# Turning 1x4 Pine Furring Strips into supers



## honeydreams (Aug 10, 2009)

when you glue wood look on the edge were you see the rings, just make sure the two peices of rings or grain are going in oppoisite directions you get a stronger bond.


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## The Honey Girl's Boy (Jul 26, 2009)

I glue two planks together quite regularly to make equipment. If you do it, get alot of bar clamps and don't scrimp on the glue. Get and use a good outdoors glue. Those boards will try to twist and turn as they age in the weather, nothing worse then watching hives split because of cheap glue.
Ernie


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Gluing smaller boards together to make larger boards is what good woodworking is all about. :applause:

Some people call it board stretching. I like to use my router to cut a matching glue joint into the edges to be joined (helps to add strength to those edge joints), but that isn't 100% necessary and does reduce the width of the final product.

Such as this one, called a fingerjoint which is good for on-edge or even on-ends to extend the length of boards: 







.

Or this one, a gluejoint, designed for strengthening edge-to-edge joints: 








I use the gluejoint to lock the pieces of my covers together. It helps prevent leaks between boards.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Thanks everyone  I kept racking my brain, thinking there had to be something wrong with what I was doing, but I couldn't figure out what. Using those Pine Furring Strips, I can make a complete nuc (Solid Bottom Board, Migratory Top, and Brood Box) for about $4.25. That sure beats the $37 it would cost to buy one. 



The Honey Girl's Boy said:


> Get and use a good outdoors glue.
> Ernie


Have one you would recommend? 

I had been using Tightbond II to glue boards together when grains are inline, and Guerrilla Glue to glue ends together, or whenever wood clue wouldn't create a strong bond.


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## peacekeeperapiaries (Jun 23, 2009)

titebond III is better, a little more expensive but WATERPROOF. We just built a bunch of supers gluing together boards with some leftover and excess we had from building boxes, the bees dont mind.


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## hpm08161947 (May 16, 2009)

If you are not too concerned about how the super looks you may be able to find a mill that cuts rough-cut cypress. Down here towards the coast we can buy a 1X8X10 for about $4.50 or 65 cents a board foot. Being rough cut - that means a true thickness of 1" which may be a problem - but if you are buying enough board feet you may be able to get the sawyer to cut it 3/4".


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## iwombat (Feb 3, 2009)

Biz-kits are great for joining two boards together too. Plus, you get to buy a nifty plate joiner!


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## beehoppers (Jun 16, 2005)

Look for a real lumberyard, Lowe's and Home Depot are high compared to the local yards I deal with...


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

beehoppers said:


> Look for a real lumberyard, Lowe's and Home Depot are high compared to the local yards I deal with...


I've been looking, but not finding. The local 84 lumber shut down, and there is a builder's supply, but they want to sell in bulk (I don't have that many hives, I only need like 10 boards here, 10 boards there).


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## hpm08161947 (May 16, 2009)

Look for a guy with a portable sawmill - they always have lumber laying around - cheap - at least compared to lowes.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

keep in the back of you mind, that lumber will shrink.

I think everyone learns that the hard way, 
even after being warned about shrinkage on lumberyard dry wood.

Look for at least 1/8 - 1/4 inch shrink.

They dry the wood to averages out of the bundle.

The box maker here says he buys his wood individual dry,


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## The Honey Girl's Boy (Jul 26, 2009)

Have one you would recommend? 

I had been using Tightbond II to glue boards together when grains are inline, and Guerrilla Glue to glue ends together, or whenever wood clue wouldn't create a strong bond.[/QUOTE]

I too use the Tightbond III glue on all my woodware. I also use drywall screws instead of nails to assemble the hives. It is easier to assemble accurately because I am not pounding on it with a hammer. Predrill the first board with a wood screw bit and use a cordless drill with a Phillips bit to run the drywall screws in. Makes for a strong assembly. The drywall screws come in all different lengths, only problem is they are a bit more "spendy" then nails. 
Ernie


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I left the department stores for a lumber yard for better quality wood. I found that it is better quality and cheaper. I pay $0.89 for 1 by 12 and $0.85 for 1 by 10. I can get cypress for what the department stores charge for pine.


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## sasquatch (Mar 13, 2010)

im buildin all my eguip,my local home depot has a bargin bin located on there truck loading area.they cut in half eny worped lumber they got and sell them for 50 cen each.last weekend i built,18 supers.only cost me 12.00.i had to streighten them on the tabl saw but had fun.opcorn:


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## Beee Farmer (Aug 11, 2008)

Joseph got it going on! use router to finger joint boards and use waterprof glue. That what I did till the girls started hauling in enoughnectar to start paying thier won way some.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

sasquatch said:


> i had to streighten them on the tabl saw but had fun.opcorn:


:thumbsup: I like the way U think


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## greengecko (Dec 16, 2008)

Specialkayme said:


> I've been trying to make all of my own equipment lately. So I've been at Lowes and Home Depot looking for the cheapest wood. Buying a 1x8x10 of southern pine would cost me about $13 and I could get two boxes (at best) out of it, making it about $6.50 a box. I can buy it for that price, if not cheaper.
> 
> So looking for cheaper wood locations turned negative, so I just went with cheaper wood. I bought 1x4x10 furring strips for $1.70 a piece, and glued two of them together. That would make a box about $1.70 each. But, I'm new to woodworking, so I'm not sure if there is something inherently wrong with gluing two cheap boards together to make a box.
> 
> Any woodworking suggestions?


Dang!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

greengecko said:


> Dang!


Can you elaborate on that please?


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I am sorry to hear about shrinkage in Manitoba Canada. Buy bigger boards and faster bee trucks!


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

you have not idea about shrinkage,
do you know how cold its getting here [email protected]


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## hpm08161947 (May 16, 2009)

A lot colder than here I bet (54F). Let me guess -20 C???


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## Hass (Mar 15, 2010)

Check in your local yellow pages for 'Sawmill'


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## sasquatch (Mar 13, 2010)

i did this today with wood i got from habatat resale store.werked great.bot a truck full for 36 bks.ben ctn wood all day.14 meds,6 covers,300 frame top bars,btm bars,ant gon through 1/2 wat i bot.i setup 2 tbl saws 1 with dato,1 with 10" carbide.grizly brad gun,a fue beers,pk a smoks and im happy.wife thinks im nutts,ow dont forget the jimy hendrix,bob marly when im painting.opcorn:


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## sasquatch (Mar 13, 2010)

try the bergin bin at home depot,.50 cen a board.tell em what yr building and give them yer # to call you when they got curld or not so good lumber.they dont want it on there racks it looks bad.yhis is also true for most lumber stores.hitum up sat/sunday morning,when they chk there racks.once again they dont want enythiung less then what they call perfect lumber laying arround.


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## mrspock (Feb 1, 2010)

honeydreams said:


> when you glue wood look on the edge were you see the rings, just make sure the two peices of rings or grain are going in oppoisite directions you get a stronger bond.


Stronger bond, or less cupping?


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