Newbee with questions...

[BeesNeeds]

Oh, I'm a newbee, and I have my first round of questions.

1. There is a lot of bee supply sources out there that can set one up with hives. And a lot of DIY plans for hives...
So do I have to buy any materials? Say we get a property with an old collapsed barn on it.. Can I reuse that wood so long as the wood is sound and pest free? I'm able to put in labor hours, but at start up, I will have little fiscal resources if I have to buy all the hive materials as new wood. I will be scouring the classifieds too as start up draws near.

2. I do re-enactment dress up, so I am used to things like hats with veils. Can I use the same sort of fine mesh found at the local fabric store for beekeeping? Or is beekeeping veil sturdier stuff, and I need to look for that fabric when making my headgear? I know I will end up making my own headgear.

3. I am used to wearing gloves, from light cotton to heavier leather. Oyster gloves too :) I will probably wear bee gloves, at least as I start. My hand size is an extra small, so usually I can only find kids sizes of gloves that end up being way too short on the wrist. Can anyone recommend a good glove to use?

4. What is the difference between foundation and no foundation? I'm reading stuff and looking at pics, but I'm confused. Is foundation when you provide a sheet of wax as sort of the back cap for the bees to build off of, and no foundation when you don't? Is foundation when you provide anything for the bees to build off of?

Sorry if I'm too newbee.. Back to reading, lol :) Thanks for any advice!

- :bee: -

[AllenF]

1.   As long as the wood is straight, you can make boxes out of it.  So if you are good at woodworking....

2.  Some people use mosquito  netting.

3.  I like the blue nitrile gloves to keep the bee glue off.

4.  No foundation is where you only give them an empty frame, no wax, no plastic to build in.  Foundation is the wax sheets in the frames.

[BeesNeeds]

Thank you AllenF, you saved me some digging :)

[Kathyp]

if you have a jacket or long sleeves with elastic, you can use a good pair of gardening gloves.  i find they fit better than lots of the bee gloves anyway.  the only thing about the veil is to make sure that you build it over some kind of hat so that it doesn't fall against your face and  the bees don't sting through it.  you'll want a way to secure it well around the bottom also.  

[AllenF]

Thank you AllenF, you saved me some digging :)

Just how much $ you got buried in the backyard anyways?

[BeesNeeds]

lol, no $$ AllenF :( But I am finding this forum a backyard full of astonishing treasure.. just gotta dig :)

Thank you for your suggestions Kathyp :) I'm tinkering around some ideas of wide brim cloche or perhaps an extra wide flatcap with a double heavy use of buckram. There's a whole bunch of attractive wide brim hats to choose from :)

I haven't had much luck with gardening gloves over the years, my hands are dinky. So even small womens tend to be too big. Kids ones fit better on my hand sometimes, but the wrists are always too short. Small medical gloves sometimes fit, so I am gonna see if the ones AllenF suggested come in a size that fits me.
Or just eventually hunker down one winter after I'm truly addicted to my bees, and just make a few pairs I know will fit right and be long enough, lol.

[AllenF]

They make small gloves.   http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/search.shtml?searchQuery=blue+gloves&op=search&Ntt=blue+gloves&N=0&sst=subset