Beehives Done!

Well, almost. I still need to put the beeswax line on each top bar, but that can be done anytime. Here are several pictures of the painted and finished hives. I only painted the tops and socks on the feet and legs, the rest of the bodies are finished with linseed oil and beeswax melted together. Smells wonderful!

Here is another picture with some of the top bars in, and the follower board. This is how much space the initial package of bees will use. The rest of the space is for later in the season, when they need more room to put honey.


And here is a picture with all the top bars in, and after that, with the roof on.!

I would consider that Columbus day this year was very productive! I got the beehives finished, and installed in their new locations, to weather out the winter and wait for the new neighbors to move in next spring!

I also made a house number sign for the front yard. We used to have the numbers up on the house, but took them down when we had the house repainted. Oh, 2 years ago? We also had the number painted on the curb, but that has faded away. And we still have the number on the mailbox, but the clematis has grown so well, that the number is completely covered up! So, I used one of the extra follower boards, sanded it down nicely. I also used some of the scrap oak that I got from the flooring manufacturer near my job, and made a nice sign post. I wanted to use some of the chain I had left over from hanging the lights on Mary's plant-light shelves, but I could not find that chain to save my life. So I made some out of heavy gage wire. It should hold, but if it doesn't, I'll go buy some, I guess, even though that isn't the frugal way to do it! I still have to put the finish on the sign, but I can't do that until the glue dries. So, maybe tomorrow I'll get that bit done. And here is an almost finished picture of that sign, the numbers are just resting on it for now, and you can see the clamps on it too.