Anyone else see the new option for Windows on Deep Langsthroth hives that @beethinking started to sell?
Deep Cedar or Pine Hive Box
They also added a Sugar Pine option, which is a cheaper option to the Red Cedar (personally I love my Red Cedar with a few coats of Tung Oil) while still being sustainable?
I have a back order for a Deep Western Red Cedar (they just re-designed their joints, so I was on backorder) and Michael S with customer service at Bee Thinking helped get me upgraded to a window model with a quick phone call after I e-mailed in (on a Saturday, none the less!) Now I am really looking forward to getting one of these in my hands, tossing a few coats of Tung oil on it and then swapping it out on my hive (I have my Flow Hive Deep Box - of course using foundationless frames - temporarily)
Anyways I just wanted to make sure everyone saw that great new option…well for a new beek like myself I think it’s great…as is my wife and 18mo son love looking in the side window of the Flow Hive Deep I have on there temp, so this double-sided window will be awesome.
1 Like
I love the new joints! Just picked up one of these boxes. I am interested to see how they hold up over time compared with the traditional joints. Personally, I could care less about the window, but I see the appeal for new beeks.
2 Likes
I would have hoped for larger viewing area through the window, can’t see too much of the frame, so just more of gimmick - but a good one.
I built myself a horizontal hive and added some viewing windows which pretty much show the entire frame - an even better gimmick.
1 Like
Ive got thier previous joints, so these new joints had me excited. I actually wished for a window on the short end as well, but these will be nice for my second brood box of the Garden hive.
We’d do a window there, too, but all you can see is the wooden end of the frames!
2 Likes
It is fascinating and I put my flow hive on top of my observation hive so I can monitor what is going on. It is great to show people the inside of a working hive without them worrying about stings etc.
2 Likes
how much commission are you on…
I have products by Bee Thinking and I’m very happy with them. This was not a paid advertisement. Aside, I would have like to see the bee view on both the frame side and end side. Two views are better then one. How about it Bee Thinking, you are already half way there. Smiles to you all.
2 Likes
My Western Red Cedar with windows comes in Wed, so after some Tung Oil coats it will be installed. While most of the fun is looking at the site, I too would like to see down the middle from ether end. So I am there with you on that one.
Just some feedback @beethinking
Haha @Kirsten_Redlich I wish someone would pay me to have this new hobby LOL!
1 Like
Hm- looks like they have switched to a CNC router for their joints… Can’t have right angle cornered box joints from CNC- but accuracy and tolerances are awesome… If new joint excite you - you should see the laser cut ones on Flows Australian made hoop pine hives… Now there’s some nice wood joints- ooh yeah.
And if you like Windows- you’ll love the new observation hive I’ve just designed… You’ll have to wait a few weeks to see it though…
1 Like
Links to any of those goodies you are talking about? Anything to help their joints is great since I did have to sand mine a bit…though I don’t have the tools to fab my own hives (nor a source of Western Red Cedar), I can do the basics with the tools I do have.
Here’s flows hoop pine hive- they are laser cut - I bought two- the box joints are really superb- very tight - perfect fit. The hoop pine is also very nice timber: https://www.honeyflow.com.au/pages/hoop
The observation hive is my own design- I am making prototypes just now- they won’t be ready for a few weeks.
Again, while we could put a window on the end of the box, the view is mostly useless on a hive with frames, as the view is obscured by the sides of the frames! On a frameless hive such as a horizontal top bar or Warre, end windows are fantastic, as there’s no frame in the way to block the view.
2 Likes
It is true, we’ve moved to production with CNC. Accuracy is significantly greater on CNC than with traditional haunching. The primary issue with regular square finger joints is wood movement and accuracy. Even if the fingers are very accurately cut, the wood can move a significant amount as it enters different climates. I’ve even run into this on some of the beautiful laser CNC cut hives – while I’m sure they were cut right, the wood moved enough that the joints couldn’t go together.
2 Likes
Could still see a bit down the center, and if there was one on each end could shine a light on one side. I’d agree it’s mostly worthless, but very cool way to see all sides of the hive.