Crafts-Hobbies Vivian | 30 Jun 2011 06:52 am
Finding the Right Bee Hive Plans – Save Money by Building Yourself!
Beekeeping, or Apiculture, is a hobby that has been practiced for thousands of years. Getting a hive set up properly can be expensive, but you can save by building the hive yourself. The key is finding the proper bee hive plans to make your project run smoothly & easily.
There is no shortage of information on the internet about beekeeping, but doing an internet search for “bee hive plans” brings up rather disappointing results. Most of the top results are either for free plans that are difficult to follow or are sites set up to generate revenue from Google AdSense.
A word about “free” bee hive plans. Most times they are not worth the paper you print them out on. They can be difficult to follow, & many times have incorrect measurements. Ever tried to decipher instructions on anything with the words “some assembly required” on the box? And free can turn into expensive really quick when you cut the wood you bought to incorrect specifications.
And most of these plans are put out by bee specialists. When you need information about beekeeping in particular, this is who you should consult. When you need to build a hive out of wood, you should be consulting a carpenter.
I recently discovered a digital woodworking guide that has over 14,000 projects, including a whole section of bee hive plans! This product was designed by a carpenter, contains accurate, easy to read plans with precise measurements, & is very inexpensive compared to the trouble you get in with free. I am sure there will be plans for something else besides bee hives that will interest you in make it worth your while!
Once you have your plans in order you will need the wood to make your hive. Cedar is the best wood to use, as it will not warp & has a wonderful aroma. Pine will work in a pinch but is not a sturdy or warp resistant as cedar. Refer to your plans for the type of fasteners you will need to put your hive together.
By building your own hive, you will have the satisfaction of saving money and knowing you did the work on your own. Just make sure you have high quality bee hive plans, so your project runs smoothly without costly mistakes.