Nice job, and keep in mind that bees take water inside and you need some vents for moisture to exit. I hope you added some on the lid. Thanks for sharing

This is excellent! I am a shepherd and was just approached by a beekeeper at a show last weekend about acquiring some raw wool to overwinter his hive. I've used wool for insulation, garden amendment, soil conservation, and a few other things (beside the usual spinning/etc.), but this was the first time I'd been asked about this. So here I am doing research. Thanks for helping get the word out about more uses for natural fibers!

Looks like I need to build another hive! Thanks for sharing how you built this hive

Great work Gene. I built 3 of these last year as well with slight modifications. I used foam insulation board instead of lambs wool...my insulation is 1" foam that was reclaimed from an old chicken house that was being taken down. The main change from the plans was to reinforce the corners with ripped boards (I think they were 1.5"x1.5") on the inside. This way you are nailing the plywood to the board instead of a just a plywood to plywood mating. You also do not need the metal on the outside for reinforcement with the internal board. For the holes you can use a forstner bit in a drill to cut a nice hole without a router. All my layens hives are doing great here in Texas.

I like these videos. keep 'm coming. Thanks.

Love your project, and I’m glad you mastered it. Though in my climate I use aac blocks because I have fixed places and my wife hated all this loose boxes in the fields so saying this yes I’m using as well layens hives, and the smallest box wall is 80 feet long and contains a round 70 colony’s of carni bees.

if you can 'CARD' the wool - it will put more air between the fibers and improve the R value. You can get a drum carder or hand carders - or even a swing picker will separate the fibers for you

Double walled, interesting concept for an Iowa winter....

Good question, Mr. Gillis.

Gene, I have build this hive too and i found its better to add some framing lumber around the edges that you can staple the plywood to. I used 11/4" around all edges and it worked out great.

Great video. I would love to build one of these insulated hives, but I don't trust my accuracy on the table saw yet. Lol

As an added bonus, this is using up a resource that most sheep farmers toss(at least they do in our area).

Have you considered over cutting by a few mm (or 10ths) and then trimming with a trimming router bit?

Did you have to rip any of the 2x4s? You said you had to trim them.

Great video Gene. I am thinking about tackling building some of these. My 2x hives are just real heavy to move into place. What type roof system are you going to use with this hive? Keep up the good work.

Love the project. Pardon my heretical question but can foam board be used as the insulation wool cannot be had? Just thinking of how a Yeti cooler is made. Thanks

Nice where were the plans from

The moths will love the wool in the hive

Do you paint the outside , or scotch the outside with fire to make it water proof?

Gene, how do you keep the wool from sagging in the walls as loose insulation does in our attics. If it sags you end up with gaps and air spaces. I’m wondering if shredded denim insulation wouldn’t be better. It allows humidity to pass through without sagging. What do you think?

Though as said so. I have exactly 3 the same in case off insulate some colony’s to another apiary etc.

Why would you not used polystyrene sheets? I am hoping to build hives this winter as I am a Market Gardner. I went to Dr. Leo's seminar in late March.

And also worth to know about insulation's that if you pack the insulation too tight it will lose some of the insulation values because insulation need to be airy to work properly.

Awesome video I’m thinking of building 2 of this bee hive but how can buy the sheep wool from you. Thanks

What do you think is the weight of the completed hive? I built mine using 15/32” plywood because I already had it. This meant doing a bunch of math to convert the plans. Mine is heavy enough that I will add lifting handles to the ends.

Not finding a source for wool. Fiberglass or cellulose? Negatives?

Do you see any detrimental issues using fiberglass of cellulose for in between inner and outer sides? Completely isolated from bees. Thx

I love this one’s for my beehives, a pity there’s no metric version of it

What type of staples? Crown? Or ?

Trouble with those u can’t spin the frames? Maybe a double deep frame clipped together

I don't have affordable access to sheep's wool. Can you recommend an alternative that would be safe for the bees?

I got out of bee keeping because of living in N.W. Mt. temperatures can be extreme. Also, our winters tend to come early and leave late, and bee didn't have enough to keep them going. I had vertical hives. Do you have planes for your double wall. I have plenty of sources for un-processed wool. Please let me know I'd like to build one this winter and be ready for spring. Chris

I've looked at the natural beekeeping website by Doc. and his description of measurements aren't very great. I've done woodworking for years building my own Langstroth boxes, etc. along with cabinets for the house. I have looked to see if you demonstrate building these hives and haven't seen it. Do you have videos of building these hives along with measurements? I'll be building them this spring (whether ready this coming season or not). I'm looking forward to building something that will be easier than the heavy langstroth boxes. I just don't want to lift those things anymore.

How many pounds of raw wool would be needed for a 19 frame hive - walls, top and bottom? You say in the video 7-10 pounds but your order form implies that amount is only for the top and bottom, not the sides

Is there a metric version for the rest off the world ? Because I can’t get it right from customs conversion

Where are you located? Do you make and sell these to others?

Why use wool,when i can get stable closed cel styrofoam in 1 & 1/2 inch or 2 inch thick sheets ? Here in Central Northern Nova Scotia it gets cold we see minus 15 to 20 often for weeks at a time, then a thaw, then flash frozen for days or weeks again. Making the hive with 3/4 inch plywood ( I prefer Fir as its great water/moisture resistance) using pine for my corners, as well as where access for the bees are. Have been looking at making my own Layens hive & know it has to been insulated, seen 4 vids now all about wool, but no one speaks on stereo. Why is that ?

that will all absorb moisture from the air and clump at the bottom leaving the top half without

Lambs wool the best? Government studies say the the hair from the musk-ox is far better insulation...