# beehive plans



## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

Hi, does anybody have plans for building a beehive I mean not just the pictures but a step by step approach starting from the material list cutting guidelines upto paint and stuff. 

Or if anybody knows are  these  on ebay any good?
I don't have any woodworking skills but I would like to learn. If a beehive can be built by just the basic hand tools then I would love to do it.








Thanks in advance


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Try these:

http://www.beesource.com/plans/index.htm

You don't have to make box joints for the corners -- you don't even have to rabbit the corners.

In my opinion, building the frames takes much more time and skill than building the hives bodies, supers, covers, bottom boards, etc.


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## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

Kieck I have looked at those plans numerous times but I guess with my level of skill those are not sufficient. I need a step by step guide.


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

I doubt you could buy the materials as inexpenively as you could buy the hives ready-to-assemble. I know, I know, someone will jump in with at least one story of wood for next to nothing. And beekeepers often take pride in the hives they build themselves; some beekeepers just really like woodworking, too, so it combines two interests/hobbies/skills. 

But, realistically, if you have to go down to your local lumber yard, buy the wood, probably buy at least a tool or two, and buy the hardware, you'll spend at least as much as you would simply buying the ready-to-assemble parts.

How much skill do you have, balhanapi? What I mean is, could you measure a current hive and build a wooden box of the same dimensions, even if the corners aren't put together the same way? What about cutting the rabbet (the lower edge that support the frames) for the ends of the frame? Do you have the tools and/or skills to cut those rabbets?

Just looking at the description of the plans on eBay, they look "simpler" than the free plans offered here on BeeSource, but they don't seem to be step-by-step.


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## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

I bought those plans.. You were right they are not step by step.. plus they don't mention how to cut the rabbet. Isthere a way to cut the rabbet with just a saw?


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## woodchopper (Apr 2, 2006)

The homemade ones I've seen have been pretty privative and simple to make. I thought about making my own but with brand new ones available for short money from Brushy Mt. during their free shipping sale why bother. I plan ahead and when the December sale comes I stock up. Some beeks here have had their hive bodies for MANY years so even if you did spend an extra $1 or so per hive body its a great investment.


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Cutting the rabbet (I assume you're talking about the rabbet for the frames) can be done with just a saw. Are you using a hand saw or a power saw for this? Will you use a table saw, or some other type of saw?

The key will be getting the correct depth and width of the rabbet.

When all is said and done, I still think you might be better off simply buying the pre-cut hive bodies and supers and assembling them yourself.


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## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

Thanks for the input guys. my problem is that I can start keeping bees no sooner than next year so this year will be a learning curve for me. I do plan to buy most of my equipment but do wan't to play with making a box or a nuc if it's possible. You know anything to actually do with bees  

and I found out that a rabbet can be cut using a rabbet plane! (I am talking about the rabbet on the hive body) 
so my tool list would include a woodworking bench something like  this , hand saw, rabbet plane  eg , a drill(to pre drill holes in sides before screwing) and of course a hammer and a chisel. am I missing something here?


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## bee crazy (Oct 6, 2005)

you wrote
>>so my tool list would include a woodworking bench something like this , hand saw, rabbet plane eg , a drill(to pre drill holes in sides before screwing) and of course a hammer and a chisel. am I missing something here?<<

Actually a circular saw, a router, and a drill a set of router bits and drill bits, a square, hammer, exterior grade glue and six or eight bar clamps with openings of at least 24 inches. I don't think a rabbet plane will do the job you want without a large learning curve. 

If you can't build a hive off the plans here at beesource then you might want to think about buying. Now that's not a slam but it will be Important to build a box farely close in tollarence and square or those bees will glue it up with comb and proplois. Only you can judge your skill level.

The wooden ware prices are not too bad but it's the shipping that will get ya. If you live within a couple of hour drive to a supplier then you could pick it up youself. I hope these ramblings have helped. Let us know what you did.


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Yeah, you can cut a rabbet using a rabbet plane. However, you'll find that it takes more time and effort than you might imagine.

Just my opinion here, but power tools make projects like this much, much easier. Obviously, beehives can be built without using power tools, but power tools speed up and simplify the process.

In my experience using some of the old "man-powered only" tools to build things, your skill level bumps up a few notches just because the skill to use the hand tools well enough makes the project more difficult.

You could try making covers, hive stands, bottom boards, etc. I think building those would be easier for you.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

On a table saw, just make the first cut on the flat and the second cut on the edge to get a rabbet with just a saw blade.


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## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

Ok what do you guys suggest for a table saw? I don't plan to buy it right away but would like to know what others are doing? 
These table saws are costly, the decent enough I could find is for $400! something like  this  
any suggestions? pleas bear with my stupid questions I am trying to learn


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Go down to your local hardware stores, and look at the table saws. For what you have in mind, you could get by with a table saw that costs far less than $400.

Have you considered buying unassembled woodenware and assembling it yourself? That would give you some "building" to do, and you will gain some experience seeing how hives are put together before you try cutting pieces yourself.

Out of curiosity, why can't you get bees this year (2007)?


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## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

Because I live in an apartment right now  It won't be before next year that we can move into a house.. I am stuck..


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Have you tried finding a place to keep bees without having them on your own property?


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## kawayanan (Aug 11, 2006)

balhanapi said:


> Because I live in an apartment right now  It won't be before next year that we can move into a house.. I am stuck..


It sounds like you and I are in similar situations. I am in graduate school and live in a condo. There is no way I can have hives at my house. I posted to a listserv that our local beekeepers assoc. (http://www.theocba.org/) Within about a day I had 4 separate offers for places I could keep my bees. Most were within 8-15 miles from my place. My two packages are on order and I will pick them up on April 21st. 

I have actually done a reasonable bit of wood working, but lost my access to a table saw when I moved out of my parents home long ago. I have been wanting a to add a table saw to my tool collection for years now, and now my wife approved it. Since I don't have much room (the condo strikes again), I am getting a portable. Of the ones I have seen and can afford, I think I will get a Ryobi BTS20R (It's $209 at Home Depot here) Its not a "professional" grade one, but I think it will fill my needs right now. It got some favorable reviews for saws in its class. On top of that, it will fit in my closet (folds up to be about 15" thick) 

As for what to build, I decided to make a top-bar hive. I think frames would be the worst part to build, so the top-bar hive avoids that. I also get to plan the whole thing and make it unique!


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## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

Kieck, No I haven't thought of keeping bees on someone else's property,- for no particular reason. looks like a neat idea of course.
Well I am going to our local beekeeping meeting on Saturday, lets see what the future holds.. May be I find someone close by..

Thanks Kawayanan for the encouragement and good luck for this year! 

I found  this  at home depot. I went today to have a look. this one looks great. I added it to my wish list for next year 

Edit :- lowes also had a decent one for $159  Firestorm


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## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

*You get what ya pay for...*

Balhanapi,

There's a couple of things I do know something about, and one of them is woodworking. 

First of all, as it was mentioned, the boxes must be made to tolerances that can be a little bedeviling if you are not meticulous in your measureing and cutting. Your selection of tools can be a determining factor as to how easily you can obtain the needed accuracy.

For instance, using 3/4 inch plywood, I can make two deep boxes per day using a tape measure, circular saw, speed square, router w/ a 3/4 inch straight side bit, a t-square, a couple of clamps, and a thin point sharpie pen. These boxes will be square and built to the dimensions needed.

On the other hand, again using 3/4" plywood, I can build 12 to 14 deeps in a morning, using a tape measure, panel saw, table saw with a multi chipper dado blade, and a sharpie pen.

As it so happens I built six deeps, one 7 5/8th inch medium, and a 2" spacer for queen cell stuff, this morning. I also painted them with two coats of Kilz primer. But, I went and looked at Mann Lake Ltd., and am considering ordering boxes for this spring. The reason being as follows: Time and cost. You can get precut boxes for about twice what it would cost you in materials (Excluding tools). If you factor in initial tooling costs and such, you would have to make a lot of boxes to break even. Furthermore the actual time spent prepping materials is longer than the assembly time.

Now if you have the time and can scrounge the materials, then it might be profitable, in so far as you can aquire a good tool set-up that will serve many other useful purposes. 

Contractors table saws to look at: Hitachi and Dewalt, maybe Ryobi

Forget the rabbet plane... for now. Get a router and save the purchase of the plane untill you are making furniture and can get a Lie Nielsen bronze body with an A-2 blade. (As I drool wishing I could get one...)

Don't forget that you can use different methodologies to arrive at the same place. Consider Top-Bar Hives. 

See: http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

Anyway let me know if you got any other questions on equipment choices. Oh and if you need exact dimensions I can help you with that too. Deciphering plans is part of my job description.


Albert


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## balhanapi (Aug 22, 2006)

Thanks Albert for the insight. I know I'l go with buying unassembled equipment, but I also know that at some point i'l go get my tools too! I think it would feel ecstatic to make your own beehives- the way you wan't them to be. My point is to enjoy the bees to the full.


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## kawayanan (Aug 11, 2006)

balhanapi said:


> Kieck, No I haven't thought of keeping bees on someone else's property,- for no particular reason. looks like a neat idea of course.
> Well I am going to our local beekeeping meeting on Saturday, lets see what the future holds.. May be I find someone close by..
> 
> Thanks Kawayanan for the encouragement and good luck for this year!
> ...


Have fun at the meeting. So far every beekeeper I have met has been very nice. I am sure I will meet one some day that isn't, but I think as a group they're better than the average. 

When it comes to tools, the old saying "You get what you pay for." is usually true. I couldn't see the Home Depot link you provided (I think the Home Depot website might do something that makes links not work). There are table saws out there for under $100, but "You get what you pay for." Before I would even consider one, I would want to see it and feel it. Some feel flimsy and "loose". For example, to me at least, a comparably priced Ryobi and Hitachi feel much different. For me it may also be worth going up in price for one that felt better built. If I had the money, the $500 range contractor or job-site saws are definitely better (Bosch seems to be a winner, I just can't afford it  ). I would just be careful about the cheapest models, you might do better moving up a little at least.


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

*Hey there Kawayan, pretty nice*

web site you have with the sketch of your first TBH.

Just thought I would throw out a couple of questions / comments.

First thing I wondered is where your top bars are in relationship to the top and the entrance. It seems that the entrance is a little high.

Then again you have the clean out which is an interesting idea too.

I have never cleaned out my tbh and it has been running along for about 4 years now. But then again my entrance is at the bottom.

So when I looked at the landing board entrance last week it was piled up with dead bees and cappings that they had drug to the entrance for discard. (they keep it clean themselves I guess). (I built a landing board to accomodate my need for anthromorphism / observation).

So anyway, keep up the good work and give us some pics!


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## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

*In case you are like me...*

Having said what I said, I did go and buy one of those budget table saws figuring it would be "good enough".

I couldn't have been more wrong if I had worn fishnet stockings and a bonnet.

It was flimsy, inaccurate, sticky, underpowered (no torque), and just not made to be used seriously, or unseriously for that matter.

It went back the next day. The speed square and circular saw were much better than that piece of junk.

Balhanapi, I agree that making your own hives really gives you a sense of doing it "all" on your own. I make some seven frame hives just because I like the dimensions and proportions. And for instance today I finally got around to making two five frame hives so I can say I have five frame nuc hives. 

By the way, you can get six deep boxes (8 frame 9 9/16th inches tall), from a sheet of plywood along with a few left overs for a nuc, or more end pieces for the next time. Eight medium boxes (8 frame 7 5/8th) plus a spacer or two will cut from the same sheet. Even if you went with top of the line birch at $42 per sheet, you would still come out way ahead. If you used B-C sanded pine ply at $18-$22 you are really coming out ahead. Hell you could use 3/4 CDX and save a couple of more bucks. 

Now that I look at it more carefully I think I'm going to skip buying the precuts from Mann Lake.

Don't forget to look at the culled plywood while at the big box stores. You could pick up a piece of birch plywood for $5. And pine boards for a buck or two.

Now frames are another story. They are cheap enough and complicated enough (lots of cuts for a Lang type)to warrant buying them outright.

Well, that's my two cents for today!

Albert


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

Making your own beehives are cheaper than buying ready to assemble equipment , you should be able to make all your equipment with at least a table saw. Other equipment like nailers and radial arm saw are a help. And it also depend on your carpentry skill level. A medium skill level is good enough. My Dad always said you learn by doing go for it.


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## kawayanan (Aug 11, 2006)

*thanks*



BerkeyDavid said:


> web site you have with the sketch of your first TBH.
> 
> Just thought I would throw out a couple of questions / comments.
> 
> ...


I meant it to be a top entrance. It is slightly below the top-bars. Since the roof is sloped, there is a space between the roof and the top-bars. I am not completely sold on doing it that way, but for now thats my plan. As for the clean out slots, I figured that it might be useful with the top entrance. In addition, it will make the construction a bit easier (avoids an inside angle cut with the table saw). I have thought about the landing board question. I figured it would also give me a place to attach a entrance reducer if needed.

Thanks for looking, and I do plan to blog through the whole construction and work with the bees. I should have more pictures and post soon.  

Kawayanan


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## Gary L (Jan 24, 2007)

*Beehive Plans*

Does anyone know where you can get equipment that is manufactured well enough to fit together properly. I have bought supers and frames from two suppliers these past two months. Boy what a bunch of junk. A waste of good material. I don't have a single end bar with the holes centered well enough to wire a frame and keep the foundation centered. I built this stuff for myself and others years and I guess I'm spoiled. None of this is difficult with todays power tools. DO NOT buy cheap Table Saws if you want to keep your fingers.
Gary L


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

I have a complete commercial quality shop, 18" planer, 16" jointer, 32" and 20" bandsaws, 14" and 12" radial arms, table saw, shapers, molder, and 100's of hand tools. That said, I can't make boxes as cheap as I can buy from Dadant in quantity 50, commercial grade. I don't pay shipping or taxes on the Dadant boxes and pickup is 50 miles. I simply can't buy wood cheap enough, and then you have all the milling to do. I also buy frames. There is just too much detail involved. Top, bottoms, stands I build. I think tops and bottoms are the most overpriced items sold to beekeepers, and the easiest to build. I also make feeders several different ways, but not out of wood. My time is worth something and I have a full time job. I prefer to spend my time on the bees, cabinetmaking for pleasure, photography, and a dozen other things I can't get to. Do the math. If you have a source for very cheap wood and lot's of time, go for it. I find the Dadant boxes to be generally well cut and not prone to warping, unlike lumber yard 1x8's.


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## Gary L (Jan 24, 2007)

Wow Ross! Sounds like you've got a great shop and I wish I one half of your shop and I didn't have to pay shipping etc. But you didn't answer my question. Just how good is the quality of equipment? Do the supers fit together without a lot of chiseling? Can you wire a frame and keep the foundation centered. Also some beekeepers have more time than you and might like to take a shot at creating their own stuff. You don't need a whole bunch of stuff. A good table saw and router table will suffice. I actually started building my own stuff about 1948 beause I was 11 years old and had no money to spend on equipment. I did though have acess to timber and a saw mill so I had lumber. Years later I came across some of the frames that I had made about that time in my mothers basement. I was amazed at how well made they were because at the time my only tool was an old jackshaft drive table saw with a homeade fence Gary


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

I have had no negative issues with Dadant wooden ware. The boxes fit fine. I don't wire frames, but they assemble fine. Out of 100s, I have had one or two with short grain in the top bar and two that have warped the top bar.


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## Gary L (Jan 24, 2007)

Thanks Ross; I'll try their frames. I actually made frames for Dadant many years ago for their Clovis plant. Gary


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

I built my first couple of hives but after working in out of my system I bought 10 boxes and a hundred frames from BM this year
I'm still building stuff
I'm building 3 O-hives, some pollen traps, and a couple of long hives
things that are really pricey to purchase, if you can buy them at all
but for boxes and frames, just buy em and enjoy putting em together 
save your woodworking adventures for stuff you can't easily purchase
tops and bottoms are worth it

Dave


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## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

Fellows,

Ross made a good point.

If you have the time, making your own boxes is cheaper. I use plywood not dimensional and I have to paint it. Of course, if you want board made hives to last, you have to protect them too.

But, there may come a point where your needs outway the time saving factor of buying things precut. Ten precut boxes are going to cost you a hundred bucks no matter how you slice it. Buying your own materials cuts that to forty. Being systematic while prepping your stock will shorten the time spent overall.

Its like everything else. If you are on a budget, and need to economize, then by all means, build your own. Scrounge the lumber, check the cull carts, make it happen somehow. If your time is worth more than your needs are, then get the pre cuts.

I still think, if you are going to Lang boxes, frames are better bought than made. On TBHs you can pretty much make your own to suit your ideas.

Albert


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

In quantity 50, I get medium commercial quality supers from Dadant for $7.30 each, no tax, no shipping. That's not much more than the 1x8 material cost me from local lumber suppliers. Commercial quality is just fine as far as I can tell, no significant knots and good fit. I can store them flat for years without warping and assemble as needed in a hurry. When I did use KD 1x8 from the lumber yard, I saw significant warping. I don't know why. Plywood wouldn't have the warping problems, but it will delaminate if it isn't exterior grade. I don't have a source for cheap or scrap plywood or wood. If you do, and you have the time, build them from scratch, but check the numbers and see what you are really saving. That's what you are being paid for your time.


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## Gary L (Jan 24, 2007)

*Making frames*

I guess I just like to make frames. Like I said I started at an early age. After 1" material was cut down to 3/4" from 13/16" I couldn't rip two end bars from a 1 3/8'sX9 1/8 blank so I built a one use only power fed two blade gang saw capable of about 75 blanks a minute and cut my blanks to 0.407 thick. That was probably the toughest frame I ever used or made. The tolerances on my cuts was always less than + or - 0.005. When wooden ware is cut that precisely it is a complete joy to assemble at least it is for me. I know time is a big factor for most but I've always felt doing things well was never a waste of time. 
Gary


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## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

Gary,

I agree. Any job worth doing, is worth doing right!

Albert


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

You can buy quite a bit of beekeeping equipment for the money it takes to get the tools to do it right.

For the original poster, yes, you can cut rabbets by hand with a rabbet plane easily enough, but you will need to learn how to sharpen it and keep it sharp first (which is another $100 in stones and jigs probably).

Boxes are easy enough with a moderate level table saw, you can make simple butt joints or rabbet joints that will work well enough for a few years. You can cut the rabbets for the boxes with a hand saw and that rabbet plane if you are patient and have lots of time.

To do frames properly really takes a good (or very good) table saw and a jointer. Lots of cuts and they have to be very precise or you will have trouble with bee space. 

I make all my own stuff, but I already had everything but a band saw to do it with, and got one cheap. Took about a year to get it to work right, and it still needs some tinkering, but cheap enough. Sadly, that's about three grand worth of saws, jointer, planer, band saw, drill press, hand planes, and saw blades. Unless you already have the tools, it's vastly cheaper to buy woodenware, especially if you can pick it up or get free shipping.

It is fun, but I'm just about done with it this year, I've spent almost every free evening out in the shop.....

Peter


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## Chadf (Mar 23, 2016)

Easy to get burnt out, even with the tools.
My $.02


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Yeah, fifty or so boxes and too many frames to count about did me in this year, and that's really only supers for 20 hives. I'd need help to do much more in a winter in my off hours.

I'm really just about done with putting frames together and wiring, but I only have five empty boxes, fifteen or so top bars and 20 sheets of medium foundation left. If all goes well, I won't be needing any more equipment after I get four bases and cover sets done this week. I'd be happy to move on to other activities.....

Peter


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## hex0rz (Jan 14, 2014)

Wow, this is like bringing someone back from the grave? Right?


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## dtrooster (Apr 4, 2016)

http://www.michiganbees.org/beekeeping/in-the-beekeepers-workshop/


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

hex0rz said:


> Wow, this is like bringing someone back from the grave? Right?


I heard the op from this thread is now a master carpenter as its a decade old


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