plywood

[gmcharlie]

Okay  silly question  why doesn't anyone use plywood for hive bodies???

[asprince]

Durability. I have used it for bottom boards. Some are still in service, some have delaminated over the years.  I have found that Advantec holds up very well. It is just so heavy.

Steve

[ArmucheeBee]

I have used 7 layer 3/4 inch for all mine.  yes, it is heavy, but i like the solid feel.  i just use a L shaped joint on the short ends and screw from that side, I think that is called box joint-not sure.  mine are solid and no problems with good latex paint to repel water. 

[contactme_11]

I have used 7 layer 3/4 inch for all mine.  yes, it is heavy, but i like the solid feel.  i just use a L shaped joint on the short ends and screw from that side, I think that is called box joint-not sure.  mine are solid and no problems with good latex paint to repel water. 

I think you mean a rabbit.

[ArmucheeBee]

Yes, rabbit, but it's rabbet, not rabbit.  I googled it.  I wonder why it's called rabbet?

[Kathyp]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rabbet

[pdmattox]

I know there was several hundred 4 frame nucs made from 1/4 inch plywood. They are stacked up now getting ready to be filled again.

[ArmucheeBee]

KathyP

Now that's what I call research.

[Brian D. Bray]

Yes, rabbit, but it's rabbet, not rabbit.  I googled it.  I wonder why it's called rabbet?

Is that what Elmer Fudd really meant when said, "Come here you wascully wabbet?"

[derrick1p1]

I recently bought a router and router table in the hopes of making my own boxes with rabbet joints.  Of course, realized I have to rip the 1"x8" to 1" x 6 5/8", requiring a table saw.  Since ripping with circular will be somewhat tricky, I'm intrigued with the idea of plywood.  Any other disadvantages other than weight (will be for medium supers, so shouldn't be too strenuous)?  I would paint them to help prevent warping, etc.

[mgmoore7]

You can get a used tablesaw for $50 or so without much trouble that will rip.  Why wouldn't the plywood need to be ripped too?

It will take alot boxes to recoup your expenses to make your own, if you ever do.  I have all the equipment I need including routers, tablesaw, nail guns, etc. but I buy mine unless I find some free wood.  The cost savings is minimal buying the wood and doing it yourself and when labor is considered, it is much cheaper to buy them. 

[David LaFerney]

I recently bought a router and router table in the hopes of making my own boxes with rabbet joints.  Of course, realized I have to rip the 1"x8" to 1" x 6 5/8", requiring a table saw.  Since ripping with circular will be somewhat tricky, I'm intrigued with the idea of plywood.  Any other disadvantages other than weight (will be for medium supers, so shouldn't be too strenuous)?  I would paint them to help prevent warping, etc.

You can rip almost as straight with a circular saw as you can with a table saw by clamping a straight piece (like the factory edge of plywood) for the sole plate of the saw to ride against to your work piece.  Unless you have a pretty good table saw this is better and safer anyway.  It helps if the piece you are cutting is supported so that the off cut won't fall away.  This principle is the basis of a simple jig that almost replaces a table saw for safely breaking down sheet goods.

[Bobb]

You can get a used tablesaw for $50 or so without much trouble that will rip.  Why wouldn't the plywood need to be ripped too?

It will take alot boxes to recoup your expenses to make your own, if you ever do.  I have all the equipment I need including routers, tablesaw, nail guns, etc. but I buy mine unless I find some free wood.  The cost savings is minimal buying the wood and doing it yourself and when labor is considered, it is much cheaper to buy them. 

I find that cost for materials is slightly less than buying from one of the bee supply companies. Shipping is the killer. It almost doubles the cost. So for me that makes building supers worthwhile. I still would buy frames.

[mgmoore7]

You can get a used tablesaw for $50 or so without much trouble that will rip.  Why wouldn't the plywood need to be ripped too?

It will take alot boxes to recoup your expenses to make your own, if you ever do.  I have all the equipment I need including routers, tablesaw, nail guns, etc. but I buy mine unless I find some free wood.  The cost savings is minimal buying the wood and doing it yourself and when labor is considered, it is much cheaper to buy them. 

I find that cost for materials is slightly less than buying from one of the bee supply companies. Shipping is the killer. It almost doubles the cost. So for me that makes building supers worthwhile. I still would buy frames.

Your right, shipping can be a killer.  I do have a source about 35 minutes away that can get anything from Dadant and I can go to Dadant in FL in about 1.5 hours.  So it just depends.  Likely the gas is less than the shipping for me. 

[ArmucheeBee]

I bought a 4x8 sheet of popular plywood (7 ply) at HomeDepot for $48 in December.  I made 7 mediums and a vac from it.  We already have all the tools which sit ideal most of the time.  So I come out way ahead-I think.  How much is an unpainted med.?  Why popular?  It's heavy and strong, doesn't warp.  I've seen some pine ply that will warp in wet conditions painted.