I am going to try some hive boxes made out of 2 thickness of 2x12s. I think 3/4 in. boxes are to thin for trying to winter in. Its almost 30 below out there right now. Good thing for the bees it isnt supposed to last long. Just trying to figure out how to keep from having to send my bees to California . I think it is too hard on the bees. Harold
The problem with making boxes out of thick timber (lumber), is that they will be that much heavier when it comes to lifting and carrying them ...
One method employed to deal with the northern cold back in the 1920's and 30's, was to mount 2 or 4 hives on a platform (not unlike a pallet), and erect a flat-pack winter cabinet on top of that platform, around the hives. Insulation in the form of wood shavings or straw was then stuffed into the gap between the hives and the cabinet walls. Likewise, a similar layer of insulation was placed on top of the hives, before placing a weatherproof cover on top of the whole assembly. This method of creating a temporary double-walled enclosure for over-wintering was developed and favoured by your Bureau of Entomology, published in the Farmer's Bulletin (around 1922), and later illustrated in Killion's 1951 book, 'Honey in the Comb'.
Perhaps it might be worth considering making something along those lines (?) - polystyrene could always be used instead of straw, of course - and in that way, you'll still preserve your thinner-walled boxes for more convenient handling during the season.
If you need more info, I could dig out some illustrations of the above, and post them here.
LJ
I was planning to build an electric winch on the front of my pickup. for the purpose of handling them. I am a bit more thinking of the bees than my convenience, but I know what you mean about being heavy. The straw does create lots of mouse nests up here. The winters are so long they can really get to populating. Thanks for your help though. Harold
You may have luck finding some unplanned coarse boards to work with instead of the 1 1/2" boards. An unplanned board may by about 1-inch thick, so it could be a happy medium.
If I were to go that route at all, I think I would build an oversize 2x box and put it on the outside of a regular Langstroth for a WBC type setup with double walls. That way the heavy box is always empty...
Thats an idea. Say Mike I was wondering about your upper entrances. If you have no bottom entrance then how big is the top one for entering and ventilation?
>how big is the top one for entering and ventilation?
Well, I have 1 1/2" shims on both sides of a 13 3/4" box. So I suppose wide open (as I often used to leave them) was 12 1/4". After experimenting with them reduced and enlarged all year round or opening them in a flow I have most of them reduced now all year around to about 2" x 3/8".
Michael Bush. I just looked your town up on google earth. I didnt see 1 bee box anywhere. Where do you keep all these bees?
I have seven bee yards, but the home yard is in the middle of the map here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8317548,-95.9968047,124m/data=!3m1!1e3
The street view pictures are from before I bought the place. The aerial pics are fairly new.
Shoot, I feel like we are neighbors now. Ha