Long Langstroth plans

[Bob Wilson]

LONG LANGSTROTH HIVE PLANS
These plans are for a long langstroth, a horizontal beehive which holds 30 standard, deep langstroth frames. It is the equivalent of three deep langstroth boxes. Long langs have the benefit of using standard, deep langstroth frames, so frames of honey, pollen or brood can be given or received from any other beekeeper. However, there are not any stacked, heavy boxes to lift. Once in place, the heaviest lifting required is a single frame of honey.

The plans for this hive call for...
-One 2X12X12 foot board, untreated.
-One 4X4 sheet of 3/4 inch plywood, exterior grade, untreated.
-One 2X4X10 foot board. It is OK for the legs (only) to be pressure treated lumber.
-Wood, screws, and exterior wood glue.

A: Sides and ends.
Cut the 2X12X12 into the following sizes.
2 sides: 2x10x44 1/2 inches
2 ends: 2x10x21 3/8 inches
A 2X10 is actually only 9.5 inches wide, therefore a 2X12 has to be used and then cut down to 10 inches wide.

B: Frame rests.
The side pieces need to be cut to create a frame rest 3/4 inches from the top and 3/8 inches into the side.
When migratory top boards are used, it creates 3/8 inch bee space between the top of frame and the lid. This hive has bee space on all four sides of the frame.

[Bob Wilson]

C: Bottom:
Cut a 21 3/8x 47 inch bottom from the plywood.
The reason why the hive body is only 47 1/2 inches long is that the 48 inch long migratory top will be cut into several sections (lids), and those cuts will shorten the length of the top to a little less than 48 inches. The top will only be about 47 1/2 inches.

D: Migratory top
Cut the remaining plywood into a 21 3/8 X 48 inch piece for the top. Cut the top into three separate pieces, which reduces the length to about 47 1/2 inches. Keeping the top as one long piece is unwieldy and cumbersome to remove and put back on. One of the benefits of a long hive is removing only one lid/top at a time, leaving the rest of the hive undisturbed. Some plans call for a gabled roof set on a long hinge.

E: Entrance
Cut a 3/8 inch deep piece from the top of one end. Save this piece to use for closing the entrance in winter or during robbing. In the USA Southeast, it is hot and humid. A top entrance lets out condensation all year long. Whatever kind of entrance you choose to make, place it at one end of the hive, and not at the middle or at both ends. The queen will keep her brood nest near the entrance at one end.

F: Legs
Cut the 2X4X10 into 4 equal pieces for legs (30 inches each). Measure 36 inches from the top of the box to the foot of the legs and then screw the legs into the hive body. 36 inches is standard countertop level and is a comfortable height to work the frames. A scrap piece of lumber can be added for bracing to the legs. It is probably unneeded. Use 4 long screws for each leg. Beehives are very heavy when full of honey.

[Bob Wilson]

G: Weather
Because the migratory covering is cut into three separate tops, rain can enter through the cracks. A covering sheet of vinyl, hanging over the sides keeps out the rain. Depending on the climate, a piece of reflective insulation can be used to keep the top cool.

H: Beetle trap
Some long hives have compartments underneath for placing pans of oil for beetle control. This hive has circular holes cut to the size of a wide mouth Mason jar in two bottom corners of the hive. Insert the jar lids into the holes, secure with heavy staples, and caulk with wood putty as needed. Mason jars (painted black on the outside) can be screwed from underneath with an inch of food grade mineral oil in them. #7 hardware cloth can be stapled inside, over the holes, which keeps the bees out, but lets the beetles fall through to drown in the oil.

[Bill Murray]

Ok. being as Ive never ran one of these bob, I guess the question is would 1Xs work do you think? Im thinking of making one for all mediums for a x-mass gift for My granddaughter.

[Bob Wilson]

I have made them from 1X lumber, but with a 4 foot length, they warp. The sides bowed out at the top, and the frames kept slipping off the frame rests into the box. Very frustrating.
I don't think 2X planks will warp much at all over just a 4 foot span, especially when screwed at the ends and along the bottom. I made a 2x lumber hive a few years ago (the last one I built), and it seems to be doing very well. Weight is not an issue with a long hive. Limited space is.

[Bill Murray]

Thank you Bob thats why I was asking. As for the cracks in the lids the bees dont propolize them?

[Gadgets]

After getting home with my new 2x12 planks I measured them. They now are only 11 1/8?- 11 3/16?  wide!

[Ben Framed]

Hello Gadgets, welcome to Beemaster!

[Terri Yaki]

After getting home with my new 2x12 planks I measured them. They now are only 11 1/8?- 11 3/16?  wide!

2x12 is what I think they call the 'nominal' dimensions but I might be wrong on that. Anyway, that is what they were (supposedly) before they were planed smooth. It's nothing new and all finished lumber is smaller than what they call it, except for the length. If you got rough cut 2x12s, they should be full size.

[The15thMember]

Welcome to Beemaster, Gadgets! 

[BeeMaster2]

After getting home with my new 2x12 planks I measured them. They now are only 11 1/8?- 11 3/16?  wide!

Welcome to Beemaster.
Board dimensions have been shrinking since they stopped making rough cut boards especially in the north east. My brother moved down here from PA and the first time we were building something, I told him the measurement of a 2x6 and he argued saying it was smaller. I was exactly 1 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches. He had to measure it himself. He insisted that they were smaller because that was what he was used to.
Jim Altmiller

[Michael Bush]

The recent measurements of lumber I've bought:

1x2 = 11/32 x 1-7/16
1x3 = 11/32 x 2-7/16
1x4 = 3/4 x 3-1/2
1x6 = 3/4 x 5-1/2
1x8 = 3/4 x 7-1/8
1x10 = 3/4 x 9-1/8
1x12 = 3/4 x 11-1/8

2x2 = 1-1/2 x 1-1/2
2x3 = 1-1/2 x 2-1/2
2x4 = 1-1/2 x 3-1/2
2x6 = 1-1/2 x 5-1/2
2x8 = 1-1/2 x 7-1/8
2x10 = 1-1/2 x 9-1/8
2x12 = 1-1/2 x 11-1/8

The one by 2s and one by 3s only recently shrunk.  Most of the rest of these have been fairly consistent since the 1970s.

[animal]

If it isn't 1-1/2 inches thick, it isn't a "2 by".
Planed lumber used to vary more years ago and it wasn't uncommon for thickness to be 1-5/8" , and the width to be 3/8" less than the rough cut size .. but it would come in between those thickness too. It still varies, but not nearly as much. The 2x12s I've bought for a number of years now have been dead-on 11-1/4" wide and thickness of 1-1/2" to plus 1/32". (all were treated, though)
I haven't had the same experience as Mr. Bush on 1x2s and 1x3s in this area except the additional availability of 1x2 and 1x3 rounded edge furring strips being in those dimensions (in really scruffy white pine of some sort). Here 1x2s are 3/4" x 1-1/2" and 1x3 isn't usually available except in hardwoods.

1-1/8" thick sounds like an "appearance board" or premium siding (and specifically a "top band" board).. all bets are off when it comes to premium siding, but it usually varies between 7/8" and 1-1/8". (and other variations like planed on one side, contoured on one side, etc.)

What species of wood was it? Did you buy it from a regular hardware/lumber store or from a sawmill or something?

and ... welcome to the forum !   

[Michael Bush]

The really small stuff was rounded on the edges and was intended, I'm sure, as furring strips, but they are the only 1x2s available at all around here.  I have to rip my own out of other one bys to get full sizes, which I often do.

[animal]

"real" 1x2s ... I see 'em in the store, but almost always rip my own out of 1x4s .... For some reason (since covid) they're priced really high here. Every once in awhile they're even more than 1x4s.