Wife had meetings last week.. early morning, so she went to bed around 4:30 PM.. I got bored..... and built a hive around multiple ideas I had..
Seemed like a good idea at the time... actually, it LOOKS impressive... But it IS going to be heavy when its full...
I had quite a few 1x12's stacked in the garage... so upon staring at them for a while wondering how to start.. I just cut all four sides the same length. Router'd the two top edges so standard deep frames will fit into it... glued, nailed and squared... NEXT... I built a custom bottom board, and made the entrance the same as my Langstroths.. so i could use entrance reducers etc... so now I had a deep body and a bottom board with attached stand... so i built a second deep body, a vented top cover, and then I built an insulated garden roof to cover it all... hmmm, yeah, its square, holds thirteen (deep) frames in each box... so i took a standard medium honey super and set it on the top.. the length was right, but the sides had nearly two inches uncovered... a quick 2x4 through my table saw at a 45 degree angle... pieces screwed to the honey super and the sides are now sealed.. AND, I can use a standard inner and outer cover on it....
Yes... Inspections will be difficult because of the weight.. but I can still heft a railroad tie to my shoulder, carry it across the yard and set it in place where the wife wants her steps down to the deck built over the pond... So hopefully it will be at least two or three years before I get fat... errr, CONTENT!!!
Anyhow.. it uses standard frames, standard entrance reducer and the honey supers modified can still be used on this, or standard hives... I forced myself to try this hive before I built any more like it...
Bees build brood in a "ball" so wouldnt square be better than rectangle?... But making a smaller square would mean none of the standard equipment (frames) would fit... thats what started the ideas, it sort of snowballed from there...
I figured to use normal honey supers with covers until winter, then install the insulated pitched roof.
I have wondered if the bees would even utilize thirteen frames... My 8 frame hive (single.. Only have one) they dont tend to like the two outsides of the frames.. in my ten frame hives they dont usually like to use the two outside edge frames.. so i was thinking in this hive they may at least actually USE a full eleven frames... IF, they dont use the outside frame edges.
if it doesnt work out, and or proves to be too heavy for me to manipulate, I can cut it down to standard dimensions, but thought I would ask if any of you had ever considered such a thing, and or tried it?
Opinions? ( Other than weight.. i know I may blow out certain parts of my anatomy when i lift it.)
Thanks!