only disadvantage is it's very heavy - but the bees love it and it was easy to work with as a first hive.

This will give you some idea ...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/albums/72157634865981506

Wow, that is exactly the sort of lengths I would go to !
Looks great and I bet a bull elephant wouldn’t knock that over. We’ll made sir.
However, that looks like a time consuming labour of love and exactly why I’m keeping my tools and the apiary well away from each other.
Hats off to you though.

 

[pargyle]

OK I think I get the picture
Don't bother making them!
I have the tools and the experience of using them but as everyone has said, cheaper to get cheap.
That is some hive you made there, belt and braces and baler twine with another belt and more braces just in case!!!
Thanks for the advice chaps.

Yes it is .. but I had the time at the time... no money but plenty of timber and the tools and the ability to make it. However all my subsequent hives are Paynes poly 14 x 12s ...the same frame size as my long hive so compatible... but not that expensive to buy and just as well insulated as my LDH.

 

[Dodge]

I think there is a generation gap in beekeeping with a hangover of the make do , mend and make yourself, left over from the 50's and 60's. These days with economies of scale, able to mail order from around the globe commercial products are cheaper and often better than what you can do yourself.

Today a Maismore risk bottom cedar national super is £26. There is no way I am going to be able to source the material have the time to collect material, change into work clothes etc and get it done if I add on my hourly pay rate to the project. It simply takes less time and money to buy and do an hours overtime at work. The younger generation work longer hours and both partners work. We don't have the precious time available to dissappear down the shed for a Saturday afternoon.

Sorry if this offends some on the forum it it's the reality of being aged mid 40's vs the generally average age of Beeks being quite a lot older.

 

[Arfermo]

OK I think I get the picture
Don't bother making them!
I have the tools and the experience of using them but as everyone has said, cheaper to get cheap.
That is some hive you made there, belt and braces and baler twine with another belt and more braces just in case!!!
Thanks for the advice chaps.

Stick to seconds in cedar National too. Ply will be a nightmare - heavy and will delaminate if you don't lard it with multiple protective coats that seal the edges and everywhere else. Best to plan on two hives to start with as then you have a backup to split in case of a failure.

 

[Wilco]

Ok, so I'm the naive overenthusiastic whippersnapper here...

I'm approaching mid thirties physically if not mentally. I have wanted to do woodworking most of my life but it's not been possible for various reasons. As such I'm a novice, self taught and had to buy all my tools, generally limited in budget. I'm also relatively time and space limited. It is still possible and I have built some of my own hives from cedar.

In terms of cost and quality, yes, seconds are probably a more consistently safe bet. However, it is possible to make them yourself for less. I tend to make a bulk number of a certain part at a time.

If you have the tools and the experience it should be a doddle for you. If you can find a local source of cedar and make a decent number then it's ok. For one or two it's probably not worth it financially. It's also a question of how complicated you want to make it as you can adjust aspects of the design to make Nationals boxes simpler, such as the handles.

Pallets provides a free source of wood- sometimes planks are wide enough for shallows, for deeps and with the bits not wide enough, you will need to join them. Factor in the time deconstructing them though.

In terms of tools, my first hive and nuc boxes were done with a borrowed circular saw, a wood saw (using this to measure angles too), tape measure and palm router with basic table jig. In my view it is possible to use just a tape mesure, wood saw and pencil (plus hammer nails and glue for assembly!) if you simply the design and take your time. I now have a basic table saw and second hand mitre saw. Whilst I need to build some better jigs to make things faster and more precise/consistent, along with the router these are sufficient for my purposes and available space. Ultimately it will come down to how much time you have, how you value your time, how quick you are and if building your own kit carries inherent value to you (it's not just about the monetary perspective).

As for comments about time it takes and being time poor... each day we have the same number of hours as everyone else, it's how you use them (hence time limited in my case). I could work 'full time' to earn as much as I can but I am fortunate in that I can earn 'enough' to get by without. It means things are often tighter than I'd like but it's a case of what you value. I do things this way because it means I have slightly more time for my family and things I love doing now. You never know how long you'll live and they say not many people get to the end of their lives and wish they had worked more. If doing something brings you joy, do/pursue it.

 

[pargyle]

I think there is a generation gap in beekeeping with a hangover of the make do , mend and make yourself, left over from the 50's and 60's. These days with economies of scale, able to mail order from around the globe commercial products are cheaper and often better than what you can do yourself.

Today a Maismore risk bottom cedar national super is £26. There is no way I am going to be able to source the material have the time to collect material, change into work clothes etc and get it done if I add on my hourly pay rate to the project. It simply takes less time and money to buy and do an hours overtime at work. The younger generation work longer hours and both partners work. We don't have the precious time available to dissappear down the shed for a Saturday afternoon.

Sorry if this offends some on the forum it it's the reality of being aged mid 40's vs the generally average age of Beeks being quite a lot older.

No it's not offensive but it's a generalisation that does not hold water. Beekeeping is an expensive hobby and there is the opportunity to save some money by making certain things yourself. Most people who do make things themselves and those who buy items in component form (hives and frames) get some satisfaction from this and include it as part and parcel of their hobby I don't think age really comes into it to any great extent except insomuch as beekeeping is a time consuming craft where time is often needed that conflicts with family commitments... as you get older (I'm nearly 72 and still work full time) the hours that were previously called upon by family commitments become less and the hours you can dedicate to beekeeping become more. So ... beekeeping as a hobby does lend itself more to an older generation. But...age may not be as much a factor as you might suggest ....there's a lot more to it.

 

[madasafish]

I don't make hives - see above - but do make:
crownboards
ekes
Underfloor entrances
some roofs.
All nucs.
Frame feeders copied from one bought .

No great skills, or high quality workmanship required: big cost savings,

 

[Garry R]

Poly boxes bought in give you an accurate box at a reasonable cost. Make your own crown boards, ekes and floors and you get a low cost hive with the beespace you need avoiding the dreaded brace comb which can make beekeeping a bit of a nightmare.