[cougarnyc]

I'm looking for an inexpensive stand to put my hive on. No cinder block suggestions please...and I'd also like something where the hive entrance is at least 12 inches off the ground.

Any suggestions?

 

[G3farms]

I personally set mine up on two 4 x 4 post (freebees from work) with cinder blocks under them, I can get for or five hives on them and do not look all that bad. I will be making some 3" pipe stands (again free pipe from work) in the very near future and concrete them into the ground, these will be 21' long and can hold several hives.

I know you asked for suggestions other than cinder blocks, I have seen just about any and everything to sit a stand of bees on, most times it was what ever was handy and cheap. Are you looking for something that looks good, just more sturdy than cinder blocks, one hive or multiple hives, etc, etc. Are you going to fabricate them yourself out of wood, metal, plastic, concrete, etc, etc.

 

[cougarnyc]

I'd prefer buying something that already exists. I'm wondering if milk crates are a good idea.

 

[G3farms]

Never tried milk crates before, but think into the future, say this summer when you have three, four, five, six supers all stacked up and full of honey. That is a lot of weight to support on a plastic milk crate. Now that it is top heavy with honey and a big gust of wind comes along, neighbors nosey dog, skunk, etc. for you to find a busted up hive the next day spread out on the ground that took a tumble is pretty humbling.

 

[cougarnyc]

You're probably right.

 

[BRASWELL]

I had some 55 gallon metal barrels I cut into 3 sections, they sit firmly on the ground and are easy to level, I had to get rid of the barrels anyway so they seem to work out good to hold a hive. RB

 

[milapostol]

I saw someone using shipping pallets, four hives in each corner, facing outward. I figured the pallets could hold the weight of the hives since they are used to ship hundreds of pounds of weight.

 

[G3farms]

Most commercial beekeepers use pallets that are made to their specifications to hold hives and they even have metalclips to hold them in place for transport. Think of a tractor trailer load of hives loaded with a fork truck.

 

[Murrell]

Forget the plastic milk crates, they aren't made for continuses out door use.

Murrell

 

[Hobie]

If you could find any of the old metal crates, that might be an option. But good luck, I haven't seen them for about 30 years. I have one, and it's quite handy.

A stack of good, solid pallets might work for you, if you can get them to sit firmly. Attach them together with something that won't degrade in sun or weather.

 

[PerryBee]

Cutting old drums into 3 pieces (and then filling them with crushed gravel) sounds like a heck of an idea if the drums were cheap enough!

 

[sqkcrk]

Make yourself a double H hive stand using 2x12, since you want it up off the ground. Use pressure treated lumber.

Or you could get a cpl rail road ties.

 

[fatbeeman]

might try old rail road ties cut into 20 inch lengths with 8 ft. landscape timbers done some them.
Don

 

[brendantm130]

I build stands that look like benches out of recycled lumber, free.

 

[G3farms]

what ever you use just make sure it is solid so the hive does not tilt over when the hives are stacked high and heavy.

 

[beehacker]

How about a splay leg stand for $15

I am a faithful user of screened bottom boards. That means that your hive stand needs to allow the mites to fall out of the hive. Visit the http://www.beehacker.com/wp/?page_id=22 site for various hive stand designs.

 

[crackerbee]

beehacker I had problems trying to download the SKP file you have on your site.Notice popped up saying files are damaged.Do you have another download you can post?

 

[LtlWilli]

I place an old tire on the ground, then put a display(small) pallet on top.This gets them up off the wet ground far enough or me to work at easily and is recycling unused stuff that would otherwise just clutter the yard.

 

[G3farms]

LtWilli, do you notice the tire compressing under the weight of the hive as summer progresses and then springing back to shape in the spring time?

 

[bamabww]

I'd prefer buying something that already exists. I'm wondering if milk crates are a good idea.

These stands are sold by Dadant. I really like the one i have. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=3155