Yesterday, Monta and I bought the materials for building a top bar hive. The hive, affectionately christened Metpropolis, will follow Phil Chandler's top bar design with some minor modifications and additions. Minus tax, the materials cost us a total of $90. See below for details:
Hive Materials
Legs
2 - 2"x4"x8' premium grade @ 1.83 each for 3.66
Sides, bottom, lid arches
2 - 2'x4' 1/2" plywood, good one side @ 7.04 each for 14.08
Top bars, lid frame
12 - 1"x2"x6' clear aspen @ 2.30 each for 27.60
Lid cover
1 2'x4' 1/4" plywood @ 5.98
Ends, following boards
2 - 1"x12"x4' standard grade pine @ 2.54 each with 25% off for 3.81
Lid roof
1 4'x8' sheet of semi-rigid 1/8" thick plastic* @ 24.45
* enough for at least 3 hives
Miscellaneous
1 qt Linseed oil @5.98
3/5"x2-1/2" carriage bolts, washers & nuts @ 2.96
3/4" bend screws (for attaching removable bottom) @ 1.48
Subtotal 90.00
Tax 5.85
Total 95.85
I'm afraid I will serve mostly as a "go-fer" throughout the construction process with Monta doing all the skilled labor. I shouldn't have avoided those "shop classes" in high school.
