Making My Own Equipment WITHOUT the Proper Tools

[The15thMember]

So I'm having a little bit of an equipment shortage, since I've caught several swarms, and my Dad, who has only slightly more skill than me (and I have absolutely none) in building, is wondering if we could make some boxes.  He's got some ideas for slapping some together, which is all I really need at this juncture, just a couple supers that will hold together well enough for a flow. 

Obviously building just a box of some sort isn't too difficult, the troublesome part of the bee box is the frame rest, and we don't have the necessary tools to make a cut like that.  My Dad is wondering if we could construct the front and back panels of the box instead by taking a thin piece of wood and gluing/nailing another piece of wood to it to create the notch of the frame rest.  My biggest concern about this idea is warping.  Are these two pieces just destined to separate due to the difference in temperature and humidity between the inside and outside of the hive?   

[Ben Framed]

Reagan you could build your boxes similar to the simply made mating nucs that David builds at Barnyard Bees see 6:32 to get a general idea of the simple design.  Sorry I could not do better, but if I recall correctly he made a video on how he builds these boxes. In a quick search I did not It find it. The general design should be adaptable for what ever size box you may need which should not require much more than a skill saw. Good luck! And be careful! Remember LesGolds accident !

Phillip

https://youtu.be/w4A0F25gU_4

[G3farms]

A small cheap table saw is very handy for making rabbit joints for boxes nd the rabbit for the frame rest. Check on facebook market place or yard sales. You can even make a table saw with a skill saw, a piece of 3/4" plywood and a straight pieces of 2x4 for a fence. It is a pain to get the fence set just right but works.

[animal]

No table saw or router?  If you have a good skil saw you can 
....usually find a "saw table" at a second hand store(usually 20-35 bucks) it's a table that your circular saw bolts to underneath to make a table saw-ish thing .. Be sure to make sure the rip fence is straight  and true...actually check it with a full size framing square (16x24) or you are almost sure to regret it

....or make a jig that holds the saw and has a channel/guide under the saw to receive a specific size piece of wood and make a specific cut.
Both suck. saw table sucks less ... I looked on lowes site and amazon to give a "new" price and couldn't find one... maybe they've been outlawed because they suck and can be a bit dangerous if you don't bolt the table to something heavy.

If you don't mind long rip cuts or spending 1.50 to 2.00 per foot for the wood ... 1x8 lap siding is rabbeted on both sides. Actual measurements are usually 7.25" x 3/4" . be careful because the rabbets are different from each other .. 3/4" and 5/8" (both "widths" are 3/8" if you are holding it edges up , like sides of a box)  ... Just rip cut off the undesired rabbet side of the board to leave desired wiidth ...to make a shallow box side ...

Or really down and dirty ... galvanized flat braces
lowes item #3627555
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Simpson-Strong-Tie-LTB-19-1-2-in-22-Gauge-Galvanized-Tension-Bridging/5001139065?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-bdm-_-ggl-_-LIA_BDM_103_Roofing-Gutters-_-5001139065-_-local-_-0-_-0&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0tKiBhC6ARIsAAOXutnlI4xwPcnDFPMxhiLXcC29ycbt0dVna35o4iZWiLYq5w4hUBVEgyQaAioQEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds(
I actually used these to cover the frame rests on my boxes to make them more durable .. but you could just as easily make the non-rabbeted sides of the box 3/4" longer, reverse the braces to stick out like a little shelf It will scew up the "bee spacing" at the end of the frames without a 3/8" filler plate though ... and if you have something for a filler plate , you might as well rest frames on that ... to use these, cut the tab off one end where the 90 degree angle stops, cut to length, and bend the partial tab left on your piece to 90 degrees like the rest. drill 3 screw holes for mounting ... Warning .. the 90 degree bend is not actually 90 degrees  .. If you are mounting it like a "shelf", doesnt matter: just mount a little lower. AS a  cover to the frame rests, I re-bent the whole length because I had tools to do it, but you could just as easily clearance a rabbet cut with a chisel or block plane

Your "strip of wood" idea ... If I HAD to ..1/2" x 3/4" S4S moulding across the top to keep in the bees (box panels cut 3/4" shorter than other two and moulding attached hanging to outside as little a possible to still allow frame clearance ... a minimum of 5 hard attachment points (I would use 1.25" or longer 18ga. staples) and polyurethane glue along entire length... also would make it with the other sides of the box slightly taller (up to 1/32") than the "rest" sides.

[jimineycricket]

Reagan, 
        Yes what you suggested would work for a one-time thing.  But, remember, one-time things often go on and on.
 Also, you could take one box end piece that is a little shorter than the other box end piece, put them together to make your frame rest.  Along with that, remember, it is the inside dimensions that are important, not the outside ones.  If the outside hangs over the other box below it, that's okay.
       Check out how they put the frame rests on the Coate 5-Frame Nuc @  https://www.beevac.com/plans-and-downloads/

[cao]

I have made the coates 8 frame nucs.  They are nice to have around to catch a swarm besides starting a nuc.  The nice thing is as long as you have a saw that can cut a straight line you can make them.  No special equipment necessary.  I put sheet metal on top so it would last longer in the weather.

[The15thMember]

Reagan, 
        Yes what you suggested would work for a one-time thing.  But, remember, one-time things often go on and on.
 Also, you could take one box end piece that is a little shorter than the other box end piece, put them together to make your frame rest.  Along with that, remember, it is the inside dimensions that are important, not the outside ones.  If the outside hangs over the other box below it, that's okay.
       Check out how they put the frame rests on the Coate 5-Frame Nuc @  https://www.beevac.com/plans-and-downloads/

Thank you so much, Jimmy, that is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for!!  I figured there had to be an easier way to do this, people have been using Langstroths for over 150 years. 

[Ben Framed]

Jimmy those plans look like the type box that I posted in the video. I did not know what the official name of the boxes were. I did see that this type of box should be what Reagan would need in her effort in seeking a good box with a minimal amount of tools and equipment in which to build them. Thanks for posting. I also enjoyed reading the other good suggestions by our members in effort to help Reagan. Thumbs Up!

Phillip

[Acebird]

You can make bee hives with a hand saw and a hammer.

[Ben Framed]

With the plan that Jimmy posted YES, just aid nails.