I'm shopping for hive bodies and suppers for expansion next year. Would you all recommend commercial grade pine or the slightly more expensive standard pine? I am shopping from Walter T Kelley.
I don't mind paying an extra $2 per deep if it lasts longer, but don't want to pay more if the difference is cosmetic.
the biggest difference is probably going to be the number of knots. i've never used kelly equipment, i cut my teeth on dadant and have been using rossman lately because they're close enough to drive to. knots in the wrong place might lead to more splitting. of you're talking about 10 it's not that much money, if you're talking about 100 it starts adding up.
I have a friend that purchased a pallet load of the commercial grade boxes last year. He was very pleased with what he received.
Steve
If you are in this for the long hall I would go for the better grade. Most pines are graded by knots but the ring width is also important. For best results use cider (but I could never justify the cost difference with my wife because I have always painted the outsides and my boxes that are from 4 to 25 years old, 4 more for this coming year). I use to make some boxes but can not do it any more. :brian: - Mike
I have noticed no difference in durability and life span between commercial, budget, or standard (some call it premium or select) hive bodies. Put some good paint on it, seal it up, and take care of it, and it will last the same regardless of the price.
I build my own. Have for years. The equipment I put out is probably a grab bag, equal amounts of budget, commercial, and select grades. Can't tell which one is which once I put paint on it (at least from the outside). When I used to buy boxes, I'd buy budget grade, and buy as many as I thought I would need for the next year at one point in time. I'd find that often the grade of the wood was budget or better.
The price savings on one doesn't really matter much. But the price savings on 20, or 200 starts to add up.