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Thread: Beehive construction

  1. #1
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    Default Beehive construction

    Hi,

    I'm new to this forum, and wanting to start keeping bees from next year. I'm in East Lothian.

    Now in order to keep the initial costs down, I'm considering constructing my own hive. I've found a site which has a few ideas:

    http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/bee-hive-construction.html

    Basically there are 3 designs:

    http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/support...ans_metric.pdf
    http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/support...uild_a_tbh.pdf
    http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/support-files/delon.pdf

    I was wondering if anyone had followed this route and had any good pointers.

    Thanks

    Mark

  2. #2
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    The top bar hive plans are pretty.. and useless unless modified - a lot.

    I have 4 large ones and they are extensively modified: and beekeeping in them requires an understanding of beekeeping.

    I don't recommend building your own until you learn something of bees : to start with, will you die from bee stings?
    I am perfectly serious btw.

  3. #3
    Senior Member chris's Avatar
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    For the Warré,I find his roof awkward and heavy. A standard metal roof is easier, though not so attractive. I would also put a window in the back of each box that can take a building frame. See pictures on this site:

    http://bi-ne-drehu.over-blog.com/art...-62742308.html

    This will enable you to have an idea of what is going on in the hive without opening up and lifting. Otherwise, use frames. My Warré is built from planks used as "casing" by cement layers. Here they are 20cm. wide and 27 mm thick which is ideal. Also they come in 4m. lengths for about 6 euros so the hive works out quite cheap.
    p.s. welcome

  4. #4

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    Just buy a cheap hive or polyhive Mark is my advice

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Drone Ranger View Post
    Just buy a cheap hive or polyhive Mark is my advice
    Thanks for the replies. I'll take another look at ready made hives.

  6. #6

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    Six years ago I started with a National cedar hive from Thornes and then made my own from pine or plywood. The cost saving I made was minimal after materials, time, mistakes and maintenance were taken into consideration. Manufacturer competition has brought prices down a lot recently. If starting again I would buy.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Greengage's Avatar
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    I considered building my own hives, I started with a Top Bar, bought all the timber and assembled it took about a week, then atended some classes and went off and bought brood box for €25 assembly time 30 mns, Unless your into it in a big way its really not worth the effort and time, by the way the top bar is dissambled in the shed never used, I know people will disagree but the theory with TBH is great the practicalities of using and maintaining it are a little more difficult than people let on. Something for the future maybe but not now for me.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    I buy cedar wood broods for £15-£18 in the Thorne sale. Supers are £11 or £12.
    I got 15 Swienty poly broods from C Wynne Jones in a sale last year for about £20 each and these are excellent.

  9. #9
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    I got 15 Swienty poly broods from C Wynne Jones in a sale last year for about £20 each and these are excellent.
    Any chance of a detailed assessment on that polyhive thread at some point when time permits?

  10. #10
    Senior Member busybeephilip's Avatar
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    Thornes seconds can be ok but at other times can be so full of knots that dry out and leave holes that its a pain filling these. Also the seconds timber can still be a bit green, you may find the the side boards can warp resulting in gaps which wasps, robbers etc can get in. To prevent this they need to be well glued as well as nailed/screwed.

    The quality of the cedar is definately not like what the old bee brood boxes used to be like, these would have been heavier and a much tighter grained wood, the stuff they are using now is wide grained and very light like balsa wood, also soft as you can dig your nails into it no problem

    Also, if the timber is not treated it will definately rot as I have found since i've stopped using cuprinol clear (old recipie) has since found that the new recipe can be used but you need to give a bit more time before giving to bees and only paint the outsides. Many persons now paint the outsides with fencelife, garden shades or left over emulsions

    I suppost for supers it does not really matter but for broods that are continuously exposed to the wet then thornes deal is not the best

    To be honest, my masimore sale item deal brood boxes have proved to be much more robust , the timber is more solid

    If you have the equipment and time then making them is satisfying and cheaper, can even be made using waterproof ply, no need to worry about ventilation as most beeks have open varroa floors, even then extra vent can be given around the crown board although I have never needed that.

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