Hello, I am just assembling my flowhive and wandering if I should be gluing the brood boxes before screwing?
Hi there, I glued mine using PVA glue for outdoor use. I tried to find something non toxic.
Where abouts are you in Perth?
I used no glue and just screwed them together. I think screws alone would be sufficient but it’s up to you.
The more important thing is to remember to seal the faces/edges of each panel that slot together, as well as top and bottom edges of each side. This will minimise swelling due to external moisture.
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Definitely glue; it actually seals all the tiny spots that air can leak into and saves the bees time to do that job themselves. Glue is actually stronger than nails or screws and your investment is worth this protection in my opinion.
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Yes I agree will all who said glue is stronger then nails and screws being that I’m a carpenter. I glue all my boxes and frames when building them. They may come apart over time once bees really build up wax and propolis and harder to separate.
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I glue all my boxes as I assemble them, it makes a stronger joint and helps in sealing the end grain of the wood. I use ordinary PVA glue as it gets painted it doesn’t need to be ‘outdoors’ PVA glue which is more expensive for no gain.
Cheers
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The late David Cushman is a very respected figure within beekeeping circles and I trust his advice.
You may find this useful.
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Can’t go past Selleys Aquadhere Exterior, I’ve done four new supers and about 50 frames and there’s still 2/3 left of a 250ml bottle, only $12 at Bünnings.
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I found someone who will wax dip my flow hive once I have it assembled - I am assuming that I should not glue during because of the temperatures involved? And the wax will probably fill all those nooks and crannies anyway??
Selleys Aquadhere Exterior data indicates heat resistance up to 230°F. Similar adhesives should have similar resistance. Wax dipping involves higher temperatures 300-320°F. This indicates that the process may damage such type of adhesives.
If I had a choice between extra mechanical strength that adhesive gives versus increase of rot resistance after wax dipping I would go with rot resistance.
Another question. Would you be able to paint dipped parts while they are still hot? At least the first coat?
Everything I’ve read says that you paint while still hot and that way the paint is sucked into the pores of the timber along with the wax.
Yes. Question was not about the possibility of the process itself but about the ability of @chau06 to perform it in time.
I won’t be at the shop when they are doing the dipping so I wouldn’t be able to paint while they’re hot but I was planning to leave the cedar exposed without paint, including the roof.
I’m in city of Wanneroo. 
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