Chippewa Valley Area Beeks / Lets pool on equipment

[bee-nuts]

This winter I will be back to work trying to get ahead of the game for the coming season.  The cost of hive bodies and other equipment just keeps going up.  I was just on Mann Lakes website looking at quantity discounts on commercial quality Hive bodies and the price each hive body un-assembled is 15.95 for 4 or less, 14.95 for 5-39, 13.95 for 40-99 and 11.75 for 100-249

I was thinking about building 50 or 60 boxes this winter.  50 at 13.95 equals 697.50, 50 at 11.75 equals 587.50.  Thats a 110 dollar difference and at that price difference buys me another 9 + boxes.  Shipping is free just have to add tax and I dont know if they will add it for Wisconsin but I am guessing yes.

If there is anyone interested in pooling let me know.  I am most likely willing to put the money up to pay for the equipment up front, and you could pay your fare share when you pick yours up.  I want at least 50 maybe 60 deeps so I need to find someone who wants 40-50 boxes or two or three people who who add up to 40 or 50 boxes.  I will not have the cash flow to spare $1175 plus tax till I am done paying for feed and other expenses getting my bees ready for winter.  I will likely be ready to order in December.  If mann lake would take payment from several parties for one shipment than I could do it earlier.

I build all my own wooden ware but boxes and frames.  I like dadant frames better than mann lake but the price difference is minimal anyway for quantity. But things like treatments, division board feeders, might be worth pooling on as well.

I live near Chippewa Falls just so you know.

PM me or post here if interested.

[danno]

Last year end Kellys offered free shipping east of the mississippi.  I bought a skid of hive bodies for 510.00 total.  Thats 50 for $10.20 ea.  They come freight so you need access to a loading dock.  To build a hive body correctly you need about 6.5 feet of 1 X 12.  I cant get the material for this price

[BlueBee]

If you butt jointed and screwed boxes together you could make a deep out of a 6’ 1x12.  Menards sells their “standard pine” 1x12x6’ for $6.  That’s about ½ the price you’re talking about.  Finger joints would push the board length required just a tad over 72” and would be more wasted lumber/cost (8' board required instead of 6' board).

If labor isn’t an issue, you could glue a ¾” strip of wood to 1x10s, making it wide enough for a deep body.  You can buy a 1x10x6’ "standard pine" board for under $4.

Of course the “standard pine” isn’t great wood.  Kind of hard to even call most of that stuff "dimensional wood".  Knots don’t bother me, but the twists are a problem.

If you could use some form of 4’x8’ sheet material, you should be able to get 6 deep bodies per sheet.  If such a hypothetical sheet runs $20, then your material cost might be in the $4 per box range.  Any ideas?

[bee-nuts]

Last year end Kellys offered free shipping east of the mississippi.  I bought a skid of hive bodies for 510.00 total.  Thats 50 for $10.20 ea.  They come freight so you need access to a loading dock.  To build a hive body correctly you need about 6.5 feet of 1 X 12.  I cant get the material for this price

I seen that but I dont see it any more, not even close!  I could get them shipped to my place of employment.  If you run across that deal again please drop me a line Danno!

[danno]

Last year end Kellys offered free shipping east of the mississippi.  I bought a skid of hive bodies for 510.00 total.  Thats 50 for $10.20 ea.  They come freight so you need access to a loading dock.  To build a hive body correctly you need about 6.5 feet of 1 X 12.  I cant get the material for this price

I seen that but I dont see it any more, not even close!  I could get them shipped to my place of employment.  If you run across that deal again please drop me a line Danno!

I will let you know but just keep a eye out about thanksgiving time.  Its there Xmas special.  Someone on here always post the start of these deals.   I have about 200 deep hive bodies.  I built 75% of them myself. Thats about 150 home made.  I also have about 300 med supers.  These were ALL made in my shop by me.  They all have recessed handholds and 7/8 box joint corners.  I know just how much work and material goes into a box.  Last winter it was soooooooo nice to just glue and box nail instead of cutting, fitting , glueing and nailing.  Kelly commercial boxes were great fitting easy to assemble