No bees, yet! The boxes have been scorched, inside and out. The screened floor is in place, and a simple spale runs diagonally between alternating corners of each super and will support the fragile comb.
This particular hive is built with common, untreated 2x6's using Johann Thür's relative dimensions (the combined internal volume of every two supers equals a cube, or 3x3x3); whereas the rest of the other hives I constructed using common 2x8 lumber from Warré's relative dimensions - 3x3x4. I say relative dimensions because to use his absolute internal dimensions, 30cm x 30cm x 20cm, would require ripping a common 2x10 (or 1x10) lengthwise: Easy if you have access to a table saw, pain in the ass for me. The actual width of a 2x8 board, 18cm, is plently close enough to 20cm and is the dimension that impacts the bees the least as they experience the depth of a hive as a singular, uninterupted space. And, the fact that I'm using nominal 2-by's rather than what passes for 1 inch (~1.8cm) lumber makes for a very heavy box. The mere centimeters of volume we gain through this are not worth the additional expense and effort. Trust me! |  |
no subject
Date: 2011-04-10 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-10 01:39 pm (UTC)A few of the concepts that went into these hives are taken from fairly disparate sources and require a certain amount of "engineering" for lack of a better term. Basically, I'm making shit up as I go and trying to make it work, fit, and function. Going back to the idea of the Primal Response from your own experience "painting the boxes with fire" is the most Zen and relaxing step after what can be a fairly frustraing afternoon in the woodshop ;)
My top bar hives are painted with a 1:20 heated mixture of beeswax to boiled linseed oil. This is messy and not-so-very Zen process, but the finish does certainly hold up well to the elements.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-21 12:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-23 02:01 am (UTC)