Beehive building decisions

[omnimirage]

The only person who I can buy supers off in my region charges a high price of $37 for a single 10 frame deep super; 8 frames, and smaller size are barely any cheaper. Because of this, I decided to build my own supers, which I done so and cost me about $10, + about an hour or so of labour.

I'm going to need to do so again, and I need to decide on a few things: do I have seperate, detachable bases, or do I nail the base to fixed bottom supers? Should I use solely linseed oil to preserve the inner parts of the super, or should I mix it with some turpentine, or perhaps use another method all together? And the biggest question: should I transition to 8 frame hives?

I was going to use 8 frame hives when I started out, but decided at the last minute to use 10 frame instead due to learning that 10 frame is the standard size in my state, which makes it easier to mingle with other beekeepers and what not. However, I've learned since of a case of a commerical beekeeper wanting to officially hire other beekeepers, and he required to replace all of his 10 frame hives with 8 frames in order to meet the goverment's health and safety regulations (10 frames are too heavy for such standards). Sometimes, the deep 10 frame supers are so heavy that I can't lift them without taking out frames first. I'm also starting to develop minor back pains when in my early twenties, and I wonder if the decision now to use 10 or 8 frame hives will impact such when I'm a much older man.

During hectic spring season, I've been going on a popular local advertising site(gumtree) to look for bee equipment to purchase, and to my surprise, there isn't anyone good selling such stuff. One guy charges quite a high price, and his ad is so unintelligible that it's difficult to determine what he's actually selling. Another person charges extremely extortion prices: $7 for a single frame! What the hades!? Then nucleus's made out of recycled realistate bill board for the same price as a wooden variant. Right now, there's a man who made a ad saying that he's looking to buy supers and other equipment, and from what I've gathered, there's a lot of beekeepers in my area. I've been wondering if, when I build my own hives, if I should build extra and sell them to people on there. I could make them for $10, sell them for $33 for about an hour's work; that's a decent wage! There's clearly the market for such, and no one else is providing a reasonably cheap service of such. Someone who I told this idea to thinks it's a bad idea, because I'll be setting up the competition for my honey business; he said it'd be profitiable short-term, but not long-term; I'm not sure what to think of such.

Lots to think about! Let me know your thoughts

[iddee]

Detachable bottoms, for interchanging, cleaning bottom boards, checking for pests, etc.

Inside supers leave natural, don't treat. Bees will cover with propolis. No treatment you do is as good.

Eight frame hives are fine if that's what you like. I like my ten frames. I am smart enough to know a full ten frame box is eleven pieces, and can be treated as such if fully loaded.

I would make as many as local lumber dimensions came out with the least waste. You will need them next year if you don't sell them.

There will never be too much competition for honey. We consume it faster than it is produced.

[apisbees]

What Iddee said on detachable bottom boards. Wax dipping is done a lot in Australia to supers. in some aeras with high humidity if the supers are not protected they will rote out in a very few years. on how much treating the hive needs in your area I would check with local beekeepers and find out what they are doing. A medium Dadant super (6 5/8" tall) for honey supers with 10 frames is the same weight as a 8 frame super with deep frames. There is more than one way to reduce the weight of honey supers.

[iddee]

Apis, did you notice he said "INNER PARTS" of supers?

[apisbees]

Yes There are areas their where the preferred method of sealing the supers is by dunking the supers in wax. We had a beekeeper from there speak at a bee club meeting years ago. He said that supers painted the way we do here will only last for 5 years down there It is not in all areas but it was where he was from.
Here is a part on recommendations for preserving hives from Australian Honey Bee Industry Council here is a link to the full document http://www.honeybee.org.au/pdf/RTE2217A.pdf
Preserving wood ware before painting Beekeepers wood ware is mainly pine (Radiata) and without preserving will quickly develop dry rot. Most beekeepers prefer to treat their wood ware with 5% copper naphthenate.  Be absolutely sure preservatives do not contain insecticides. Prepare the preservative according to the label instructions and the Material Safety Data Sheet. Soak the completed box and wooden components from the bottom board, inner cover and lid after drilling and rasping. Be sure to follow the directions to ensure good penetration of the preservative. Leave to dry for at least six weeks. If you don’t, the paint will peel off! Painting wood ware Paint the wood ware inside and out with successive coats of primer, undercoat and gloss. Gloss is popular and it keeps cleaner. However, some beekeepers also use acrylic paints. Paint must be lead-free. Avoid silver frost paint on the inside as it contains aluminium. Pay special attention to the end grain. You should always use food-grade paint for the inside of the box. Many acrylic paints will be suitable but you must check. Always use gloves when painting or using wood preservatives.
Dipping in wax Some beekeepers dip boxes in a vat of micro-crystalline or paraffin wax which is heated to a temperature around 50-155 degrees Celsius. Dipping time varies from six to ten minutes. Some beekeepers regard dipping itself as sufficient preservative without the need to paint. However repainting while still hot pulls the paint into the wood as the wax cools. This is a popular treatment. 
Wax dipping to preserve beekeeping wood ware
Source: Bruce White
Caution Because the wax mixture is at boiling point, there is always the very real risk of fire and serious burns. 

[Perry]

Detachable bottoms.
Inside of supers untouched, like Iddee says, the bees coat everything anyways.
10 frame deep for brood chambers and mediums for honey. I don't lift too many deeps full of honey as they usually stay put, the only thing I have to lift and move are the mediums.
I can build my deeps for less than $5 in material, and could sell them for $25 without much trouble. Your time has value though, and then there is the outlay for lumber and then the wait for sales. Often times if you go big enough with your orders you can buy things cheaper. In Ontario (Canada) if you buy a pallet load you can get decent deeps for less than $12 that just have to be assembled.

[iddee]

I stand corrected, Apis. The propolis is enough protection here. I have never seen a box rot from the inside out.

[apisbees]

Check with what is the local custom and what works in your area. Here are recommendations from a beekeeping supply store in Australia
http://www.qualitybeekeepingsupplies.com.au/index.php/faqs/28-treating-timber

Treating Timber
When untreated pine is exposed to moisture, various organisms can attack/eat the wood , resulting in what we call 'Wood Rot'. Even in well painted pine, a nail or screw into the timber can provide access for moisture and these organisms. In less than 18 months, your newly assembled brood box, honey super or lid can be reduced to crumbling waste material.

If you want your hives to last for many years, and ensure a long productive life, the timber must be treated before you paint it.

What is Wood Rot

1 There are two broad classes of wood-rotting macrofungi. Fungi which decompose cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin leave the wood very pale in colour and often with a fibrous to stringy consistency. This is called white rot.

Fungi which can decompose only cellulose and hemicellulose leave the wood coloured brown and, rather than fibrous, cracked into cubical fragments. This is known as brown rot.

What hive equipment

There are 3 main wood items you should treat :

1. Supers;

2. Lid Rims;

3. Bottom Board risers.

All pine is subject to rot, so clearer board rims and box cleats should also be considered.

How to Treat hive equipment

There are 3 preferred methods:

1. Dip the timber in liquid bees wax;

2. Soak in boiled linseed oil thinned with Mineral Turpentine;

3. Soak overnight in Copper Naphthenate, thinned with Mineral Turpentine.

It is essential to allow the timber to dry in the SHADE  after treatment or they will warp, and to ensure the paint will adhere. Drying time can vary from 1 week to 6 weeks depending on time of year and conditions.

Painting

White is the coolest colour in summer and warmest in winter;

Enamel paint has a harder surface than acrylic.

Aluminium paint has a degree of fire resistance compared with other paints, however is much hotter in summer than white paint.

Ref 1: Australian National Botanic Gardens

For a very thorough article on Copper Naphthenate, visit : Introducing Copper Naphthenate

[apisbees]

We had an beekeeper New Zealand beekeeper in our club and a beekeeping friend for Australia was visiting him and he spoke at one of our meetings. He spoke about how he dipped his hives in wax to protect them because of the area he kept his bees in. although they cost more Poly and Styrofoam supers are also very popular there because they last longer.