Well priced tools & equipment in Melbourne

[OzBuzz]

G'day Everybody,

I was just wondering if anybody knows of any well priced stores in Melbourne that sell general woodworking equipment? I'm looking at manufacturing my own beehive boxes so need to start from scratch in the tools department

I'm also interested in any places that might sell secondhand gear too...

Thanks for your time

[thebicyclist]

I like northern machinery for second hand fear, Frank's a nice guy and his gear is reasonably priced. Woodworking Machine Specialists is nearly next door is you're after new stuff too.

95 Plenty Road Preston for Northern Machinery and 129 Plenty road for WMS.

The Danahers Mitre 10 in Heidelberg has a good range of hand tools, power tools and light machinery as well as a good range of structural timbers and even a small quantity of furniture grade fancy woods.

Are you starting the hives from scratch or are you buying kits to assembly?

Cheers

Joel

[OzBuzz]

Thanks Joel,

I appreciate your reply... i'll give them a shot!

I'm starting the hives from scratch based on a plan i have obtained... crazy thing in Australia beehives are still sized in the imperial system... I have a couple of hives already but i like the idea of using natural timber look rather than the 'traditional' paint it white coz that's what everybody does...

I like northern machinery for second hand fear, Frank's a nice guy and his gear is reasonably priced. Woodworking Machine Specialists is nearly next door is you're after new stuff too.

95 Plenty Road Preston for Northern Machinery and 129 Plenty road for WMS.

The Danahers Mitre 10 in Heidelberg has a good range of hand tools, power tools and light machinery as well as a good range of structural timbers and even a small quantity of furniture grade fancy woods.

Are you starting the hives from scratch or are you buying kits to assembly?

Cheers

Joel

[thebicyclist]

You should also have a read of

http://www.timber.net.au/index.php/outdoor-timber.html

If you chose the wrong wood (even hardwood can rot quickly) it will quietly rot away and one day when you pick up a box to harvest the bottom will fall out or worse the bottom box of a stack will collapse and you will loose a swarm of very angry bees.

I'd also look into what effect the comb will have on un-protected wood you might be able to leave the outside natural but still need protection on the inside.

Cheers

Joel</http:>

[ian]

G'day Everybody,

I was just wondering if anybody knows of any well priced stores in Melbourne that sell general woodworking equipment? I'm looking at manufacturing my own beehive boxes so need to start from scratch in the tools department

I'm also interested in any places that might sell secondhand gear too...

Thanks for your time

how many boxes do you want to make? and over what time period?

If the number is less than say 50, you might do better paying someone to do all the wood dimensioning and cutting with you just tooling up to assemble the boxes.

[OzBuzz]

how many boxes do you want to make? and over what time period?

If the number is less than say 50, you might do better paying someone to do all the wood dimensioning and cutting with you just tooling up to assemble the boxes.

G'day Ian,

Thanks for your reply... yeah, at this stage it will definitely be less than 50. I like the idea of getting someone else to do the cutting for me as it will save the equipment outlay. But who could i get to do it? the timber yard i buy the timvber from? or would someone here on the forum do that sort of thing? At the moment to buy a box flatpacked it's about $18.00 so i'm hoping to get out of it for under that per box - but using some more exotic hardwoods etc which can be oiled/waxed/lacquered to show their features

[OzBuzz]

You should also have a read of

http://www.timber.net.au/index.php/outdoor-timber.html

If you chose the wrong wood (even hardwood can rot quickly) it will quietly rot away and one day when you pick up a box to harvest the bottom will fall out or worse the bottom box of a stack will collapse and you will loose a swarm of very angry bees.

I'd also look into what effect the comb will have on un-protected wood you might be able to leave the outside natural but still need protection on the inside.

Cheers

Joel

G'day Joel,

Thanks for your reply... what was your suggestion i should read? and i agree - timber choice is important. At the moment hoop or radiata pine is most commonly used (and painted/oiled). I want to use a hardwood preferably. Maintenance will be carried out annualy so i shouldn't have too much of a problem with rotting etc so long as i keep looking after them. The comb has no effect on the wood (just like using beeswax in furniture polish) but the comb doesn't really come in contact with the timber. Sometimes the bees will propolise the interior surfaces but that's normally only if you have a strain of bees that use a lot of propolis - i use carniolan bees which don't use much propolis at all</http:>

[DJ’s Timber]

At the moment to buy a box flatpacked it's about $18.00 so i'm hoping to get out of it for under that per box - but using some more exotic hardwoods etc which can be oiled/waxed/lacquered to show their features

You may be in for a huge shock once you start pricing the timber, I have supplied both cypress and pine for beehives previously and have no intention of doing it again as there is no money in it unless you're doing it by the hundreds.

If you're wanting to do it in exotic h/woods sourced from overseas, I'd say you'd be looking at $70 or more per box and in Aussie H/wood you'd probably starting at $50 minimum at a guess.

Before you start getting too far ahead of yourself, make a few calls and start pricing some timber in the sizes you require, and make sure you specify seasoned or kiln dried as straight off the saw in h/wood is a recipe for disaster.

[ian]

G'day Ian,

Thanks for your reply... yeah, at this stage it will definitely be less than 50. I like the idea of getting someone else to do the cutting for me as it will save the equipment outlay. But who could i get to do it? the timber yard i buy the timvber from? or would someone here on the forum do that sort of thing? At the moment to buy a box flatpacked it's about $18.00 so i'm hoping to get out of it for under that per box - but using some more exotic hardwoods etc which can be oiled/waxed/lacquered to show their features

Let's do some sums.

at $18 per kit, if you buy 30 kits, it'll cost you about $360.

to set yourself up to cut and dress timber would probably cost a minimum of $1500, quite likely a lot more.
for 30 hives that's $50 per box + the timber
for 50 hives it's $30 per box + the timber
you need to make about 85 hives just to recover your outlay on machines, or about 200 to even start like looking at being in front after purchasing the timber

What is your objective
to make bee hives for the minimum cost?
to have fun making your own bee hives?

[Sturdee]

G'day Ian,

I like the idea of getting someone else to do the cutting for me as it will save the equipment outlay. But who could i get to do it? the timber yard i buy the timvber from? or would someone here on the forum do that sort of thing?

You don't mention what is involved, how many cuts are necessary, what type of cuts are needed to make one set. Without knowing what is needed how can we advise you.


FWIW Bunnings will cut the timber they sell to your sizes at $ 1.00 a cut.


Peter.

[terraaustralis]

Why not give Guilfoyles Beekeeping Supplies in Brisbane a ring.

I used them years ago and found their boxes well made (as flatpack) and durable. They certainly had their finger on the Backyarder market as well as the commercial producer. You certainly cannot produce a quality box as they do for the price they charge.
And you have to ask the question: why are the hives typically painted and painted in white at that? There are sound scientific reasons for doing this to the wood (and benefits for the bees) and it's not for fashion sake.

Make sure you register your hives. It's free and you'll be doing your bit of environmentally responsible bee keeping - disease control across the nation is a problem.

I love beekeeping! That's one of those hobbies you can eat.

[Dusty Dave]

Here's some more interesting reading - this guy is building a 'Kenyan Top Bar Hive' which was designed to be easy to build and maintain:

Building The Bee Hives In Pictures - AussieHomeBrewer.com

I'm tempted to have a go myself as well...