Oak Hive

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SteveJ

House Bee
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
290
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Location
Cleveland
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
30
Is there any problems associated with building hives out of Oak? My local timber merchant has a load of off cuts of solid oak flooring. Might need to joint length wise but its alll tongue and groove.

SteveJ
 
The weight of it may be a problem?
 
To do the oak justice you would also want to French polish it.

The above is a joke - but the weight of an oak hive wouldn't be.

Well if weight is not an issue then go for it :)
 
BTW I was not joking re brass fixings.

Regards, RAB

I dont know the exact figures rab but my bet is that Cedar is almost as acidic as oak.

On a sort of lighter note I have considered making a hive out of as many different timbers as possible sort of name the timbers hive.

The one timber not recommended for a hive is lignum vitae or at least going by the weight of the piece I have it would not be recommended and apart from costing perhaps the best part of a grand.
 
If that was the case it will have a lifetime guarantee when even today it is used in ships bearings for the shafts and the first nuclear powered submarine shaft bearings were composed of this wood gives you an idea how tough it is.
It actually resembles a piece of resin as apposed to a piece of timber.
 
I dont know the exact figures rab but my bet is that Cedar is almost as acidic as oak.

On a sort of lighter note I have considered making a hive out of as many different timbers as possible sort of name the timbers hive.

The one timber not recommended for a hive is lignum vitae or at least going by the weight of the piece I have it would not be recommended and apart from costing perhaps the best part of a grand.
Don't forget the cost of visits to the saw doctor ! it's a tool blunter extraordinaire !!.

John Wilkinson
 
Victor,

Right, but likely not so much worse than teak through the planer (with carbon steel blades). Definitely a case for carbide tips!

Regards, RAB
 
It's not normally used as it's too dense, so it's conductive of heat.

Adam
 

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