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Black Comb

Queen Bee
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I'll be buying some new hives in the flat shortly. Any tips ref. assembly?

My current ones were bought 2nd hand = ready assembled.

I assume I glue and nail. Also, do I need a jig to get them square or are the joints usually good enough?

Is it best to assemble them as soon as bought to stop any warping?

All suggestions welcome.
 
I assume I glue and nail. Also, do I need a jig to get them square or are the joints usually good enough?

I managed without but that may have been more by luck than judgement. :)

Is it best to assemble them as soon as bought to stop any warping?

Yes.............have the tee shirt for that one :)

Frisbee
 
External wood glue and galvanised nails. As Frisbee said best to assemble asap to avoid the risk of warping. Assuming your new hives are the same as the ones you already have use a super to check for square or a "T" square on all corners, if it is not quite square put one corner on the floor and gently push the opposite corner. note this needs to be done before the glue sets:) then put aside and leave for at least 12 hours.
:cheers2: Mike
 
Measure diagonally across top of assembled super or brood box both ways, when both are the same its square.
 
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i 've just assemble for a freind one of thornes " bees on a budget" hives she paid £120 ish on line but they are also £140 on ebay ( i asume pay pal and ebay fees push the price up )

Not ideal for a first go at assemble as it is has a few knots and strange grain, but i had no problem, though i know Beeks who will not touch them

i used an existing super to square it and had to weighted the corners until dry as it was just slightly warped and use screws instead of nails

i think several of the made up hives on ebay currently are " thorns budget" as the grain/swirls looks at lot like mine
 
I agree with MuswellMetro, the new wood could warp and pull nails. No3 coarse thread 38mm screws and pre-drill to avoid splitting, I throw in 3 per corner 2 one-way with the middle going the other. You only do it the once so a bit of waterprrof PVA for good measure. R
 
I agree with MuswellMetro, the new wood could warp and pull nails. No3 coarse thread 38mm screws and pre-drill to avoid splitting, I throw in 3 per corner 2 one-way with the middle going the other. You only do it the once so a bit of waterprrof PVA for good measure. R


yes ,pre drilled screws, thin Nos 3s ( i use 45mm or 50mm decking screws) and drill with just the electric screw driver type hex drill bit that fits into a standard electric screw driver, no need to countersink, though you could if you want a pucker job

i prefer exterior No nails glue rather than pva but it needs to be well vented before putting bees in.
 
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Is that:Unibond No More Nails Ultra Exterior Adhesive?
 
No,I have run out of PVA and was looking for something a little stronger.
When I Googled for a product I found the "Ultra" product and was not sure if its the stuff you use.
 
We have so many glues to chose from these days it can make your head spin at times and my recommendation for the shelf in the shed is

Get the best exterior pva you can get
Have a tub of cascamite (a powder glue that you mix stronger than pva)
A polyurethane glue if you have ever seen it it foams up when drying sticky messy glue
And finaly a glue called Sticks Like S##t it is actually called that

After that you can collect as many as you like and put them with the tins of WD40
 
No,I have run out of PVA and was looking for something a little stronger.
When I Googled for a product I found the "Ultra" product and was not sure if its the stuff you use.


its expensive and smells like evostick, sets ok after 24hrs,...cuprinol clear disolves it though (just found that out.. softens the outer skin)

my father (before he died) used it,to make DIY hives, but sealed the seams with molton beeswax

his DIY hives were made from pitch pine floor boards ( 146mm) cut and made in 225mm or 150mm planks...then just lap jointed and screwed with ultra, The one i have is five years old and no sign of warping and the seams are watertight

The beek who took the main 10 hives seem to like them...i live in london so could not take them, but took all the bits and pieces including some thornes bugets hives he used to make up and sell
 
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his DIY hives were made from pitch pine floor boards ( 146mm) cut and made in 225mm or 150mm planks...then just lap jointed and screwed with ultra, The one i have is five years old and no sign of warping and the seams are watertight

Did he treat the pitchpine?
 
A polyurethane glue if you have ever seen it it foams up when drying sticky messy glue

It's only messy if you either use far too much, or you get it on your clothes/skin. When used correctly it's just about the cleanest glue in terms of clean up as it almost needs none, and any that does need removing is easy with a sharp knife or scraper.
 
External wood glue and galvanised nails. As Frisbee said best to assemble asap to avoid the risk of warping. Assuming your new hives are the same as the ones you already have use a super to check for square or a "T" square on all corners, if it is not quite square put one corner on the floor and gently push the opposite corner. note this needs to be done before the glue sets:) then put aside and leave for at least 12 hours.
:cheers2: Mike


most flat packs come with a made up 460x460 crownboards/clearer, so you can use that if starting from scratch to set it square, if you have no super already
 
You would be hard pushed to get timber like that now.

recovered industrial floor boards from a grain store...no floor polish or additives, just dry wheat stored on it, full 3/4 inch..


His hives cost about £11....£4 for queen excluder, £3 forVarroa mesh and £2 for glue/screws £1 for rails....and free recovered wood all done with just a table saw even the rebates...he would make one over aweekend

i tried to follow his example and make asuper from cushmans plans...oooopps 4mm to big one way, forgot, cushmans plans are for using modern 18mm rather than 3/4 inch

very difficult to cut, very dense and still strong pine smell, my table saw striggled to cut it down the grain....the wood smoked like oak does when you cut it


i have treated mine externally with clear cuprinol but he only used raw linsead inside and out then hot beeswax to seal all joints
 
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He must have enjoyed making his own hives.I see from your pictures on the other thread you are into diy as well, like the idea of your frame stand.
 

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