Hive Stand Plans?

[Haughton Honey]

Does anyone have any hive stand plans for a long hive stand that can accommodate two or three nationals that's higher than the standard 11" hive stand available from 'the largest beekeeping equipment supplier'?

I'm useless at woodwork but fancy having a go at building one, so could do with the numbers and lengths of cuts needed.

I'm 6'6" tall and need something 20-22" tall otherwise I get a bad back!

Any advice, ideas and/or measurements appreciated!

Cris

[JCBrum]

The simplest one is a pile of pallets with up to four hives on top facing north, south, east, west.

Alternatively knock in four 2' 6" fence posts in a rectangle. Level the tops with a spirit level and fix long side rails with nuts and bolts.

Hint, space the posts and side rails so that you can hang a frame across them when inspecting your hive.

[Frisbee]

I made myself some. One hold three hives with plenty of space for frames and stuff inbetween, and another holds two and then several singles. I think mine are about 15" high and in actual fact they have now proved to be too high as I can't lift a fullish super on to the top if there are already three on............does that make sense? however I've always suffered from a lack of leg length

Oh and they have solid tops which may or may not be an advantage. - cue words of wisdom from other more experienced............


So here goes :-

4 legs at your prefered height. I generally used 2" x 2", whatever it needs to be sturdy. the brace under the top and halfway down the leg is 2" x 1" lath (I had my house reroofed last year) The top is generally the coarser than chipboard boarding.

I've got nationals which are 18" square so a single stand wants to be a minimum of 20" square, a double wants to be 20" x 50" which gives a 10" gap between the hives.

Make sure you carefully measure everything twice - to be sure, to be sure.
You need an overlap on two sets of braces. Drill and screw them together.

Pictures of the triple and a wide single and the double and an error, but it fits a nuc nicely

Frisbee

[Frisbee]

I have to confess though..............I didn't make the triple, my son made it originally as a skateboard block which is why it has the metal corners. The twin one the top rail is a bit of feather edged boarding I had kicking around.

Frisbee

Another single

[JCBrum]

Er, do you do cooking and washing ? I suppose a chat is out of the question ?

[Frisbee]

Originally Posted by JCBrum

Er, do you do cooking and washing ? I suppose a chat is out of the question ?

Frisbee

[admin]

Mr Cushman has some basic plans.

Click here

[JCBrum]

Oooer, Frisbee

[oliver90owner]

higher than the standard 11" hive stand available

All I will advise is: make it robust and if fixed, and for several hives, don't build it too high - you can easily raise the working surface by adding extra bearers but reducing it is not quite so easy; also, old supers will raise a floor by a considerable amount, or make your own 'ekes'.

Regards, RAB

[Haughton Honey]

Thank you all for your ideas and plans....I shall get cracking over the next few days!

:-)