Beehive construction

[mark]

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

[madasafish]

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.

[chris]

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

[The Drone Ranger]

Just buy a cheap hive or polyhive Mark is my advice

[mark]

Just buy a cheap hive or polyhive Mark is my advice

Thanks for the replies. I'll take another look at ready made hives.

[alancooper]

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.

[Greengage]

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.

[Jon]

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.

[prakel]

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?

[busybeephilip]

Swienty poly broods from C Wynne Jone


They are listed as £20.50 , not sure if they are compatible with national wooden equipment jon will know ?