A frame full of honey can weigh anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds. So, a full 5 frame box can weigh anywhere from 25 to 75 pounds ideally. Most commonly, I find that my average "full" 5 frame box weighs somewhere around 45 to 50 pounds.
After glue and nails, that 5 frame box has to be able to hold, lift and carry that weight for multiple years (with proper care).
The weight in the box is carried entirely on the frame rests. Those same frame rests being cut out from the two end boards.
Finger joints are great but they require too much time in the wood shop and ultimately are too expensive in regard to time invested and necessity.
The weight is distributed across a smaller area in a 5 frame box. After having built a variety of boxes over the years, I have determined that a simple straight edge cut box with the end boards contained between the side boards is more than strong enough to carry the heaviest honey load while maintaining the strength, square and integrity of the box over time.
What we don't want to have happen in a box carrying a full load is for it to become unstable while being transported or while standing stationary in a stack under a load. The biggest problem in this is when the box corners become flexible and no longer keep square. When trying to move such a box, it can flex on you and break apart while being carried and consequently cause the frames to be dropped. Not what we want to have happen.
As any carpenter worth their saw knows, the real strength in any box is the glue. Nails do fasten the box together, but it is the glue that maintains the rigidity and strength of the bond. The fingers of the finger joint are primarily useful in maintaining structural stability on impact. In other words, should you drop a box, the fingers distribute the force of the impact through the joint to prevent the box from coming apart. Very useful, especially in larger boxes where the load is much heavier and must be distributed over a larger area.
However, in a smaller, 5 frame box, I find that by sandwiching the end boards between the side boards allows the handles to be attached to both the end board and the side boards simultaneously. The handles on my boxes are important because while the frame rests inside the box carry the weight of the frames, it's the box handles that must carry the weight of the frames and the box itself.
Consequently, I like a strong set of handles on my boxes and they are glued and nailed to both the end boards and the ends of the side boards.
The glue is responsible for maintaining the strength of the joints and keeping them square. I have, not always on purpose mind you, dropped a good many full boxes from about 6 foot height to the ground without breaking the box itself. The compactness of the box itself lends towards it's survivability.
A good outdoor wood glue is absolutely necessary to making this work.I've used Tightbond glue, Elmers Professional outdoor wood glue and Gorilla outdoor wood glue. So far, Gorilla glue has shown the most survivability. As always, make sure any glue that is used is thoroughly dried and cured before putting bees into that box.Yes, you would think that's obvious, but I have met a newbee or two that didn't seem to make that connection.
At this point, I have almost entirely left larger hives behind in terms of frame capacity. All of my greater success has come from using 5 frame box hives. I enjoy a horizontal top bar hive for the fun of them, but for my general bee work, 5 frame hives are it. (I said "almost" because I do have a couple of 8 frame setups laying around "just in case" though they are not my first choice.)
Some people find using screws to be more to their preference over nails. Screws are fine. For me though, I find that unless the holes are pre-drilled for them, screws tend to crack the boards more than nails do. Drilling holes then adding screws costs too much time for me.
Simple, straight cuts for the box sides and ends. No fancy equipment beyond my radial arm saw and table saw to do everything from the boards to the frame rest cuts (and yes, all these cuts can be done with a regular hand saw and a smaller, finer tooth hand saw).
I find it better for overall time effectiveness to make batches of 5 boxes minimum at a time. This way, settings on the saws are only made once each for a number of them instead of changing settings every time.
I believe beekeeping should be fun and relatively easy to do. Now, "fun" is a relative term and maybe what I should really say is "enjoyable". Something that you don't regret doing after having done it or something you dread doing in in looking forward to doing it.
The woodworking part of beekeeping is often not a "fun" part of the endeavor for many people. The woodworking part is undoubtedly the most expensive part of beekeeping. It's expensive in terms of money and time spent.
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