hehe.. Lots of opinions.. Figured I would add mine on painting...
Oil base? If you can afford it, go for it!
The best latex money can buy? Sure!!!
just be prepared to buy moire so you can touch up the corners where you jam your hive tool..
When you shove the hive tool into the corners to pop the boxes apart, you chip mthe paint, and thats where it will start to rot, NO MATTER what paint you use. It doesnt matter if its 120 dollars a gallon, or 3 dollars a gallon, it is the CORNER that will rot first, unless your going to go out and touch them up after each inspection?
I do feel that the boxes need paint. I know some that refuse to paint their woodenware.. I also understand their philosophy.. It costs me about 5 dollars to build a medium box. ( I use all mediums) So, for 5 dollars, I can replace that box quickly and cheaply.. Paint? With it, they seem to last four or five years. Without it? Often, it is warpage of unpainted wood that causes the failure, rather than rotting corners. I have unpainted boxes that warped out of shape in their first year.. Might be my UN quality craftsmanship, but the painted ones are still going strong, so I doubt it!
In the end, a box is an item that is perishable. It has a shelf life. Paint it with CHEAP paint, make it last four or five years, and build another 5 dollar box to replace it when it gets soft in the corners. JMHO