# Northern size



## Aroc

I've never heard that. Doesn't mean it's not so. I do know the advantage of the 8 frame is its lighter. I've gone with 10 frame as do most of the beeks I know around here. Montana can get some nasty cold winters as I'm sure you are familiar with as well.


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## ApricotApiaries

I winter (and summer) an observation hive in my kitchen that is two frames thick by three frames tall (deeps). They have a little super that I can add to give them more space in the summer. I have wintered them for 5 years now. 
Last year I built an observation hive into our vending stand. It is also two frames thick by three frames tall. In installed a nuc into it late summer and they wintered OK (outside in the cold), but very small. I added a couple pounds of bees to it this spring to boost it up. 
My climate is fairly similar to Boise, I am not sure how that compares to Sandpoint. Summers are hot and dry. In winter we generally have a week so with lows between 0 and 10, but most of winter is lows in the 20's and highs in the 30's and 40's.


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## Michael Bush

I live in zone 5 and run an observation hive in my living room all the time. It's four medium frames. It often needs a boost come spring but a handful of bees is usually all it needs to get going again. Any bigger I would have trouble hauling in and out of the house.


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## hex0rz

I was thinking of building one to fit 10 deep frames. 2 frames deep, by 5 frames tall. That would be a cool observation hive.


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## Michael Bush

>That would be a cool observation hive.

You won't be able to see much and you'll need four people to haul it outside...


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## hex0rz

Okay, how about just 5 deep frames?


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## Michael Bush

Three will be easier to carry... that's what I would do. Or four mediums depending on what the brood nest of your hives are.


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## 357

Could you build it permanently indoors with some kind of conduit for access to the outdoors? My friend keeps hives in his barn loft this way and has for years. They are in standard langs, not observation hives, but his bees don't have to handle near the weather normal hives do.


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## D Coates

5 deep is what I use. It's not heavy on it's own. What makes it heavy for me is the 7/16" plate glass I've got in it. I have handles on the sides so I can carry it outside relatively easily. It pivots on two large wooden pegs in oak brackets that are fastened to the wall. Pull out the entrance/exit hose and put a wad of paper in it. I made a slide door on the hive that automatically closes when the hose it removed. Grab the carry handles and lift the hive up and off the pegs. You got the hive free and ready to carry. When I put it back I simply carry into the office, line up the top hole, the the bottom hole (pegs are different heights to allow this) and set the hive down. Remove the paper from the entrance exit hole, put it flush up the the slide door and lift it up. The hose slides in and you're done. The hose I use is a wet/dry vac hose that flexes nicely and has a smooth rigid end portion the slides into the hive entrance snugly.


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## Michael Bush

>Could you build it permanently indoors with some kind of conduit for access to the outdoors? 

Not if you want to work the hive.


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## hex0rz

Made some progress on the observation hive. I totally overlooked the conversation on this thread when building it. 

It's a 10 frame deep but the top uses a 1 gallon frame feeder. So really it's 8 deep frames. The 2 gallon feeder wouldn't fit, but that's okay. 1 gallon feeder is better than a quart jar feeder!

I called around for 1/4" plate glass but they wanted too much so i went with 1/8" instead. Got it all finished last night. With everything together, yea its heavy. But if i slide the wood covers out, its manageable. I'll eventually get to the handles to carry it. Back door isn't very far away to carry it. 

I still need to stain it and then install the bees!

The hive swivels on some 1" dowel i cut and some sturdy mounts i made. I've hung or stood on them and they won't even budge. It's probably all overkill but i know its built right!

Some of it was a pain to build, but i got it all figured out now. Can't wait to see how they like it!


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## hex0rz

Here it is in all its glory!



I'm definitely intrigued by some of the stuff I've already watched. I'll think I'll end up having lots of questions after observing them, lol!


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## brushwoodnursery

That's a lot of good, hard work you've put into it! I'm working on one today, too. Stopped in here to read during lunch. Some suggestions:
Doesn't look like you have any ventilation.
Figure a way to feed without having to take the whole thing outside.
The tube looks skinny. When that baby is full and there's a flow going on, you're going to have a lot of two way traffic in that tube.
I think the tube could be shorter, too.


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## hex0rz

I've got a vent hole at the top. It doubles as a way to also pour in the syrup into the feeder.

I've read up on tube length, and its plenty reasonable. It's 3/4" ID size also. If it is too small, then its a little late to change now, lol. I've got pvc adaptors on both sides of the tubing that are gorilla glued to the wood.


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