Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: D Semple on June 01, 2012, 11:20:46 AM

Title: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: D Semple on June 01, 2012, 11:20:46 AM
Got a great new yard I'm moving about 30 Hives to tomorrow in the morning  (low 50's degrees - yea!). 

New yard is hilly where I would like to set the hive pallets and I'm having to raise one side anywhere from 6" - 10" to level the pallets.

Pallets seem very secure now, but I'm worried that the pallets may want to gradually slide down hill causing the lumber supports on the bottom to fail.

Any ideas?

Maybe better ideas for ground support on the low sides?

Ground is very rocky, I thought about driving some rebar stakes in, but I have my doubts I would be able to get stakes far enough in the ground to do any good.

(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/DSemple/Bees%202011/Bees%202012/Yards%202012/4823cbbc.jpg)

Thanks.   ....Don



Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: danno on June 01, 2012, 01:38:25 PM
personally I would find a flatter area.  I would worry about them sliding also so what I might suggest is permanently fasting your shimes to the bottom of the pallets.  I would also worry about them warping as they get heavier.   Is that plastic sheeting you are putting down first?
Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: rdy-b on June 01, 2012, 01:59:53 PM
they dont have to be that level-half level   :lol: four ways are always seam to have one side that catches the
water and one side that drains well(drain holes in the pallets let the watter weep out )--what you are doing is placing pallets before the hives--as you start to move your hives around you will be doing it with full pallets of bees at night and wont have the luxury of perfect placement just use the slight slope at a front to back-versus side to side and your suppers will stack fine and wont tip over keeping it simple will save you headaches--
-- 8-) RDY-B
Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: D Semple on June 01, 2012, 03:55:48 PM
Danno - the shims are fastened with screws. Landscaper's cloth to keep the weeds from growing under and around the pallets.

Rdy-b - No donkey lift yet for me, couple more years. Pallets have slated tops.

Thx.  Don


Never figured beekeeping would be this much work, have to go back to my regular job during the week to rest!


Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: blanc on June 01, 2012, 04:40:15 PM
You could put stop stakes on either side to stop any movement of the pallets.
James
Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: Jim134 on June 01, 2012, 08:58:59 PM
D Semple...........

Are the boxes Foundation-less or on foundation ???  If not they dont have to be that level-half level.




   BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)    
Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: D Semple on June 02, 2012, 12:28:50 AM
Foundationless Jim.

I finished prepairing the new yard tonight. I was able to anchor the pallets in place with 4 - 12" spikes driven into the ground for each pallet. Leveling bracing is fasten to the pallets with screws.

Thanks for the good ideas.

Don
Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: Jim134 on June 02, 2012, 11:23:09 PM
Quote from: D Semple on June 02, 2012, 12:28:50 AM
Foundationless Jim.

I finished prepairing the new yard tonight. I was able to anchor the pallets in place with 4 - 12" spikes driven into the ground for each pallet. Leveling bracing is fasten to the pallets with screws.

Thanks for the good ideas.

Don


Now you got to bee Level


   BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Title: Re: Leveling Hive Pallets
Post by: D Semple on June 04, 2012, 10:53:00 AM
About 1/2 moved in, another dozen or so hives to move

(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/DSemple/Bees%202011/Bees%202012/Yards%202012/bce90948.jpg)