What did you make today?

[Undertoad]

Ah, I was wondering why you made four of em... so you can chock both sides of two tires.

[xoxoxoBruce]

May lasting impressions from your folly,
be forever on your mind, not your body.
For the blessed see the error in their ways,
before butt pucker comes to stay.

[Griff]

My woman built beehives while I was writing annual reviews last weekend. At least I built the bench she built the hives on.

[xoxoxoBruce]

She bee a keeper.

[Undertoad]

I always wanted to know how to do that sort of joinery. I admire the folks who can do this.

I have a complicated turtle basking area to build soon, and I will wind up doing a shitty job of it.

[Griff]

The pieces parts were pre-cut, Pete just glued, nailed, and painted them. Box joints are not that hard though and they can be cut a number of ways. The internet can be your friend on this. Find a system that matches the tools you have. Using a square, I'd probably lay out the fingers in 1" increments making sure to offset the fingers for the sides vs the front and back. Then use a hand saw and a chisel to remove the wood. Just take your time and keep everything nice and square from start to finish. Or you just butt the boards together and screw them...

[glatt]

Those look great!

[Griff]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

She bee a keeper.

Cute.

Originally Posted by glatt

Those look great!

Thanks lads, I'll pass on the compliments.

[Clodfobble]

So hang on, are those things going to be living in the basement? Or do bees hibernate in their hives while they're covered in snow?

[Griff]

Outside! They winter over on honey. They clump together and regulate hive temperature in the winter.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I always wanted to know how to do that sort of joinery. I admire the folks who can do this.

I have a complicated turtle basking area to build soon, and I will wind up doing a shitty job of it.

Let me know if you need an custom ceramic bits, I will be happy to make those for you (no cost of course) -we have found them quite useful for our reptiles and fish. Recently made a splash pool with "beach" area for the bearded dragon. very quick and easy to throw something together but takes a few weeks to get through the drying and firing process.

[orthodoc]

So ... what are the requirements for hives? I don't see many entrance/exit points in your pics. Do the bees just need an entrance/exit at the bottom and top? What was the inner structure? I could google everything but I'd rather ask you. I'm hoping to entice bees/start beekeeping once I move home in late June. Would you be willing to share a few more details?

[Griff]

The most commonly used hive is a Langdtroth. They go in and out the bottom. There are frames (Pete is still building those) inside the boxes where the bees, build comb, lay larvae, and store honey. There is a lot going on in there. You really need to find a mentor and/or read a lot to learn the process.

If you just want pollinators there are simple nests you can build for orchard? bees which is another way to go. There is a bee keeping subreddit if you want to follow the trials and tribulations of others.

[footfootfoot]

You got to fight the powerful Bee!

[glatt]