Do It Yourself Bee Hive

Disclaimer this bee hive is not for regular frames. I make my own frames. I will have how to make the frames in this instructables. Not only do bees make honey and wax, but they help pollinate flowers and plants and help everything so that's a pulse.

Step 1: Hive Base

Sorry I don't have more pictures I was "in the zone" so to speak. I made my base 12 1/2" by 16" and put 1/4" by 1" scrap around the edge of the base, so that the boxes will sit in the middle. Also I put 1/2" spacers all around the edges so the scraps would have something to hold on to when stapled on. And to give the bees space when they come and go. Then put legs on it. Seems self explanatory so I won't explain it.

Step 2: Brood Box/ Honey Super

I started off by cutting my 1" by 6" to 15". The other board I cut to 12". You need to cut the inside of the 15" piece so that the frames sit flush with the top of the frame. You don't need to cut the deeper groove, but it's nicer for the bees when you replace the frames so they don't get crushed. This also seems self explanatory, staples the box together. Don't forget glue, the glue I use for this is tight bond 3 for outdoor use. One thing you can do for ease of use is put handles on. I put mine about 1/2" above the top of the box so that the boxes won't tip in the wind.

Step 3: Roooooof

For the roof I use 3" pieces same size as the brood boxes. I don't know how to explain the roof I just added extra on both sides. And just used the rest of the wood I had. If you measure 12" and you have a square you can use the diagonal to make the perfect triangle for the roof. If you want to go all out you can add shingles on it. You don't have to you can add tin or something to shed water. When using sharp knifes make sure your careful.

Step 4: Honey Frames

Measure the inside to inside of the boxes. Make sure that when you cut the frame tops fit under the top of the box. I know that doesn't make sense but just think. The boxes have to stack on top of each other and you don't want spaces in between them, so the frames need to be lower than the box above it. The frames also can't be taller than the box because. Well you know they won't stack so you need to cut accordingly. The tops of my frames are 10 and 3/4 the sides are 5" the bottom is 10". It worked out that everything is 3/8 thick. You can start out by cutting every board to that. One you have done that you can cut everything to the lengths I listed. A main feature to the frames is the grooves in the insides, to hold the wax foundation in. I'm sorry that I don't have pictures of it but you need to cut the bottoms to 3/8 of an inch. To make a square, you could just go to the hardware store and buy square dowel, but what's fun about that. I'm also sorry I don't have more pictures. To put that groove in you need to set your blade low, I put mine half way in the boards. I know that's not a super good explanation, but I feel that your smart and can figure it out. To connect the bottoms to the side you need to cut a space big enough for the 3/8 inch square dowel to fit snug! Not loose. I just glued the bottoms in. You could nail or staple them in but I thought that was way too much work. The tops to the sides however do not have a joint not hold them together, so they need to be stapled. Don't forget glue! Use a glue that's good outside and durable. Like I said I am using tight bond 3. I made a jig to quickly put them together fast and accurate. After you get into a rhythm they fly by. Pay attention though, don't want to glue and staple a frame together backwards. After that I put spacers in the boxes to allow the frames to sit apart from one another, so the bees can go freely around the frames. I will have another instructables on making the wax foundations. I would put it in this one but the wax is still in the mail.