Cheap and easy bee hives

[Jarabian]

I used a torch on the boxes as that was recommended by someone who had bees before.
I have visited Beesource, am trying to learn as much as I can so the bees will have as good a chance as possible.

[DIYer]

This what I like about this forum. The huge variety of interests has curious members like me learning stuff on an almost daily basis.

[Lenny]

I used a torch on the boxes as that was recommended by someone who had bees before.
I have visited Beesource, am trying to learn as much as I can so the bees will have as good a chance as possible.

Sounds like you're on the right track. If you in the Northern Hemisphere, i.e going into fall & winter. Do some reading up about feeding and preparing your bees for winter. If you in the Southern Hemisphere, you have less to worry about, as the bees will look after themselves from here on until autumn again. Don't beat yourself up too much if you get one or two colonies absconding it happens to everyone, and it's a learning curve. And catching new swarms in the spring is easy, and fun...unless you're a commercial beekeeper (they hate it, cos it's time consuming, and new swarm will take at least another year or two before it produces honey properly)

[jere]

Thanks for the correction and explanation Lenny. It would be nice if some more people chimed in when questions are asked. I hate seeing questions asked and no replies at all are given.

As to the different design in the boxes,I was explained (by another non bee keeper) that the Warren hive was some how less destructive and less rebuilding for the bees. So it is interesting to hear contrary. Also that parafin can be used to seal the wood is a little surprising. I would have thought that the parrafin would be mixed in to the combs and honey on warmer days.

For a cheap supply of wood in the USA heat treated pallets can be found free and in abundance. In other countries I would be cautions of how the wood is treated if it is not heat treated, which means pesticides.

[Lenny]

Hey Jere,

Cool anytime, glad I can help. It's a great forum.
There's all sorts of techniques where people make claims, that it's less stressful on the bees etc. I find most of these claims difficult to prove. So with the Ware hive you might fiddle less with the hive configuration, but come harvest time you basically going to destroy half the hive. The reason traditional langstroth frames are full frames, with wire supports, is so that the comb can be de-capped and then spun in a extractor and the basically returned to the hive. But if you only have a top bar or you don't have support wire in the comb, the comb will simply break to pieces in the extractor. If you choose to extract by hand you going to have to crush the comb anyway. So don't really understand how that can be lest destructive than traditional hives.

I mean Paraffin wax not pure Paraffin/kerosene (that would probably kill your bees). Only the hive box is dipped in wax, not the wooden frames, so the beeswax never really comes in contact with the paraffin wax. Ideally if you could dip in beeswax, that would be the best...but the cost would make it impossible. There is a natural oil based sealer in South Africa called waxol which is partly made up of beeswax, and it works very well.

[theoldsarge]

Okay so probably the easiest will be just building boxes with butt joints. Use a good waterproof glue, and lots of screws, make sure you pre-drill pilot holes though first. If you can

Adding glue strips in each corner, maybe 1/2" square will add a lot of strength to the joint. I use Titebond II almost exclusively for my glue jobs, but any good wood glue would do. Years ago I started using it as a finish for some of my wood stuff, thinned 50/50 with water, still use it on the canes I make, holds up well, and dries quickly, so I can put on 3-4 coats in little time. I got curious and asked the manufacturer about using it as a finish. I was told that a number of wood carving artists that display their works outdoors use up to seven coats or so of the glue, unthinned, and the works hold up nicely.