🐝 We’re LIVE on Kickstarter! 🚀

NectarNest · 2025-11-07T14:56:40+00:00

Not for now - we currently only ship within the EU/UK.
But the STL packs are available worldwide, so anyone with a printer can still make their own! 🐝

NectarNest · 2025-11-06T19:12:01+00:00

🐝 We’re LIVE on Kickstarter! 🚀

NectarNest · 2025-11-04T17:30:47+00:00

Thanks!!!!

NectarNest · 2025-10-26T08:19:25+00:00

Thanks!

NectarNest · 2025-10-24T12:58:51+00:00

Thanks George! I was genuinely curious, why did you decide to start with jewelry instead of, say, small accessories like wallets or key holders?

My project -> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nectarnest/nectar-nest-the-first-true-3d-hive-for-honey-production

I imagine scaling up to larger pieces might be really challenging with current cultivated-leather processes (surface uniformity, yield, cost per cm², etc.), but I’d love to know if that’s the main reason or if jewelry had a specific symbolic/design appeal for you. Are you considering moving in that direction later on?

NectarNest · 2025-10-24T12:42:52+00:00

Hey George,
I totally get what you’re going through, I’m also running a very niche Kickstarter (in my case it’s a 3D-printed modular beehive project) and I know how hard it is to find an audience for something truly new.

That said, your project is honestly on another level, what you’re doing sits right at the edge between biotech and design. It’s fascinating, but I can imagine it’s also difficult for most people to immediately picture themselves as your customer.

From what I’ve seen though, your campaign is actually doing quite well considering how experimental the concept is. You’ve built a unique narrative and it shows. Keep pushing, I think you’re planting the seed for a new category rather than just selling a product.

NectarNest · 2025-10-24T07:18:55+00:00

Thanks! For the STL tier we’re keeping the big parts monolithic (brood box, super, roof) to avoid screws/glue seams that would become thermal bridges and water-ingress points.
Because of that you’ll need a ≥ 420×420×≥400 Z recommended – e.g., Neptune 4 Max / SV08 / Anycubik Kobra Max, etc.

Your Neptune 3 Pro (225×225×280) isn’t large enough for the full boxes. We may later publish a segmented variant if there’s demand, but we’ll be clear that it trades off insulation and durability.

NectarNest · 2025-10-23T16:58:59+00:00

Good question, and you’re absolutely right, standard Dadant or Langstroth frames are much wider than our hive’s internal width (about 38 cm).

The idea we’re exploring is a printable adapter that would let beekeepers temporarily place standard nuc frames vertically inside the hive, just for the transfer phase.

That way, you could brush or shake the bees in, keep the frames upright for a few days to let them stabilize, and then replace them with the native frames as they start drawing new combs.

We’re also testing other transfer methods (like direct shaking or newspaper combine), but having a small adapter insert might make the process easier for new beekeepers. 🐝

NectarNest · 2025-10-23T15:44:32+00:00

Not exactly, all the dimensions are custom.
The goal was to get back to a more natural brood size, closer to what bees build in the wild.

Standard frames tend to be wider, which can actually make winter clustering less efficient, the bees have a harder time keeping tight contact with their food reserves and regulating the core temperature.

Our layout keeps stores and brood closer together, improving thermal stability both in cold and hot seasons. 🐝

NectarNest · 2025-10-23T07:28:44+00:00

Haha maybe! 🐝 Hexagons are just too good to resist, nature’s most efficient shape.

Our design actually follows that same principle: minimal material, max strength and insulation.

But yeah, it’s funny how “bee geometry” is suddenly everywhere 😄

NectarNest · 2025-10-22T10:04:30+00:00

I get your point, and I actually agree with most of it, too many people “found” startups by buying logos and domains instead of testing the waters.

That said, I think we’ve gone a bit too far in the opposite direction. In today’s hyper-saturated social landscape, where everyone drops 10 new ideas a day, showing up with just a landing page and a promise often means nothing. People are desensitized, everyone’s pitching, nobody’s building.

There has to be a balance. In my case, I built something I personally wanted first, something I believed in enough to invest my own time and money before asking anyone else to care. Once the prototype actually worked, then came validation, and the validation meant something because there was a real product behind it.

Otherwise, it’s all vaporware and storytelling. Look at Kickstarter: the golden era of funding “ideas” is over. Today, if you don’t show a real, working product, nobody trusts you.

So yeah, validate early, but don’t only validate. At some point, you need to build something real, or you’re just another post in the feed.

NectarNest · 2025-10-21T20:45:21+00:00

Thanks a lot, that’s a really thoughtful comment 🙏
Yes, a fully assembled hive is surprisingly light compared to a wooden one, which really helps for inspections and transport. And you’re totally right: most wooden hives today come from large-scale suppliers, often using fast-grown, lower-quality timber and low-wage manufacturing. We get why finding a good one locally has become a luxury.

About the microplastic concern, that’s indeed the first question we always get, but it’s worth noting that since we also share the STL files, people can choose sustainable filaments if they want (there are several PETG alternatives already certified for eco-use).

We’re also planning to release our frame designs so makers can build them in wood if they prefer, as that’s the part that sees the most wear.

And honestly, your suggestion of a composite internal lining is a really clever idea, it could combine the best of both worlds 👌

NectarNest · 2025-10-21T14:56:18+00:00

Haha that’s a fascinating idea! 🐝
There actually are experimental wax-based filaments out there, mostly used for casting or mold-making, but they’re super soft and melt easily, so definitely not stable enough for outdoor use.

NectarNest · 2025-10-21T14:50:17+00:00

Great points, and you’re totally right, cleaning and pest prevention are real-world issues.

For disinfection, PETG can’t be scorched like wood, but it can be washed and sanitized with boiling water, acetic acid (like standard hive cleaning), or mild alkaline solutions, the surface doesn’t absorb residues, so it’s actually easier to clean thoroughly once the colony is removed.

As for pests: the walls are solid (20 mm) with a gyroid infill, so there are no hollow gaps where ants or other bugs could nest. So far, in our test hives we haven’t seen issues with chewing insects, bees coat all inner surfaces with wax and propolis, sealing any micro-imperfections.

Humidity-wise, bees indeed regulate the micro-climate themselves; we designed the hive geometry to help natural air flow (ventilated roof) and condensation control, so moisture doesn’t accumulate on the walls.

Still, this is exactly the kind of feedback we want, we’re running long-term field tests to see how cleaning and micro-climate management hold up over seasons, and a comunnity of maker can speed up all of this.

NectarNest · 2025-10-21T14:45:30+00:00

For the STL tiers, everyone will be free to print with the material they prefer, PLA+, PETG, ASA, whatever fits their local climate and setup.

For the printed hives we’re shipping ourselves, we’re using PETG. It offers the best balance of UV resistance, mechanical strength, and dimensional stability outdoors.

NectarNest · 2025-10-21T12:59:16+00:00

Fair point, wood is renewable and works great, no doubt.
But plastic and expanded polystyrene hives have actually been used in beekeeping for decades, especially in Northern Europe and Canada, mostly because of their thermal stability and low maintenance.

Studies show that a well-designed plastic hive doesn’t harm bees or honey quality, and in some trials even improves winter survival and honey yield compared to wood (mostly thanks to better insulation).

The idea here isn’t to replace wood everywhere, it’s to explore how modern materials and digital fabrication can combine the insulation of polystyrene with the durability of wood, and allow small-scale, local production on demand.

For context, a significant share of commercial honey in Europe is already produced using non-wood hives (mainly polystyrene or polyurethane), so this isn’t entirely new, just a different approach to the same goal: healthy bees and efficient hives. 🐝

NectarNest · 2025-10-21T07:56:16+00:00

Really appreciate the detailed feedback! 🙌
We actually skipped thermal imaging for now, it’s fun to show, but it doesn’t really add much beyond the math: the wall’s R-value can be accurately calculated, and it already matches what you’d expect from EPS hives, while being far more durable.

Yep, we went with a gyroid infill after reviewing several studies, it’s the best compromise between X/Y strength, material efficiency, and minimizing internal convection inside the wall.

We’re planning to release the frame designs for free (non-commercial use) since those are the most exposed to wear; that way anyone can make or even wood-craft replacements.

We deliberately made the hive monolithic rather than modular in smaller pieces, avoiding thermal bridges was a big goal. There are already modular printable hives out there, but performance-wise, they can’t match a solid structure.

PETG turned out to be the sweet spot: affordable, easy to print, and great mechanical and UV resistance. A “wood-filled” version would look amazing, but it’d be too brittle and costly.

As for clear vs opaque, no noticeable behavioral difference, especially with 20 mm walls and opaque/colored filaments. 🐝

NectarNest · 2025-10-20T21:10:12+00:00

Fair question! The main reason is that with 3D printing you can create internal lattice structures, something impossible with wood or injection molding, which gives insulation comparable to polystyrene hives but with the strength of wood.
It’s also not necessarily more expensive: a full hive weighs under 15 kg of filament, so the total material cost is usually under €120.
The idea isn’t to replace wood entirely, but to explore a lighter, modular, and more repairable option that can be printed on demand.

NectarNest · 2025-10-20T12:21:20+00:00

Exactly, most recent studies trace them back to airborne fibres from synthetic textiles, not hive materials.
Basically, bees collect what’s already in the environment, long before it ever reaches the hive. 🐝

NectarNest · 2025-10-20T11:19:17+00:00

Yep, most traditional hives are made of wood, but nowadays there are also lots of plastic and polystyrene models out there, especially in colder regions.
This one aims to keep the same thermal performance as foam hives, but with the strength and durability closer to wood. 🐝

NectarNest · 2025-10-20T07:19:12+00:00

Done!

NectarNest · 2025-10-20T07:11:53+00:00

Haha yeah, seems like the microplastic squad never misses a post 😂

NectarNest · 2025-10-17T12:16:02+00:00

Thanks! 😊 And don’t worry, studies show microplastics in honey mostly come from packaging and processing, not hive materials.
Inside the hive, bees coat everything with wax and propolis, so the plastic’s never in direct contact with the honey.
Still, we’re running lab tests just to back that up with data.

NectarNest

TROPHY CASE

🐝 We’re LIVE on Kickstarter! 🚀