Small homestead in central Italy (Lazio, Mediterranean climate). We wanted a hive we could build without a woodshop, so we designed and printed a modular beehive at home.
- Material/structure: PETG, ~20 mm “sandwich” walls with gyroid infill for insulation.
- Print setup: 0.8 mm nozzle, 0.40–0.48 mm layers, ~275 °C nozzle / 85 °C bed, 420×420 build plate.
- Time/cost: ~5 days total print time, roughly €100–120 of PETG.
- Assembly: edge-to-edge interlocks (male/female along the borders), no screws.
- Field use: bees took to it fine; walls don’t soak water; cleans like any plastic feeder (scraper + water). High summer heat didn’t deform it.
- Data so far: simple temp/RH logger inside; saw a 3–5 °C delta on mild days vs outside.
Gut check for homesteaders:
Would a print-it-yourself hive (or one you could have made at a local makerspace) appeal to you, or would you still stick with wood/foam? Why?
Happy to share more build pics and what worked/didn’t if that’s helpful.
by NectarNest
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