Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: TxKronik on March 20, 2017, 08:58:34 pm

Title: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 20, 2017, 08:58:34 pm
Well I couldn't afford to buy pre made hives so I went and found plans and built my own.  Just happen to have a table saw and dado blade.

2 deep broods and 2 med supers per hive

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170320/64151964b78e670729873f7b7c99f9b8.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170320/35d4db5121699a5521a1a3af899d215c.jpg)

Just need to finish the bottom board and inner and top cover
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: Aroc on March 20, 2017, 09:31:54 pm
Looks great.  You can save a ton of money making your own.  I make mine after I bought one last year.  Just copied those.  I purchased a bunch of rough cut fir last year and plane them down.
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 20, 2017, 09:37:55 pm
Cool this is number 3 lumber from Lowe's
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 20, 2017, 09:38:46 pm
Made me curious if there is a market for inexpensive hive kits
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: gww on March 20, 2017, 10:25:53 pm
TX
Have you got hand holds.  I couldn't see them but they will help when in use.  You home made hive bodies look better then mine.
gww
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: cao on March 20, 2017, 10:32:03 pm
Looking good.  As Aroc said you can save money building your own if you got the tools and time.  If you can find a market then go for it.  I think it would be hard to make enough to compensate yourself enough for your time.  Woodworking has been a hobby of mine for years and most people don't realize the time that is involved in making stuff.  Not counting the expense of the equipment. :wink:
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 20, 2017, 10:41:14 pm
I have a jig to make the hand holds and yes they are cut in the sides
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 20, 2017, 10:42:24 pm
Yah making the box jig took nearly a day to get it perfect selling some hives would help me buy nucs 🤔
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: OPAVP on March 20, 2017, 11:53:28 pm
Hi folks,
Did I miss something??
Where do you hang your frames???
Just wondering!!!!
OpaVP
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: Jeff L. on March 21, 2017, 09:52:04 am
Hi folks,
Did I miss something??
Where do you hang your frames???
Just wondering!!!!
OpaVP

I was wondering the same thing, but just made the assumption he had them stacked upside down. Guess if they are already glued up he could use a router to cut the frame rests in.
Or if he doesn't own a router, cut the majority of it with the dada blade and finish up the corners where the dada couldn't reach with a chisel.
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 21, 2017, 11:36:13 am
Lol they are upside-down
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: BeeMaster2 on March 21, 2017, 12:33:43 pm
TxTronik,
They look good.
Add your location to your profile. I suspect you are in Texas but even that is a large area with vary different climates.
Jim
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: CrazyTalk on March 21, 2017, 01:30:13 pm
Looking good.  As Aroc said you can save money building your own if you got the tools and time.  If you can find a market then go for it.  I think it would be hard to make enough to compensate yourself enough for your time.  Woodworking has been a hobby of mine for years and most people don't realize the time that is involved in making stuff.  Not counting the expense of the equipment. :wink:

You people have got to have a much better wood source than I do. I stopped making my own equipment because it was cheaper to just buy it.

If you buy the 10 packs at the right time of year, you can get boxes for <$7 a piece, and you only get about a (medium) box and a half out of a $12 1x8. The wood for frames is definitely cheaper, but they're a ton of work.

There's definitely some money to be made making bases and covers though, as they're way overpriced. Probably NUC parts too, as they're more expensive than standard.
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 21, 2017, 01:41:45 pm
Each deep cost $13.98 (qty 1: 1x12x8) and each medium cost me $11.17 (qty 1: 1x8x8).  Total for all plywood was $15.00 but that makes the tops and bottoms for both hives.  I used the pieces that I trimmed off the 1xs to make the edges of the bottom board for bee spacing and frame the inner cover plywood like a picture frame. Ended up with 0 waste that way.  The total for 4 deeps, 4 med, 2 bottom boards, 2 inner covers, and 2 telescoping outers was and a big container of glue $145.

But I won't need glue for awhile lol
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: texanbelchers on March 21, 2017, 02:33:09 pm
I'm with CrazyTalk.  I can't get decent wood, let alone a better price than pre-cut.  Budget list price deep is $11.80 and medium is $9.95.  Assuming you got waterproof glue, you can use the big container.  Depending on timing and quantities the price at the door could easily be less.  I haven't purchased the budget, only the commercial, but the quality of wood is significantly better, I don't have to cut it, and the price is significantly less.
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: Michael Bush on March 21, 2017, 03:24:34 pm
I can't buy the lumber as cheap as I can buy the boxes already cut... maybe if there was a local lumber yard.  I meant to say a local lumber mill...
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 21, 2017, 03:33:09 pm
My prices are from Lowe's I was going to see if I could get better pricing in bulk or. From a more commercial type supply house

The quality of lumber is definitely better than budget boxes
Title: Re: Built my first 2 hives
Post by: TxKronik on March 21, 2017, 04:44:52 pm
Location added