Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: zzzzzzzzpr on April 06, 2013, 01:26:55 AM

Title: building material question
Post by: zzzzzzzzpr on April 06, 2013, 01:26:55 AM
i was wonder if u could build a hive useing pallets? i know some are treated by chemicals and wouldnt use those but what of the heat treated ones?

i cam across some old wooden fences i was thinking of useing to make some TBH. would that be okay?
Title: Re: building material question
Post by: fshrgy99 on April 06, 2013, 09:53:03 AM
A lot of pallets are hardwood and (IMO) be difficult to work with. Pallets would be best used as hive stands, or if tough condition ... campfire wood. :)
They'd have to be 'some serious' top end pallets before I'd consider trying to salvage the wood.
Title: Re: building material question
Post by: The Bix on April 09, 2013, 12:09:34 AM
I agree, best use for pallets is hive stands.  But hey, try it, see what you think.
Title: Re: building material question
Post by: Steel Tiger on April 09, 2013, 12:21:42 PM
I've seen people use old fencing to make top bar hives and nucs. A guy on youtube has a few videos showing his hives and nucs made out of them. OutOfaBlueSky is his user name if you want to check some of them out.
Title: Re: building material question
Post by: fshrgy99 on April 10, 2013, 07:22:35 PM
I heard that if you can find an old chestnut fence (pre chinese chestnut blight) and resaw the wood is fabulous. I believe some arborist imported the blight and it wiped out the American chestnut, on which the north eastern lumber industry was built. Also heard that American chestnut was more decay resistant than cedar ... so if I could find THAT fence I'd do it too!    :-D