Honey bees
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CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
I use 2x4s. Cut into 15 9/16” lengths. Then I lay them flat and use a 1” dado blade to create the taper on both sides of the 2x4s. Then I rip them all 3”8 wide. Basically zero scrap!
ponytug
Super Member
Thanks! I was having trouble imagining how to make the taper in an expeditious manner.
Looks great!
All the best,
Peter
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Some folks taper them individually on a router table, which is much more tedious
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
I use a jointer for the taper. Before cutting the ends out, I have a jig made to hold the 2x4 or 2x6 to cut the top & bottom bars notch using the dado blade.
NorTracNY
Platinum Member
When we built our hives, I had the school shop teacher next door. He looked at the parts and said build everything yourselves but the frame parts. There are a lot of steps to make each one and the cost for the parts was very cheap at the time.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Just the cost of the parts for a Layens frame, is about $5/each. I can build an entire frame for $1.20 with wire and grommets. Plus my time. But with 200 frames on the property, I saved about $800 for frames alone, plus $250 per hive x 12 hives.
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LittleBittyBigJohn
Veteran Member
I buy my frames. I use the smaller Langstroth hives. Frames are about $1.30 each unassembled and I use waxed plastic foundation about $1.50-$1.70 each. I added about 160 frames this year.
I can see wanting to build them yourself saving the money you are talking about and putting that new shop to good use!
I can see wanting to build them yourself saving the money you are talking about and putting that new shop to good use!
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Yes, assembled Layens frames are nearly $10 each
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
I save 2x4 ends from projects I do over the summer. Free wood is Free wood. I also get 1"x12" for around $1 a foot and save all of the the ripped down pieces for handles or frame tops and bottoms.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I plan on checking 60 hives and doing deep inspections on the strong ones.
I wanted to do some today but it stayed cold till around 2pm.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I plan on checking 60 hives and doing deep inspections on the strong ones.
I wanted to do some today but it stayed cold till around 2pm.
LittleBittyBigJohn
Veteran Member
60 hives is a bunch! About how much honey do you get a year, and how do you handle mite testing and treating?
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
On a good year I can get around 7000lb. Last year was light because of the drought.
I am treatment free. I had to stop treating years ago because we could not afforded it. I lost 8 of my 10 hives and almost gave up bee keeping. I did splits from those 2 and all 4 went through the winter, then split them. I should reach my goal of 100 this year. I still lose a few but I am NOT putting chemicals in my hives. I lost 5 this winter and one of them was from a cow knocking it over around Christmas and the land owner did not see it till it was to late.
I am treatment free. I had to stop treating years ago because we could not afforded it. I lost 8 of my 10 hives and almost gave up bee keeping. I did splits from those 2 and all 4 went through the winter, then split them. I should reach my goal of 100 this year. I still lose a few but I am NOT putting chemicals in my hives. I lost 5 this winter and one of them was from a cow knocking it over around Christmas and the land owner did not see it till it was to late.
HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
WOW! That is close to 600 gallons if my calculations are correct. How do you store and process all that honey? And is this a full time job for you? That is impressive!
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
I have 2, 150 gal settling tanks and lots of 5 gal buckets. I also have a 24 frame extractor. I do 95* by my self. I am retired but my wife says I should get a full time job so I can slow down.
HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
Like I said, very impressive!! I mean if you do the math seems like you would get a pretty good return on that time and effort. You obviously feel like it is worth your time or you wouldn't to it. If I did my math right in the good years this is a pretty lucrative "hobby" for a "retired" guy. I applaud you!
LittleBittyBigJohn
Veteran Member
Didn't take many pictures but I did a deep inspection on my hives yesterday. I made 1 split on a large strong hive that had several queen cups. Also, messed up and killed a queen on a different hive. My wife was helping and I held a frame while she caged the queen and she squished the queen in the cage. It looked like she may not have gotten injured but when I released her the workers balled up on her, biting and stinging.
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
My plan for today was to get 12, 10 frame boxes ready for swarm traps and get them hung out. Things happen. We had a lot of rain (4.26")and strong storms Thursday. I went around Friday morning and checked most of the yards. 2 are in peoples orchards so I did not worry about them, as they call if something happens. I have 1 location I did not check because it is protected by a large woods and an old barn. All of my yards out in the open were fine so I wasn't worried about the last location. I received a call from the land owner around 10 this morning that I had a hive stand over in that location. It's 45 minuets away on a clear drive. An hour and 15 minuets later I arrived to find one hive with the top off and another on the ground. Good news the bees were doing fine. They were not even that angry. Set them back up and before long they were bringing in pollen. I went home and managed to get 7 swarm traps up and will finish them tomorrow morning. Then start inspecting hives and maby make some walk away splits.
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
LBBJ
There are eggs in the photo of the Queen so they probably have queen cells started already. Check that hive in 6-7 days and be ready to make some nucs.
There are eggs in the photo of the Queen so they probably have queen cells started already. Check that hive in 6-7 days and be ready to make some nucs.
LittleBittyBigJohn
Veteran Member
After the inspections and accidental queen murder last weekend, the girls got very angry. I put out a little bit of sugar water as there were a couple hives a little light from such large numbers and rain for several days in a row. They chased me off from the open feeding area. Then I stood 10 feet or so from the side of my hive stand. I got chased and stung in the back of the head...
I went ahead and re-queened yesterday. In doing so I set up 2 splits with emergency cells. Then I went ahead and inspected the remaining hive that was perfect last weekend just because I was there. Good thing I did. It had way over a dozen swarm cells. A couple were already sealed. I took the queen and several frames of brood and food and made a strong split with it also.
Just like that I went from 3 hives to 7 in less than a week. hopefully they all survive. 3 are currently queenless with multiple emergency cells or swarm cells. I've got my fingers crossed. I'll check back in on them in a week or so.
I went ahead and re-queened yesterday. In doing so I set up 2 splits with emergency cells. Then I went ahead and inspected the remaining hive that was perfect last weekend just because I was there. Good thing I did. It had way over a dozen swarm cells. A couple were already sealed. I took the queen and several frames of brood and food and made a strong split with it also.
Just like that I went from 3 hives to 7 in less than a week. hopefully they all survive. 3 are currently queenless with multiple emergency cells or swarm cells. I've got my fingers crossed. I'll check back in on them in a week or so.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Busy hives today
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