Fibreglass flat pack hives

[Greg Aberdeen]

Hi Guys,

About 8 month's ago I introduced myself to you all, as a composite technician. I was working on a fibreglass Langstroth hive and posed a series of questions. Well, I made 10 and the bees have taken to them nicely.

[OldMech]

interested to see the pictures.
   Do you have a mold? Are they standard dimensions? 3/4 thick etc?  Interested.. because they should last a LOT longer than wood, but have to wonder about expense to make them?
   Fiberglass in gloves/hands? Did you gel coat them when they were done?
   Have laid a lot of mat for boats and car parts, honestly never considered it for hives.

[Greg Aberdeen]

Hi Guys,

I made a facebook page and they can be viewed there. The group page is Honey Homes. Everything about the hive is exact to the langstroth design, so frames, excluders etc will fit in from any supplier. The inside of the hive is coated with flocoat and then it is insulated with polystyrene. There is one issue we have and that is a small amount of condensation is noticed from time to time. I am told this occurs because the bees are making wax cells in the supers. I am not sure of that, but time will tell. Here is an image of the flat pack assembled. Just waiting for picture to be approved.

[Greg Aberdeen]

Picture at top of post.

[trapperbob]

A top entrance or the top propped open will probably stop the condensation. If it was me I'd make a top entrance I've stopped all condensation issues by doing this myself with all my hives.

[JWChesnut]

My guess is your market might be commercial pallets.
Hobby beekeepers want a traditional wood hive, and some go to ridiculous lengths to make them jewel boxes.

The 4 and 6 way pallet hives can definitely be optimized.  Box to box connections are weak, box to base  are  funky W-clips or hive staples, and stacks are independent of each other.  Forklifting pallets over rough terrain has resulted in shifting and falling stacks.

A fixed pallet floor piece with molded sockets for connections might be useful.  Pallets frequently rot/break and a plastic design for this element might be a selling point.  Having all 4 bottoms as a single molding seems like it may work to stabilize the stacks above.  Individual boxes will likely want to be maintained for ease in resorting dinks, etc. but quick release side to side connections binding the stacks as a unit might prove invaluable.

I think a single overall top cover might work-- all hives are typically maintained in double deep formation or are supered simultaneously.  A single cover would stabilize the underlying stacks. Transport stacks pallets 2 or 3 high, and the stacks would be easier to strap with single top covers.  Insulation, ventilation and lifespan of a plastic top-cover might be advantageous.

I'm not sure how uncovering 4 (6) hives at a time might cause problems -- would be easy to implement in plywood, and you don't see this, so weight or disturbance might be an issue.

So my advice, is don't try and capture the hobby market, but try and create a niche for weather resistant and easily forklifted commercial hives.

[Joe D]

Looks nice Greg, with the moisture problem, on the inner cover I have a 1/2 inch slot on three sides, on one side of the cover and the whole in the middle.  Good luck with your bees and hives.




Joe

[jjtrdx]

This Guy is a fake..i ordered an paid a hive on 25/11/2013..after a lot of promises he dissappeared..If there are any other South Africans here please do not order from him ..you will lose your money too.