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Author Topic: Beehive stands  (Read 3798 times)

Offline Beelab

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Beehive stands
« on: May 01, 2021, 09:06:28 am »
I have a few hive stand situations around my place, but what is the easiest and quickest solution for a stand for 2 hives with a bit of room to work them?

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2021, 11:06:04 am »
A double stack of cinder blocks set under each end of a couple piece(s) of scrap lumber. 2x4's or 2x6's or some such. Cut to length if needed.

Wish I could take a picture - mine are about 6' behind me right now. ... but I'm in my blind, and there's a Tom turkey working his way in right now. Sorry - its archery season.  :cool:
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2021, 11:41:44 am »


The Tom went the other way. Here's a picture of what I do.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline The15thMember

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2021, 11:45:26 am »
A double stack of cinder blocks set under each end of a couple piece(s) of scrap lumber. 2x4's or 2x6's or some such. Cut to length if needed.

Wish I could take a picture - mine are about 6' behind me right now. ... but I'm in my blind, and there's a Tom turkey working his way in right now. Sorry - its archery season.  :cool:
Multitasking this morning, Alan?  :cheesy:

I just use 2 cinder blocks as a hive stand.  Level the ground, space them far enough apart, set the bottom board on them, done. 
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2021, 11:59:48 am »
Multitasking this morning, Alan?  :cheesy:

I just use 2 cinder blocks as a hive stand.  Level the ground, space them far enough apart, set the bottom board on them, done.

 :cool: yup.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline Brian MCquilkin

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2021, 12:00:44 pm »
mainly cinder blocks ill build a wooden one if on a slope.
Despite my efforts the bees are doing great

Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2021, 02:30:30 pm »

In an outyard where I leave splits, I use two aluminum sawhorses,  four pressure-treated studs, and 2-1/2" deck screws to build a hive/work platform suitable for 2-3 hives.  Cheap, easy, portable, comfortable working height.

Cut 25" inches off the end of each of the four studs.  Set them on the sawhorses, and space them 3.5 inches apart. (Use a cutoff for spacing as you assemble.) Fasten the short pieces perpendicular to the long ones.  The screws will be hidden underneath when you flip it over.
The gap between the studs allows rain to drain.


After trying several methods, this is my preferred setup for working two small-medium hives or 3 nucs. It provides place to lay the lid, set tools, set the smoker where it doesn't catch your mulch on fire.   A ceramic tile works great as a "trivet" for the smoker.   


Offline Nock

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2021, 03:10:57 pm »

Individual stands I made. Also use the blocks and 4x4s.

Offline Beelab

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2021, 08:12:31 pm »
Excellent ideas here. It?s gonna be on a hill.

Offline Nock

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2021, 10:03:42 pm »
Just take you a hoe or shovel.

Offline Skeggley

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2021, 11:08:09 am »
I had a couple of those steel frame dog beds, you know, the ones that you put a hessian bag on. I added some pipe to the legs and cross braces to raise it to a comfortable height then made a simple slatted base and whacked a lick of paint on them. I fit 2 hives on one stand with a comfortable space between them to sit a spare box and tools.
Cinder blocks are easier I agree however ants always seem to be an issue here and I simply grease a section of the legs and re apply every now and then and no worries. High temp grease.
Probably wouldn?t advise situating hives on a slope, last thing you want is to lose your balance and fall while holding a box full of annoyed insects with a distinct way of voicing their grievances.

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2021, 06:05:56 pm »
I make my hive stands out of pressure treated 2x4's and 4x4's, mainly salvaged lumber from stuff I pick up. The sides are 4x4's cut to 21 inches and the ends are the 2x4's cut to 18 inches. I nail the 2x4's on the ends of the 4x4's and set them up on 3 cinder blocks, one per side and one across the front. Any shimming needed goes between the cinder blocks and the wood base. I leave just enough room between the hives to stand  or step through if needed but mainly work them from the rear. Think some of my first bases made that way are over 15 years old and still going strong. Not sure how cost efficient the design would be for a big operation but as a hobbyist with just six hives they work great for me. 

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2021, 09:13:35 pm »
Each of these shown and described stands are nice. I have a question. When you add more boxes to the taller ones, do you have much trouble handling these hives when that point is reached?




                                                                                                                                                                                .
« Last Edit: May 02, 2021, 09:25:47 pm by Ben Framed »
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Beelab

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2021, 09:51:11 pm »
I usually just have 2 deep supers on the one deep broodbox. Always a comfortable reach.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #14 on: May 03, 2021, 08:57:27 am »
Use 4 cinder block and 2 4x4s. Do not try to put the 4x4s on just one cinder block. It makes it too easy to tip the hives over. Make it so that the front of the boxes are lined up with the front 4x4 and leave the back of the hive over hang one inch. This allows you to feel how heavy the hive is.
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Offline Acebird

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #15 on: May 03, 2021, 09:07:42 am »
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline Hops Brewster

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #16 on: May 04, 2021, 11:01:29 am »


The Tom went the other way.
He saw ya tapping on your phone CB.  Eyes on the prize, pal! 
Winter is coming.

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Offline CoolBees

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #17 on: May 04, 2021, 12:01:39 pm »


The Tom went the other way.
He saw ya tapping on your phone CB.  Eyes on the prize, pal!

 :cheesy: back at it again this morning .... cell phone in hand ...  :cool:
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline rast

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #18 on: May 04, 2021, 09:37:42 pm »
I made use of wooden playground equipment we replaced at church. skip in the middle is full now.
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Beehive stands
« Reply #19 on: May 05, 2021, 01:13:20 pm »
I made use of wooden playground equipment we replaced at church. skip in the middle is full now.

Njce!
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.