Making My Own Equipment WITHOUT the Proper Tools

[The15thMember]

The15thMember [22|Apr 12:33 pm]: I know! I suddenly have almost double the amount of hives I had a month ago. I've only got one bottom board left!
Zweefer [30|Apr 12:18 am]: DIY corner of the forum will have you back up and running in no time
The15thMember [30|Apr 01:35 pm]: That's what happened the last time I had one more swarm than bottom board. My sister was like, "I'll slap something together for you!"

Well @Zweefer , you were right.     

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?   

[Jen]

Hi 15th, ya know? I don't have a single problem with wooden ware that has been slapped together. The bees don't care if it not square ~

During my mentoring years I saw All Kinds of enginuative boxes and lids and bottom boards that worked just fine. And some hives had no bottom board, just a hole on the side of the box.

This is a real easy temporary idea until you get another bottom board.

[iddee]

Reel s Bee Supply 200 Bee Gum Dr. Marlon, N.C. 28752
828-738-3017 Harlan 828-738-4636 Anthony 828-317-1526
myronreel@yahoo.com

Check with these guys for unassembled boxes. Also ask about seconds. They are great people and eagar to help. They should be fairly close to you.

[Zweefer]

@The15thMember :
as iddee said buying is best, but if you are short of funds, or absolutely can't wait for shipping, anything will do in a pinch.  The problem with what you are proposing is that the wood will be kept out in the elements, so unless you are taking time to properly seal it via coats of paint, or whatever method you use it will most likely warp over time.  teh condensation from inside will probably do the same thing over time.  if this is truly an emergency stop gap. I would think you'll be fine - long term use, I personally doubt wit would be effective.
also, my other concern would be when the frames are propolitized to the rails... being two different boards, i would worry about separation or breaking...

[Bakersdozen]

Slapped together wooden ware should be a temporary solution in my opinion.  Boxes need to line up properly if you are looking for a solution to last longer.  I have a brood box that isn't square and I cuss it every time I have to use it.  Yes, I am the one that put that brood box together.    And no, I haven't tried to take it apart and reassemble it.  It keeps getting lost in the shuffle of equipment.

Anyway, 15th, there are beekeepers that would like to have your problem of more swarm catches than equipment. 

[Jen]

Agreed Baker, I try and use the same local wooden ware manufacturer near us that's just inside the Oregon boarder. But I have hive boxes, frames that get lost in the shuffle as well. Slowly but surely I'm weeding those out.

With the bottom board, the photo I took of the bottom brood box poised on a stack of 4 quarters is what I do in the spring and early summer. It's not wise tho when robbing season starts.

[The15thMember]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. 

Reel s Bee Supply 200 Bee Gum Dr. Marlon, N.C. 28752
828-738-3017 Harlan 828-738-4636 Anthony 828-317-1526
myronreel@yahoo.com

Check with these guys for unassembled boxes. Also ask about seconds. They are great people and eagar to help. They should be fairly close to you.

I've got people much closer than that, but thanks anyway. 

My sister, who is somewhat handy, slapped together a bottom board and a top for me yesterday, so we have that taken care of.   I'm not in a state of EMERGENCY here, but I am going to need more boxes by the time of the sourwood flow, which is in July.  I'm going to show my dad the plans for a Coates nuc, which builds the frames rests in a way that I think would be better than this "paste two pieces of wood together" idea, and still doesn't require anything other than a straight cut.  What I really need to do is compare the price of what it would cost to build vs. buy.  I think he is primarily thinking about saving money with this plan, but boxes are pretty cheap as it is, and I'm not sure the work is going to be worth the savings.   

[LazyBkpr]

http://www.outyard.net/bee-hive.html

   You don't have to be fancy, and can get away with just a skill saw. Clamp a piece of angle iron or a 2x4 and use it for a straight edge to run the skill saw down for straighter cuts on the end boards. You can even use a chunk of board screwed to the box for a handle to pick it up instead of cutting a relief for your fingertips. In all honesty, its easier to pick up a box of honey with the board screwed in for a handle than it is to pick it up with the fingertip relief!     But a cheap table saw is hard to beat!

[Zweefer]

I'm going to show my dad the plans for a Coates nuc, which builds the frames rests in a way that I think would be better than this "paste two pieces of wood together" idea, and still doesn't require anything other than a straight cut.

If you have a good one you like, please feel free to post it to the DIY board!


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