# Bee hive how to with Kehoe dovetail jig (Picture Heavy)



## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

*Bee hive how to with Kehoe dovetail jig (Picture Heavy)*










This is the finished hive body.
Constructed from catalpa with kehoe dovetail splines "dipped" in 300 degree(max) paraffin and gum rosin.
I wanted a long lasting hive body without metal fasteners to corrode. I think this fits the bill,
Outside dimensions are 19 7/8" long x 16 1/4" wide(3/4" thick stock). These are the typical dimensions of a 10 frame langstroth hive.









Rip to 9 5/8" wide








Crosscut front/back to 16 1/4" and sides to 19 1/8" 








Front and back boards have a 3/4" wide x 3/8" deep rabbet on the short sides








Front and back boards have a 3/4" wide x 3/8" deep rabbet on one long side to serve as the frame rest








All three rabbets completed








Jig used to mark screw hole placement with awl.








Pre-drilling on my 10ER








Glue, clamp and screw








Water-shedding hand hold jig.








Hive body held in place by shims








Trying to show blade clearance. (blade is actually below the box)
With the blade below the box I start the saw and raise the blade into the wood. Then tilt the blade to 45 degrees and raise the blade again. Then back to 90 and raise and over to 45 and raise then back to 90 degrees. I use 2 revolutions(total) of the blade elevation crank to complete the handhold (Grizzly 1023)








The finished hand hold.








The glue-up used to make the splines








Cutting strips to make the splines








My setup for cutting the splines.
Shop-made magnetic feather boards used as stop blocks.
Grey wood attached to mitergauge to make 1 degree wedges.
Blade tilted to 83 degrees (or 7).








The mountain of splines needed for this batch of boxes.








Jig attached to route out the screw holes.








Router with 5/8" bushing. I prefer the bushing over the bearing that came with the jig.








Glue the spline and socket and tap the wedged spline in for a perfect fit.








My options for cutting the splines close to flush.








Sanding the splines flush.








Top view of the dipping tank with an extra box on top of the one being dipped to prevent floating. The moisture left in the wood is boiled out and when removed from the tank replaced with paraffin as it cools.








A few of the completed hive bodies.

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If you have any questions feel free to ask.


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## MichaelAgate (Jan 15, 2012)

SASmith said:


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 Nice work! Nice walk through.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

SASmith said:


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if i'm getting this right
the screws are like clamps as the glue kicks

then removed and the splines inserted

great blog
and build process

nice boxes


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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That's right David. 
I don't have nearly enough clamps to make a batch of boxes.


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

SASmith said:


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Sweet. 
I have the pleasure of some wax from these very bees - and it is great stuff.

Good job on the build. If I were a bee, that is where I would want to live.
Steve


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

SASmith said:


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that's what i thought 
i do that allot too

then back them out
and trow them back in the can

ready for the next job


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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Same here David. I used many screws on the batch of boxes. Pic 18 shows my screw bowl in the background.


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

SASmith said:


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Nice detail on these boxes as well as your blog on how to, thanks for posting…BC


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

SASmith said:


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Thanks sasmith,i don't think i'll be making any bee hive boxes but you never know.what i do know is that this was a very good blog of a good build .being new to this craft i tend to read a lot of ualls post and learn a lot. like the cuts with the table saw for the handle and the dove tail corners .when i get the money i got to get one of those jig and try it that looked great and strong .i did get lost there once tho not really on the blog but when you and David were talking about saving the screws splam commented about the beeswax than david said he too and throws them back in a can i thought what are they doing with that wax ,then i got back to speed figured out what was said very smart idea and though i,m glad i didnt ask about the wax .thanks sasmith i learned a lot from your post well done for a newbie like me to get it.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

SASmith said:


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Hi SASmith,
What a fine blog.
I like the idea of the screws as clamps, clever, fast free!
My favorite part is the handles, i love these simple looking handles that are really only a cut.
Thank you for showing us the way of these beautiful hives, I would live there also if I was a bee.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

SASmith said:


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Great blog, and wonderful result. Are you a new beekeeper, or have you been at it for a while? Thank
you for sharing.


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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Thanks for all the comments.
Gus, I am fairly new to beekeeping. This is the start of my 5th season. I have around 25 hives now and plan to expand more this season. All of my bees are from wild swarms or unwanted colonies I removed (cutout) from walls of houses and trees. I will have to build more boxes soon. Some of my hives have 5 boxes per hive (unlimited brood nest) so it takes quite a few boxes to put together an apiary.

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Here is a link to more pictures of the finished hive bodies.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

SASmith said:


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Here some beautiful hives from Paris.
(picture 14012012).
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

SASmith said:


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Question on the choice of wood.. Catalpa. Just curious. Any reason for using that?
The stuff you're using looks almost too good for bee hives.
I've got a little bit of catalpa and wondering what would be a good use.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

SASmith said:


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Great blog. Clever idea with cutting the cove for the handles. Thanks for sharing.


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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Thanks for posting that pic mads.
I love their hive stands and lids.
Are the lids copper?


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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MoshupTrail, I have a few reasons for using catalpa. It is rot resistant, lightweight, cheap, and dries well/fast.
When I was assembling the boxes I found some curly catalpa that I wish I had set aside for another use.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

SASmith said:


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I think they are zink as I remember.
I was always happy to look at them when I walked in the Parch Luxemburg in Paris.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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Mads, thanks for the reply.
I love the umbrella look and that nice patina.


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## baoluo (Jun 7, 2011)

SASmith said:


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We can build a hive. But the French beautify it! Make it a little bigger and I'm moving. Very very nice work and a beautiful patina.


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## DanKrager (Apr 13, 2012)

SASmith said:


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My brother-in-law a commercial beekeeper and would be very jealous of your beautiful hives. Bears tend to be hard on them though. I've recently learned there are black bears now present in southern IL in our area. Not so good. One was spotted recently just south of Sumner. You gonna make those zinc caps? They look really cool.
Dan


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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Dan,
I would love to make some zinc or copper lids but they are out of my budget so I will have to stick with aluminum.
I had not heard of a black bear being found in Sumner. I have been told we had them here 50+ years ago until most of the woods were clear-cut to make way for row crops.


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

SASmith said:


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Wow Scott that is an awesome blog and great detail on your setup's. Setup is almost the heart of precision woodworking, and somthing I am always thinking about, now I have seen your blog I have a much better idea on how to do handholds, (I never could figure out how the bought hives had them done). Now thanks to you I think I will tackle this tricky cut.


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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Most commercial hive bodies have handhold cut with a shaper.
You can also cut hand holds with a dado blade. You use the same type of jig as posted above. Secure the box in the jig and raise the dado blade into the wood(you do not tilt the arbor when you use a dado blade).


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## dermotjones (Apr 28, 2014)

SASmith said:


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Nice job on the hive bodies!
any chance on sharing the plans on the hand hold jig?


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## BTKS (Nov 30, 2008)

SASmith said:


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WOW, I've got to completely read this entry. I've been interested in dipping boxes for a couple years.
Going straight to favorites.
Any advice on the wax and tank?
BTKS


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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BTKS, pm sent.


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## duckmilk (Oct 10, 2014)

SASmith said:


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Great post Scott. It is interesting to me because my grandmother raised bees. Now I'm curious if my grandfather built the boxes, but I guess I'll never find out since they are both gone.
I too would like to know more about the wax dipping setup.
Mike


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

SASmith said:


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Here is some info on dipping. (not my site)

My dipping tank has a box in the middle of it to displace wax and contain the flame from a turkey fryer.
The tank holds around 30 pounds of wax, without the box in the middle it would take 80-100 pounds of wax to fill it and much longer to heat up.

I have some boxes that are 7 or 8 years old and are still going strong. With no uv protection the boxes do turn grey eventually.

If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.


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## BTKS (Nov 30, 2008)

SASmith said:


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SASmith,
Thanks for the link. 
I've been away for awhile. Our side business of beekeeping has had me busier than a one armed wall paper hanger. Can't wait to thoroughly read the link.
Thanks again.
BTKS


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