Hi Mark and All
 
Just thought I would share a few tips I have found in making homemade
hive bodies.
 
First it is good to have one commercially made hive on hand, to
enable one to make the best copies.
 
Secondly, instead of buying expensive metal sheeting for hive lids
coverings, it is easiest to go to the local newspaper printing press
and ask them for the negative printing sheets they use. These are
large aluminium sheets with newspaper text burnt onto them. Usually
the press recycles them back to the suppliers, but they are usually
happy to sell them to a beekeeper (with the aid of a bottle of honey
or promise thereof). I pay about US$0.15c a sheet, which makes one
cover.
 
For bottom boards it works out cheaper to use corrugated plastic.
This is the stuff many signwriters use. If you know an estate agent,
or advertising company, ask them for their old signs. Otherwise the
stuff can be bought, for about a quarter the price of the same area
of timber. It is also quite handy for inner covers.
 
Anyhow, those are my tips. (This newspaper one is especially fun.
Everytime you go to a hive, you will be reminded of specific things -
eg Local Residents Confused by Mysterious Yellow Spots on  Windows
etc)
 
Keep well
 
Garth
---
Garth Cambray       Camdini Apiaries
15 Park Road        Apis melifera capensis
Grahamstown         800mm annual precipitation
6139
Eastern Cape
South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
 
On holiday for a few months     Rhodes University
Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day!
Interests: Fliis and bees
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way
reflect those of Rhodes University.