# Need pallet plans! Please share yours.



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

I'll share mine!

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?219802-Migratory-Pallets/


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Check out this site for plans http://www.meyerhoneyfarms.com/clips.html It looks like their using the W clips. 

Also check out http://georgiabees.blogspot.com/2012/11/pallets-beekeeping-beehive-migratory.html 


I personally would use the second one. I like the gap he has in the back for water run off and also the wider lip. I've had the privilege of working with the u clip pallets and it's kind of a pain to hit the clip just right. how ever a commercial beekeeper told me that when you ratchet the hives to the truck if their not tight then they end up tipping in. Also, when it comes to needing to tip the boxes back, the more room you have the better and the easier your hand and arm will fit between the back of the boxes.

I'm sure you'll find out your likes and dislikes. Good luck!


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## Moon (May 7, 2011)

I chose to go with 'W' clips last year when I started a bunch of my hives out on pallets and here's why, maybe some of these reasons you'll be able to relate to maybe not.

The 'U' clip places the hives sitting right next to one another while the 'W' clip leaves a little room in between hives that are sitting next to one another (~1/2" I think going off of my rusty memory and my crooked eye ball). At the time I figured the added bit of space would help while performing manipulations. It's wrong of me to conjecture on this idea seeing as how I haven't tried the 'U' clips but I still stand by my original thinking cause it's late and I can't stand the thought of being wrong at 12:30 in the morning when I have to get up for work at 4:30.

This goes hand in hand with the above statement but the gap in between the colonies allows a little bit of airflow which I feel is always a plus on a 100 degree day out on the prairie (I know you know what I mean 

This is based off of being a fabricator and working with a lot of metal, and I could be wrong, but I feel the 'W' clip has a lot more rigidity to it then what the 'U' clip would offer based simply off the fact of how it's bent and how they're fastened. I can't quote any tensile strength tests this is more just a feeling of looking at them and going off of experience and a "gut feeling". That, and I would really hate to be wrong at this early hour so I'm just going to assume I'm right.

The 'U' clips may make it easier to set the bottom deep back in place (just a guess) but the 'W' clips have their own little slot for each colony instead of two colonies sharing the same spot. Again, much more rigid (IMHO).

That about sums it up, if you want some photos I can shoot them to you when I get a chance. I'm trying to think of what the dimensions were that I used when Making them. I want to say 33.5"W x 44"L... I don't rightly remember. I'd run out to the garage and check with one of the pallets I have sitting there but I really don't want to throw on any clothes (there's a mental image for you all!). If I remember when I get home from work tomorrow I'll measure some up and then when I'm out and about this weekend poking around I'll try and snap some photos for you. I went with a couple of different designs when I was making mine and there are a few i definitely like more then the others.

CHEERS!


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

175 pallets fresh dipped in asphalt


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Wow, David. Looks great!


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

W clips, We do alot of "tilting" with the w clips, the boxes don't hang up as much when tilting. When we check for strength we tilt, when we check for weight, we tilt, when we shake we tilt. So w clips and tilting go together, we also run a 4 ft pallets we leave a 3/4 inch stick out on your bee way so when you tilt the boxes foward they don't slide an nail your knee. We have about a 4'' gap on the back to back so your hand or moving tool fits easy and fast. As far as front to back tie down straps with W clips, no problems ever.
Just my $.0002 worth, good luck Ben


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

I am not a pallet fan with clips. personaly I like telascoping covers much better so my pallets are a bit wider to accomodate that. wish someone made clips for that.


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## DC Honeybees (Mar 9, 2011)

Here are the plans that we have researched and slightly modified:

http://dchoneybees.blogspot.com/2013/01/commercial-migratory-pallet-design.html


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## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Thanks DC for posting this, these are the plans I used for my 2 way pallets modification.



DC Honeybees said:


> Here are the plans that we have researched and slightly modified:
> 
> http://dchoneybees.blogspot.com/2013/01/commercial-migratory-pallet-design.html


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

Is it better to use plywood for the integrated bottoms or is T&G or something else okay to use ? I seen some different construction on here and want to know how well they stand up .

Also I want to get into dipping all of my wooden equipment and I am curious if any of you dip pieces of equipment before assembly , like the pallet for instance, because I don't want to build a huge tank for dipping if I don't have to .


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Hey Ben,
3/4-inch plywood of some sort is pretty universal. As far as preservation, I used treated 1x6 stringers on the bottom and then painted everything. A completely treated pallet is pretty heavy, and for the most part the bottom stringer are what contacts the ground most, so we only use treated on the bottom. A lot of folks power wash their pallets to avoid having the department-of-whatever spend more time checking the hives/pallets at the borders, and nothing (as far as paint/applied preservatives) stands up very well to the washing process.

Here is one of the 4-ways I built:


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

gmcharlie said:


> Personally I like telescoping covers much better so my pallets are a bit wider to accommodate that. wish someone made clips for that.


I have made a few good clips for (custom) pallets that hold tele-covered hives. I'll try to post a pic soon.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Looks like you already know how to make pallets. Good job.


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## borada bee doc (Feb 6, 2010)

One point to consider is leaving some small gaps in the back corners when stapling your bee space cleats. This will allow water drainage and may become a back door on a north facing hive in winter.


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

Question on migratory pallets on the road. 
If the pallets are loaded according to most online plans , wouldn't it be harder on the frames and bees to be sitting perpendicular to the movement of the vehicle ? I thought it was best to have them parallel to the movement ?

Or is it just because you can fit more on a truck/trailer that way ?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Ben, If one built their pallets so combs were in line w/ the length of the trailer bed, one would have to leave space between each row of pallets. That would eat up bed space for sure. I used to do that when I used to use wearhouse pallets and bottom boards nailed onto hives. Seems to me like you lose a row or more of pallets of hives.

In line w/ the trailer bed probably is better, but it isn't like frames in the boxes really swing back and forth w/ the motion of the vehicle, taking off and stopping.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Use 6 way pallets. Frames usually dont moves since they are propolized.


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Looks like Davidsbees knows what he is doing. Our pallets are similar. We do not screen the drainage holes, but I noticed that yours appear to be a 1 inch in diameter. Anything less than that can potentially get clogged with dead bees and debris. If it rains a lot then water can accumulate on the bottom and take days to drain. In this neck of the woods, it will rain before the pallets drain completely, hence the importance of a large drainage hole.

Ben, we have made some with 3/4 inch plywood and some with 1x6 boards. Personally I prefer the 1x6. They seems to hold up better. Often times the fork ends gouge the plywood, then it s unsightly. The 1 inch boards are a little tougher and we do not get that as much.

We do not use tongue and groove just plain boards. The problem is that with time the boards dry fully then gaps are created. This allows better drainage, room for bees to cluster under the pallet(good in summer), perhaps reducing their urge to swarm. The disadvantage comes when you want to load the bees. There could be 1 or 4 pounds of bees under each hive. Bees don't care much for being squashed between the pallet and the forks. They are definitely unpleasant to work with. It takes a good smoker guy to drive the bees back into the hives before loading.

Another disadvantage is the increased airflow created by the gaps. If you want to do a formic treatment you need to keep fumes inside the hives as long as possible before they are vented out. Those gaps work against that principle. I could not quantify how much efficiency you loose by not using plywood.

We have w clips and u clips. My guys seem to prefer working with the u clips. They say the hives don't twist of the pallet as much as the w clip. Like Keith we are forever tilting hives for weight and strength. We are going more towards u clips. I figure best keep the crew happy otherwise I might end up having to do it all by myself.

We treat the pallets after they have been assembled. Their is a plant that can pressure treat lumber or pallets. 

Jean-Marc


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

We use U clips , and like the way they keep the boxes tight on the pallet. We are also forever tipping, no problems. 

Big disadvantage, termites. They love old boxes clamped tight together!

We started wax/resin dipping our pallets, same as the boxes, makes a huge difference.


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## Z-B (Jun 4, 2013)

Ian said:


> We use U clips , and like the way they keep the boxes tight on the pallet. We are also forever tipping, no problems.
> 
> Big disadvantage, termites. They love old boxes clamped tight together!
> 
> We started wax/resin dipping our pallets, same as the boxes, makes a huge difference.


Ian, do you have any trouble dipping the plywood? I have a bunch of wax and a tank about ready to go and was wondering if the heat will cause the glue to fail??


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

No problems at all, the plywood really sucks in the wax


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

gmcharlie said:


> Personally I like telescoping covers much better so my pallets are a bit wider to accommodate that. Wish someone made clips for that.





westernbeekeeper said:


> I have made a few good clips for (custom) pallets that hold tele-covered hives. I'll try to post a pic soon.


Here are some pics of the tele-covered hive pallet clip.

The clip:








The application








Please comment. I'll make more out of heavier metal.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

sent a email at eh website!


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Got it! We'll get back to you asap.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Here are pics of one I just built. I yet have to put screened drainage holes in. Made from reclaimed lumber.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

UPDATE

Not going to start manufacturing custom W-clips after all. Sorry everyone. Here is an idea though:


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

The ell brackets would end up costing more than the W clips. Why not just cut a dado in your bottom board frame?


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