# Wood working equipment



## Moon (May 7, 2011)

Either some time this summer or early next fall I'm going to put together a wood working shop so I can build my own hive bodies and supers from the ground up. I doubt that I'll build my own frames because that seems like it would be extremely tedious work and you're probably money ahead just to buy pre-cut pieces and assemble yourself, however, I think I would save a boat load of cash if I were to buy lumber direct from a saw mill and build the hive bodies myself. I'm interested in what type of equipment I would need to build hive bodies the same as what is typically sold as the industry standard. Finger joints (not sure if that's what they are) hand holds cut into the boxes themselves etc... I think all if not the majority of it can be done with a table saw but I'm not 100%. Speed and efficiency is my number one concern. Just because a job CAN be done a certain way doesn't necessarily mean that is the most time efficient way of doing it. I've been looking at various table saws but I'm not sure which brand to go with.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3HP-220V-Cabinet-Table-Saw-with-Riving-Knife/G0690

This saw is around the price range I'm looking at but I'm not sure of the quality. Would hate to pay that kind of cash for a piece of equipment that wasn't worth it.


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## zohsix (Mar 5, 2012)

Moon,

I'm a woodworker as well as a novice beek. You can use a table saw to build boxes and Grizzly is a decent brand. I'm sure all of their stuff is from China but it is usually pretty good. I have a drill press and sander from them and I'm satisfied with both. Another alternative is the portable table saw from either Home Depot or Bosch. Much smaller and if you don't have a lot of space, they can fold up and stored against the wall.

You'll also want a dado blade for your table saw to make the box joints. Remember, measure twice and cut once.

Good luck.


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## feltze (May 15, 2010)

I've got a small sawmill and have several grizzley single phase 220v machines in the shop. None have let me down for performance or quality. As a matter of fact my 20" grizzley planer beats my 20" RBI in all aspects hands down and for less money. 

A table saw, and good stacked dado will get you started making finger joints and the dado cuts for the frames. I'd recommend making a "cleat" type of handle rather than machining in a rescessed handle. One it's easier to do, Two, it's easier on the hands handling heavy boxes.

I am doing my finger joints with a 1/2 inch router and guide/plate which althoug a pain to get set up right, is much faster than doing it on the table saw. But like beekeeping there are several ways to do the same thing, router, table saw, etc... Dovetails and a dovetail jig is an option as well,nice and easy, faster than the table saw, slower than my router finger joints.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

A good Craftsman Table saw, (you can pick one up off Craigslist for less than $150.00), and a good dado set, will do virtually everything you need.

If you want to make a fast, easy, safe, professional looking hand hold, (all you need is a Skil Saw), view my UTube video, I will send you the plans to build the jig.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaWRjpJ5f0w

cchoganjr


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Get a GOOD square, no table saw ever has an adequate scale for setting the blade and cross-slide accurately. Minor angle errors mean unsquare or "racked" boxes, which will drive you nuts.

A box joint jig is not hard to make, and I prefer box joints, but you do have to test it properly to make sure you get flat, square boxes, and a good dado set is absolutely necessary. Plan to get it sharpened by a local reputable outfit if you pay less than $150 for it, anything cheaper is likely not properly ground and the chippers will always cut at a variety of depths. 

You will need to buy surfaced lumber unless you have a decent planer, and you'd have to make a cazillion boxes to pay for one of those! I spent $1500 for one twenty years ago.

If you do make frames, a bandsaw is pretty much a requirement, else you waste a lot of wood and don't get really straight cuts on small parts. 

Peter


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## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

zohsix said:


> Remember, measure twice and cut once.


:doh: I knew I was dyslexic


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## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

If your building them yourself you don't need to make finger joints, the main reason boxes are done that way is so they can be assembled by anyone without knowledge or tools. You are faster and better off with rabbit joints. Much less exposed end grain, much quicker to build.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

If you are going to make boxes more than one time, this year or next year, take the few minutes to make your fence one that fits in the miter groove. That way, next time all you do is pick up the pattern, lay it in the miter groove, clamp to table, and your box, (or other pieces) will be the same as the last one. You don't have to measure once or twice, just cut.

A planer is a necessity to make good boxes, unless you are going to pay for surfaced lumber. Unless you are going to make thousands of boxes, you can find, on Craigslist, a very good planer for $150.00 or less. A Delta 22-560 will do everything a small manufacturer needs to do. I make a couple hundred boxes, bottom boards, inner covers, tops, each year, and I use Delta 22-560 and have no problems. I have four of these, and have no problems. I use saw mill cypress, pine, and poplar. Cut to length and width before you surface, don't just run the entire board. Blades are not expensive and very easy to change.

Check around, you can find a lot of free lumber. If you have lumber yards, (not the big box stores) check for contractor "bring backs", they will sell these at a huge discount. Of course there will be waste, and it will take more time to cut out the waste, but if your idea is to save money and enjoy woodworking, don't overlook this source. Local sawmills always have random width material, overruns, that you can sort through and get at reduced price.

A good dado set will run about $125.00 new. However, check E-Bay and you can find a good dado set for a lot less. You can make hundreds of boxes before they need sharpening.

I don't make frames, so I can't comment on that. I buy them.

Woodworking is the perfect complement to the small, to medium, beekeeping operation. Build in winter, use in summer. 

Enjoy.

cchoganjr


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

brac is right. A rabbet joint is a great joint and can be made with a table saw without dado. Using Titebond III adequate nails, and a coat of paint every three or four years and a simple butt joint will outlive the beekeeper. Just depends how commercial looking you want to go.

cchoganjr


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## psisk (Jul 21, 2011)

I like the rabbet joint as well. The finger joints expose a lot of end grain though I would have to measure square inches of exposed grain to swear rabbets have less. :scratch: The rabbet is definitely faster even with a sled. I can probably make twice as many rabbets as opposed to finger joints. I like the look of finger joints though. The good thing about rabbets is all you need is a fence that comes with the saw. I took the better part of a day to build a sled for finger joints. Also for finger joints you will need a 1" dado stack. For rabbets you can get by with 3/4" set. What ever you decide buy a quality saw and a quality dado stack. 

psisk


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

Honestly I woudl ask woodworkers about woodworking equipment.
My top suggestion woudl be sawmillcreek.org One of the larges internet groups for woodworking in general.

One group I am a member of and have been since it started is penturners.org. many of them also do flat work and are very friendly and helpful when it comes to selecting equipment. They also seem to know where the best prices are at any given moment.


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

psisk, i haven't measured either but seeing it in my head i would say finger joints expose 50%, rabbet joint 25%.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Depends on the rabbet -- a 3/4" rabbet on the ends only 3/8" deep will expose less end grain, but is not a strong as a box joint. A 3/8" rabbet on both peices (which is the way I make mine) exposes 50%, same as a box joint.

The difference in strength is that a box joint has "fingers" that overlap, so not only do you have better glue strength from gluing grain the long way, the "fingers" are quite rigid and transfer force to the other board in the joint if you do something like pry a stuck box off the one underneath. In a rabbet or butt joint, all the force is transferred by the glue and nails, and both can fail more easily than breaking the "fingers" off.

Once you get a box joint jig set up, they aren't hard to cut.

Peter


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## Moon (May 7, 2011)

That's kind of what I was thinking


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## BeeTax (Dec 27, 2011)

If you have the room and the budget, 2 table saws are quite handy. One can be set up with your dado and the other with a saw blade.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

I personally prefer tongue-and-groove joints for most of my joinery. They're quite surprisingly easy to cut for corners, give good clue surface & alignment, and if you have a router table + tablesaw, or 2 routers/tablesaws, you can cut a lot of them quickly, and simply 

Also, depending on the glue you use, sometimes glue _can be_ stronger than wood, and bonded equally as well, so with the right glue, gluing surface area becomes more important than having a chunk of wood in place to "take the load" at a certain angle...vis a vis, finger joints.

All of that said, I'll redily admit that the one shortfall of a T&G joint is that it slides easily until the glue sets, so if you don't nail/staple it to hold straight, you can easily mess up your box by moving it & offsetting the joint.


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## psisk (Jul 21, 2011)

Also make sure your table saw has an arbor long enough to take a full dado stack. Mine doesnt so I cant use it to cut the box joints anyway. The rabbet joints are very strong once you nail and glue it. In fact once you cross the nails you cant hardly seperate them without tearing something up. 

Robherc, can you post a pic of t&g joint you use. I like to piddle with different joints. I build them for pleasure. If I need a lot fast I use rabbets. When I am piddling I make other types. 

psisk


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

I couldn’t open your Grizzly link but I have been through their catalog and website enough to know which one you are looking at. I just got a 220 volt grizzly 3 hp motor, (no riving knife) from CL. Memory was $470. I wanted to keep the original Craftsman but after walking around it for about a month I stripped the nice fence I had added and sold it (craigslist) for $140. I upgraded my dato set to a Oshlun SDS set that I got off of Amazon for $80. It is sweet. I have built frames. Repetitious work, Planed the 2x6, run them through a joiner for the edges, the rest was table saw work (so those 3 tools).


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## chefbeek (Sep 7, 2007)

My 2 cents-I've made all of my equipment for abour 25 colonies over the last few years and here's what I found. 

In order for it all to be economical, you need access to inexpensive stock. Here in the East, I use rough 1X12 white pine at .91 cents a foot. It comes rough milled to 7/8" and I surface plane to 3/4", flipping to soften any bows, cups or twists. I pick through the lumber yard stacks to get the better boards.

3/8"X3/4" rabbet joints, titebond 3, 6d nails on deeps and supers have yielded no failures.

I use a 110V 1 3/4 HP tablesaw, stacked dado, old Delta 12 1/2" planer, and an inexpensive pneumatic nailer with a narrow crown stapler, a finish nailer and a brad nailer (mostly for frames.) I tack the supers together with the stapler, then use the 6d nails.

With this set up you can make excellent tops, inner covers, supers, deeps, bottom boards, screened bottom boards, and anything else with the exception of frame end bars. You can make top bars and bottom bars though.

For frames, I use a Grizzly 8" jointer, a Jet 14" band saw and a tenoning jig and stacked dado set for the table saw, but that is a entirely different story. Suffice to say I hit the point where it wasn't worth my time to make them anymore. UPS brings me those now!  

If you have the time, space and access to economical lumber, go for it.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

psisk, the T&G I use is just a simple, standard 1/4" tongue-in-groove...same as in hardwood flooring. For corner joints, simply cut the groove into the face of the overlapped board, rather than in the end. I don't have any pieces with the corner thing handy, but it's really an identical joint to the "flat" T&G stuff, just that you're cutting the groove in a different face of the board.
PM me if this wasn't very clear (likely, I'm feeling kinda "fuzzy" atm), and I'll try to remember to go out & throw together a sample joint for you


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

I looked this up just the other day because I made myself a new deep box with finger joints. The wood cost $15.00 at home depot and would make 1.25 boxes. Western Bee sells the unassembled box for less than $9.00 or $11.25 for 1.25 boxes.

If I had a lumber mill close by I would look into mill ends or ask about lumber cut closer to the dimension I need. I would not want them pre cut to width but closer so that there is not so much waste. you can figure almost a quarter of a 1X12 is waste. In this case that is $3.25 of wood that went on the shop floor. I can use two small pieces of it for hand holds and that is about it. even with adjusting for what I really used I built a box with $10.00 worth of wood that I could have bought for $9.00. Cheaper wood is a must if you want to save money making boxes. Very cheap wood.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

You must have very expensive wood there! I get a #3 grade 1 x 12 8' long for about 9 bucks. If I fish around a bit, sometimes the 12' ones are cheaper and better, and you can make a box from the 8' one. I you get 2 12' boards and cut corretly, you get 3 boxes plus some extra sides or ends with very little waste. Four 12' boards will give you seven boxes, I think, I'd have to check my figures again.

I use the trim for handles, inner cover rims, and frame parts (bottom bars mostly as I don't like cutting the taper on small pieces on the end). 

A 1x8 makes a nice medium or shallow, with the added benefit of the "scrap" for handles and etc from the shallow.

I don't throw out much scrap, most of it is mis-cuts.

If you want defect free boxes, it's cheaper to buy them if you don't have to pay shipping. For me, shipping, even from Kelley which isn't too far away, is more than the boxes. Figur that in, and making your own is pretty cheap.

I do have a pile of poplar lumber I can plane down, but I prefer the pine -- the poplar is really too nice to use for bee boxes.

Peter


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

The Grizzly saw is a professional cabinet saw and even though its made in Taiwan it still holds up its quality. However unless you are a woodworker, you would not need the saw just for beehives... unless you have extra money.


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## John R C (Mar 15, 2011)

Not much experience here ut I use a cheaper porter cable job site style table saw, stacked dado, and a 12" Bosch dual compound sliding miter saw. The max dados I can stack on my cheaper saw is 1/2" so I set up for 3/8" rabetts and run them through twice to get the 3/4" wide dado. I get my cypress from a mill locally for $1.80/ board foot. It's #1 grade with no knots. It all comes in 12 bys and the rough cut dimensions are usually 1-1.25" thick. Get them to plane them down to 3/4" thick.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

John RC, at 1.80 per board foot and giving 6 feet of board per box I can still buy them cheaper. of course you are using Cypress which changes everything.

psfred. I live nearly within walking distance of the 8th most expensive place to live in the U.S. Even more I do notice that prices on all sorts of things seems to be much lower than I see here. I am shocked when I visit home (Kansas) and see the prices on things like sporting goods and hardware. It is not uncommon to see prices as much as half of what we have on sale here.


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

Moon said:


> Either some time this summer or early next fall I'm going to put together a wood working shop so I can build my own hive bodies and supers from the ground up. I doubt that I'll build my own frames because that seems like it would be extremely tedious work and you're probably money ahead just to buy pre-cut pieces and assemble yourself, however, I think I would save a boat load of cash if I were to buy lumber direct from a saw mill and build the hive bodies myself. I'm interested in what type of equipment I would need to build hive bodies the same as what is typically sold as the industry standard. Finger joints (not sure if that's what they are) hand holds cut into the boxes themselves etc... I think all if not the majority of it can be done with a table saw but I'm not 100%. Speed and efficiency is my number one concern. Just because a job CAN be done a certain way doesn't necessarily mean that is the most time efficient way of doing it. I've been looking at various table saws but I'm not sure which brand to go with.
> 
> http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3HP-220V-Cabinet-Table-Saw-with-Riving-Knife/G0690
> 
> This saw is around the price range I'm looking at but I'm not sure of the quality. Would hate to pay that kind of cash for a piece of equipment that wasn't worth it.


The bast table saw I'v have use IMHO

http://www.sawstop.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FquL0GG9RGI&feature=related
http://www.toolking.com/search/?q=sawstop+table+saw

BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Well, you don't have much choice about prices in some places. Here I can get 1x4s 4' long for $1.17 on sale, and if I pick through the pile a bit, I get nearly knot free straight ones. Takes two to make a screen bottom board for a standard 10 frame, one for a nuc. Hard to pay $17 plus shipping from Kelley (I do need a piece of 1x6 too, though, but that's only $2.60).

At any rate, the only thing I could suggest is that you look for a higher end lumber yard (not the box stores like Lowes or HD) that carries hardwood and furniture grade lumber and go see them. They are used to people with specific requests, and often supply the better grade builders, so they tend to end up with all sort of cutoffs and less than perfect returns they can't sell as high grade lumber. Ask them for "cut-offs" -- you can use anything longer than 18 inches and more than 5 11/16" wide so longs as it's fairly straight and flat and has tight knots, so they may have a pile of stuff for you periodically at very reasonable prices. Some cup and warp or twist is managable for bee boxes, after all. Someone else has already paid for it, it's just stuff in the way for them, so you can get it cheap if you ask.

As I said, I really don't save money on the wood most of the time (although I did find some cutoffs earlier so I got a medium box for $3.50), but shipping kills me -- 5 mediums would have cost me $35 in shipping alone, and I can buy enough lumber to make six for that price.

Peter


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## John R C (Mar 15, 2011)

That $1.80/bd ft is for #1 furniture grade kiln dried cypress. More expensive than pine but it'll last 10 times as long


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## SantaFeBeek (Jun 13, 2012)

I know I'm late to this thread, but if you're going to shell out money for a professional cabinet saw, I'm with Jim134 on the SawStop. I've had a SawStop PCS for a few years now, and it is awesome. Plus, no chance of losing fingers and more. Had a buddy back in SC get his hand caught up in a dado blade and he will never be the same. His right hand is fairly useless anymore. Sad. I bought the Sawstop for the safety, but was super impressed with the quality!

Also, you don't need a 1" dado blade to make box joints. You can make a box joint any size you want...1" is just what you see from the manufacturers because they have the big equipment to make them. Most arbors won't hold a 1" dado stack. You'll just end up with more fingers. I have used both the table saw with 3/4 inch dado and a router with a 3/4 inch bit. I prefer the table saw, but that may be more because my cabinet saw is super solid, whereas I have a somewhat cheepy tabletop router table. I use the same jig on either one, just have to adjust it a little between the two.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

I'd like to add that you can make your finger joints any width you want, so long as it's at least as wide as your dado stack...all it takes is making 2 or more passes on your stack & you could make even 4" wide cuts with a 3/4" stack (although I think 1.5-2.5" would prob. be about the biggest that'd be useful for beekeeping purposes.


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## SantaFeBeek (Jun 13, 2012)

Rob is exactly right. In fact, you don't have to make the fingers the same size on both pieces, either. You could cut a couple of two inch fingers on one piece and just make the slots to match on the adjoining piece and you'd still have a pretty solid joint. That is what I plan to do on the next set of boxes I make.


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## whiskeytripping (Nov 16, 2012)

My saw can only handle dados up to 13/16". That should be fine right. A full stack is 1" correct? 

http://www.dewalt.com/tools/machinery-portable-table-saws-dw744xrs.aspx

This is the saw I bought
I was under the impression that 3/4" was what you would want for a box joint. Thanks


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

whiskeytripping said:


> My saw can only handle dados up to 13/16". That should be fine right. A full stack is 1" correct?
> 
> http://www.dewalt.com/tools/machinery-portable-table-saws-dw744xrs.aspx
> 
> ...


You will be fine with 3/4". Theoretically the more fingers the stronger the box. Not much difference...


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## feltze (May 15, 2010)

Want to save money on your lumber, buy it from a local custom sawyer. Here in NC most are selling pine for 50 cents a board foot. A 1x12x8 is $4 that's for rough cut not KD probably common. At $1 a bf I'll KD and plane 2 sides for ya. 

Rob was right on the finger joints, any size will do it doesn't have to be 1 inch or 7/8ths, but your set up jig will be the hard part. Get the spacing right and you wiil be happy, off just a smidge and you will hate them during assembly.

Eric


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## whiskeytripping (Nov 16, 2012)

Good deal guys, this is my first table saw. I wanted the cabinet style saw dewalt made but they discontinued it (you can't find ANYTHING made in America no more) it was, mine I bought I will be lucky to have been built in Mexico. The American made cabinet saws were around 3500$ so that was out of the question. I just hope that this contractor grade saw will be good for this kind of work.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Most commercial bee box , box joints are 3/4 or 7/8, but any size will work. The larger the finger, the smaller the joint at the bottom will be. I would not make them 1 inch because, if you do, the last joint would only be about 1/4 inch wide.. If you go with 3/4, the last joint will be about 5/8 inch.

I strongly recommend making you a sled for the box joints and let the sled glide in the two grooves in the table. Using only one groove with the T-Square will work fine, but, it is no problem to make a sled, and sliding in two grooves makes it more stable. Once you set it up, box joints are a breeze and fast.

You should be able to find a number of good Craftsman, Delta, Ridgid, table saws for less than $150.00 on Craigslist. I have 6 table saws for my bee box operation, all bought off Craigslist, most expensive one was $150.00. Been using the one for box joints for about 5 years, made hundreds of boxes, and never had a single problem. The others are set for bottom boards, inner covers, tops etc. Never had a problem. 

My dado sets are Oshlaun (sp) (on e-bay for $85-$125.00) but, there are other good, perhaps better dado sets. I have been using these two, (one for box joints, one for the groove in side rail of bottom board) for five years and have not had to sharpen them yet.

cchoganjr


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## John D. (Sep 5, 2007)

Home Depot sells Rigid tablesaws. Their tools have gotten pretty good reviews plus they have a lifetime guarantee last I heard. I vote for rabbets also for their simplicity. IMHO a tablesaw is all you need unless you are planning to get more involved in woodworking & make other things which I do enjoy. If you do opt for a planer get one with a segmented cutterhead. The initial price is a bite but you will never regret it. All those years of learning to set & tweak knives are gone.


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## jdmidwest (Jul 9, 2012)

I picked up 2 table saws for next to nothing from friends looking to upgrade. One was a nice old heavy Craftsman for $20 and the other a new portable model for $30. I added a new Porter Cable cordless tool set for another $125.

We just bought a stack of 16' cedar boards from a local sawmill. Both 2 and 1 inch boards from 4 to 12 inches wide. A stack of lumber 6' wide by 4' tall for $50. I will have to spend some time on a planer and cut some square edges, but I should end up with some nice boards for pennies.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

Cleo,

That handle video is very nice! I could do that. (these finger joints will keep me buying woodware though, I can't do that, lack both woodworking equipment and time.)

Gypsi


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

Well Gypsi, Don't feel robbed. by the time you ad cost of the equipment. materials time and etc. it is actually cheaper to buy it. A couple of reasons to make it anyway woudl be control over the quality of materials and craftsmanship. I have seen a beekeeper or two that make some very nice looking hives. this woudl be another big reason to make your own. The last reason to make it yourself is that for those that like woodworking. they are going to be in the shop making something anyway. For me it is a good way to burn off that excess, "I should be doing something" energy.


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## ralittlefield (Apr 25, 2011)

Daniel Y makes a good point. Unless you are really interested in woodworking, and have some experience in woodworking, it may be a mistake to invest even a couple of hundred dollars in equipment to make your own hives. Especially if you are a hobbyist and will only need a few.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

I'm not setup to make boxes efficiently, and the cost of lumber vs. $9.40 just isn't with the time. Tops and bottoms, otoh, are worth my time.

As much as I can, I use a radial arm saw instead of a tablessaw..... a good ras (not a cheaper craftsman...older Delta/Rockwell, dewalt or sawsmith.... something cast iron, not sheet metal) that is kept in adjustment is safer for most operations (not ripping).
Deknow


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## ralittlefield (Apr 25, 2011)

Daniel Y said:


> you can figure almost a quarter of a 1X12 is waste. .


This is not the case for me. The only waste from my shop is the sawdust and some of the shavings. Everything else that does not go into a project goes into the stove for heat.


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## garusher (May 28, 2012)

I Buy 1 x 12 x 12 for $12 a piece, this makes me two deeps,

I use a Freid blade thats extra thin, and rip the 12' board to 9 7/8", which leaves me around 1 1/2" to make all kinds of extras, like bases, inner covers, outer covers.

So my $6 deep cannot be beat in my opinion. plus i love wood working.


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## D Semple (Jun 18, 2010)

I'm a woodworker with a full shop and so far I've made all my own equipment for my first 60 hives, BUT I have come to the conclussion it's silly for me to spend time woodworking to make bee equipment when I could be spending the same time making furniture.

Not to mention that making the same thing OVER and OVER and OVER again is MONONTONEOUS


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

If you like woodworking and already have the equipment, making your own stuff is fun and pretty cheap. However, if you are making large amounts of it (hundreds of hives, for instance) you are far better off buying it due to the time required.

You can make all sorts of non-standard equipment yourself, though, if you want to experiment. I'd not expect a sideliner or professional to be experimenting much, though, at least not on a large number of hives.

Peter


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## garusher (May 28, 2012)

Do you become a professional overnight or do you gradually increase to the point of being a professional.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

If you already have the equipment, and are making hundreds of hives, you should be able to make them for the same per unit cost as the commercial manufacturers. Then, depending on how much your time is worth, vrs how much the commercial manufacturers want for their labor and profit, you should be able to save big, do the work in the off season.

There is a lot of free wood out there if you look for it. I get lots and lots each year. Cypress is about the only wood that I have to buy. Once you get in with a half dozen building contractors you will have all you need. One apartment building or a commercial building will get you hundreds of short pieces. Short pieces of wood they normally burn. 

If you are around saw mills, you will find lots of pine/poplar that is less than 8 ft long, and they sell those short pieces cheap, just to get rid of them. Stack and cure for one year, then ready to go. Old buildings have 1 X 12 shelving which makes good hives. Watch for them being torn down or remodeled. Roofing contractors have 1 X 12 sheathing, and 1 X 4 which can be glued to make shallow, deep boxes, and bottom boards.. Watch auctions of farm property that have stacks of lumber for sale. Pine, poplar, oak, is normally cheap. Check the Habitat for Humanity Restore. They get in a lot of wood of various kinds and lengths. If the wood is free, and you like woodworking, you can beat the commercial prices. If not, then just buy them.

cchoganjr


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

garusher said:


> Do you become a professional overnight or do you gradually increase to the point of being a professional.


It's an overnight process. Read a book today, sleep on it, tomorrow you're a pro!


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