Perone Hive Progress – using the blowtorch and the Kreg Jig

With our April 7th delivery date for two packages of bees, we have a quickly-approaching deadline for this hive build. Derm Dad got on board with helping me when he realized he could justify a new saw. Well, now he is the proud owner of a new compound miter saw and stand AND a new table saw and stand! Things have been complicated since the plans we are working for are in centimeters and millimeters. Of course there are conversion charts online, but lumber is not exactly measured in inches. It is, but the boards are named for the size before planing.Things have been further complicated because I REALLY wanted to make this hive to have observation windows (since we homeschool), since we aren’t supposed to be breaking in to the bees’ space to spy on them. Well, the plans don’t exactly account for that so we are making this up as we go along.

After three trips to two different lumberyards, here is our updated lumber list (using American names and sizes).

Updated (semi) Americanized Lumber List

  • 3 – 3/4″ dowels 22 3/4″ long for support bars inside the bees space
  •  36 – 9mm tabs for spacers to help build the first comb grid space
  • 34 – 11 m tabs for spacers to help build the second and third comb grid space
  • 24 – 22.5″ long 1″x4″ boards and 2 –   24″ long 1″ x 4″ boards .
    From the 22.5″ boards, rip 53 – 24mm wide bars for the comb grids (4 of these will serve as part of the frames for two of the comb grids – SCORCHED, 17 go in the first comb grid, 16 each in the other two comb grids)
    From the 24″ boards 4 – 24mm wide bars for the other part of the comb grid frames – SCORCHED
  • 2 – 22.5″ long 1″x2″ boards and 2- 24″ long 1″x2″ boards for the frame of the first comb grid (right above the bees space) – SCORCHED
  • 4 – 21 3/4″ long triangle trim pieces for corner triangles
  • 6 – 1″x4″ boards 22.5″ and 6 – 1 x 4″ boards 24″  long for beekeeper supers – SCORCHED
  • 6 – 1″ x 8″ boards 22.5″ long for sides of  bee’s space – SCORCHED
  • 4 – 21 3/4″ long and 4 – 17″ long 1″x4″ boards for two plexiglass viewing frames – SCORCHED
  • Two plexiglass sheets (we used 0.093″ Lexan Polycarbonate sheets which seems like it is very good quality) 21″ x 21 3/4″(no bigger than this size, can make a little smaller to make sure it fits within the frame) for the viewing window and silicone adhesive
  • 3 – 24″ long 1″x8″ boards and 1-24″ long 1″x4″ board for the bees floor (this provides an extra 2″ landing platform for the entrance/exit) – SCORCHED
  • boards for gabled roof - SCORCHED

In order to protect the boards, we are scorching the outside of the wood that is exposed to the elements.  The lumber that is scorched is annotated in the lumber list.  Unfortunately, scorching does cause the board to bow such that the scorched surface is convex. Not sure if we recommend this method for weatherproofing or not (because of the bowing of the wood).

After scorching the necessary wood, the next step was to make the floor.  I Kreg jigged 3 – 24″ long 1″x8″ boards and 1-24″ long 1″x4″ board such that I had a 24″ x 26″ floor with one side scorched (plus edges scorched too).  Then, I made the sides of the bees space using 6 – 22.5″ long 1″ x 8″ boards.  I picked one of these boards to make the bees entrance.  Using my jig saw, I cut a 9 mm notch at 10 1/4″ from either side with the scorched (outer) side facing me.  Then, taking my chisel (still scorched side facing me) I chiseled the entrance out 9 mm from the edge (the purpose of the jig saw notches was to ensure that the chisel didn’t extend more than 2″ – roughly 5 cm.)  Then I used the chisel and sand paper to make sure the entrance was smooth.  The next step was to create circular notches in the inside of the wood for the three stabilizing dowels.  Using a 3/4″ speed bore, I drilled about 1/4″ deep into each side  with the center of the speed bore 1 1/2″ down from the top and 11 1/4″ from each side.  Be sure not to go all the way through the board.  The next step was to drill the kreg jig holes for all six boards including the part that will connect to the viewing frames.  Then, using three boards for each side (make sure the entrance is on the bottom of one of the sides), kreg jig these together.  The next step was making the viewing frames.  Connect 2 – 21 3/4″ long 1″x4″ (vertical pieces) to 2-17″ long 1″x4″ boards (horizontal pieces) with a kreg jig face joint.  The kreg jig holes will go on the 17″ pieces.  Cut the plexiglass sheets into 21″ x 21 3/4″ rectangles.  I used a standard box cutter to score the sheets rather than the plastic scoring tool which I could not get to work.  Peel off the protective covering and silicone glue the plexiglass to the inside of the viewing frame.  The plexiglass has to cure for 12 hours.  In the meantime, I got started on the bee keepers space and the comb grids.   For the beekeepers boxes, simply Kreg jig 2 – 24″ long 1″x4″ boards to 2 – 22.5″ long 1″x4″ boards for each box (total of three boxes.)  Next was the first comb grid.  Because the bees space is supposed to be 22.5″ x 22.5″ (approximately 57 cm x 57 cm), I needed to add a little height (the sides with the 3-1″x8″ boards made a height of 21 3/4″).  To make up for the extra 3/4″ of height, I used 1″x2″ boards (the 1 in the 1″x2″ is really 3/4″ and the 2 is really 1 1/2″)  for the frame of the first comb space.  With the depth of the comb pieces being 3/4″, that left exactly 3/4″ remaining to complete the height of the bees space (it’s not that often things work out so nicely).  I kreg jigged 2-24″ long 1″x2″ boards to 2-22.5″ long 1″x4″ boards.  Then I had to rip 17 -22.5″ long 24 mm wide strips from 1″x4″ pieces.  Except for the bees entrance, the comb grid is the only other time I needed to use metric.  Fortunately my new table saw has a metric and english measuring guide.  I placed one kreg jig hole at the end of the each strip on the wide (24 mm) face.  Then I placed them in the 1″x2″ frame placing a couple of  22.5″ long 1″x4″ boards underneath to hold them up (the strips need to be attached at the top of the comb grid to give the bees space that extra 3/4″ of height).  I put the strips down with 9 mm spacers (that I made with my table saw).  Unfortunately, if your spacers are too big by as little as 1/2 mm (which is almost nothing) you wipe out an entire comb space over the span of 17 strips.  I ended up being off by about 6-8 mm total so the spaces on the very ends were only 5-6 mm wide compared to the recommended 9 mm wide.  But the rest of them were 9 mm wide as they are supposed to be.  Building the other two comb grids is the same process as the first only only  they do not require using 1″x2″ frames.  Instead, you can use the same 24 mm strips that you use for the comb pieces for the frames as well.  The only difference is that the frame pieces are oriented differently than the comb pieces.  For the frame pieces, the 24mm dimension becomes the vertical height and the 3/4″ thickness of the board is the width of the frame piece.  The second and third comb grids only require 16 comb pieces so they are spaced apart only slightly wider at 11 mm.  The next step is assembly of the bees space.  Kreg jig one side to the two viewing frames.  Fasten 2- 21 3/4″ long triangular strips to the corners.  Then, with the solid side lying on the floor, insert the dowels in the three holes.  Place the other solid side on top such that the three dowels insert into the corresponding holes.  Kreg jig the fourth side to the other two viewing frames.  Add the remaining triangular trim pieces to the other two corner.  Kreg jig the entire box to the floor making sure that the bees entrance is on the side with the extending two inch lip.  Place the comb grids on top with the bee keepers boxes in between.  Add the gabled roof.

In case you are interested, here’s a video of the scorching process (a bit of family humor – Adele as the cameraman wipes out but makes a nice recovery):

Here are a few more progress videos:

Making holes for the support bars in the bees’ space:

Using the Kreg Jig to make a beekeeper’s super:

Using the Kreg Jig to make the sides of the bees’ space (internal dimensions 57cm x 57cm):

P.S. We are NOT claiming to be Perone hive experts (or even bee experts), but I couldn’t find anything on the internet (other than the links I already gave in the previous post) on Perone hives in English, so I thought a bit more info might help someone else. If you decide to try this hive, please leave a comment to let us know how it goes!!!

P.P.S. Don’t forget, you can join 13skills.com and commit to learning 13 new skills in 2013

follow our beekeeping saga HERE

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4 thoughts on “Perone Hive Progress – using the blowtorch and the Kreg Jig

  1. Thanks for this information. We are looking to keep bees (though our weather is very wet!) in the next few years. This information will prove very helpful when the time arrives for us to make that next step. Good luck on your adventures!

  2. I found videos of Oscar Perone and his workers building their hives and they assembled them first and scorched the outside afterwards. Maybe than there is no problem with the woods movement?Also they scorched them till they were black and burned at all – see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPmgoSe7NJg at minute 18. Will build my Perone as soon as I’ve spoken to my beekeeping-mentor because of the legal issue keeping bees without being able to inspect every single comb of the brutnest. I’ve two TopBarHives allready and hope they come through their first winter in our cold snowy alpine climate.

  3. Greetings…love the hive. I would really appreciate more detail on how you installed the windows…just a piece of (plexi) glass the size of the wall…all glass on the inside surface…and sealed with silcone to prevent draughts. Did you take the glass to or under the corner pieces. We are thinking of trying glass on the back wall as well. An email reply would be great. I bought a Kreg Jig…never seen one before so tips on this also appreciated. As if you don’t already have enough to do:) Thanks

    • We used a piece of LEXAN polycarbonate plexiglass that was larger than the hole in the wall, but smaller than the wall itself. We used silicon adhesive to seal it. We took the plexiglass to but not under the corner pieces. I think doing a third window is a great idea! Let me know how it turns out!!! The Kreg jig is super easy and fun – I’m sure you will like it!

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